Australian Journal of Teacher Education - Vol 40 - Issue 4 - Article 8 - Enhancing Playful Teachers’ Perception of the Importance of ICT Use in the Classroom - The Role of Risk Taking as a Mediator

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine

In today’s world, teaching and learning processes inevitably involve information and communication technology (ICT). A survey of 450 Singapore students in a teacher education programme, analyzed with structural equation modelling (SEM), shows that cognitive playfulness influences perceived importance of ICT through risk taking orientation, while no mediation is found via perceived competence in ICT use. Academic self-concept has negligible links with both ICT variables, suggesting teacher education can nurture risk taking attitudes to promote modern technologies as pedagogical tools.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

ICT in teaching and learning as a global agenda

Teacher-level factors affecting ICT uptake

Purpose and model tested in the study

Australian Journal of Teacher Education | Volume 40 | Issue 4 | Article 8 | | --- | --- | | 2015
Enhancing Playful Teachers’ Perception of The Importance of ICT Use In The Classroom: The Role of Risk Taking AsA Mediator
A. Lin Goodwin
Teachers College, Columbia University, USA, [alg25@columbia.edu](alg25@columbia.edu)
Ee Ling Low
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University,Singapore, [eeling.low@nie.edu.sg](eeling.low@nie.edu.sg)
Pak TeeNg
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, [paktee.ng@nie.edu.sg](paktee.ng@nie.edu.sg)
Alexander S. Yeung
Institute for Positive Psychology and Education, Australian Catholic University, [Alexander.Yeung@acu.edu.au](Alexander.Yeung@acu.edu.au)
Li Cai
National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, [li.cai@nie.edu.sg](li.cai@nie.edu.sg) | | Recommended Citation Goodwin, A. L., Low, E., Ng, P., Yeung, A. S., & Cai, L. (2015). Enhancing Playful Teachers’ Perception of The Importance of ICT Use In The Classroom: The Role ofRisk Taking AsA Mediator. Australian Journal of Teacher Education, 40 (4). Retrieved from [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss4/8](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss4/8) This Journal Article is posted at Research Online. [http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss4/8](http://ro.ecu.edu.au/ajte/vol40/iss4/8) Australian Journal of Teacher Education Enhancing Playful Teachers’ Perception of the Importance of ICT Use in the Classroom: The Role ofRisk Taking as a Mediator A. Lin Goodwin Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, The United States Of America Low Ee Ling National Institute Of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Ng Pak Tee National Institute Of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Alexander S. Yeung Institute For Positive Psychology And Education, Australian Catholic University Cai Li National Institute of Education, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore Abstract: In today’s world, teaching and learning processes inevitably involve the application of information and communication technology (ICT). It seems reasonable to expect personal attributes such as cognitive playfulness to be associated with consistent application of ICT. Using survey responses from Singapore students in a teacher education programme (n = 450), structural equation modelling (SEM) found that the effect of cognitive playfulness on the perceived importance of ICT was mediated by risk taking orientation, but the mediation effect was not observed with perceived competence in ICT use. Academic self-concept had negligible relation with the two ICT variables. As personal attributes may not be malleable whereas risk taking orientation can be nurtured, the mediating role of risk taking implies a useful direction for teacher education to enhance student teachers’ risk taking attitudes for promoting the application of modern technologies as pedagogical tools in schools. The introduction of Information and Communication Technology1 (ICT) into the teaching and learning cycle has become a global agenda. For instance, the United States of America launched The National Education Technology Plan (Department of Education USA, 2010), and ICT integration is an integral part of Australian Professional Standards for Teachers in Australia (Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership [AITSL], 2011). The use of ICT in education has also been emphasised by many other countries such as New Zealand (Ministry of Education, 2011), and Korea (Korea Education & Research Information Service, 2013) . Likewise, in Singapore, ICT integration in education is also clearly stipulated by the Ministry of Education (MOE). The Third Masterplan for ICT in Education (MOE Singapore, 2008) is one of a series of initiatives that introduce ICT into teaching and learning processes. A key message underlyin

FAQs

What relationship did SEM reveal between cognitive playfulness and perceived importance of ICT use?

Cognitive playfulness affected the perceived importance of ICT use indirectly through risk taking orientation.

Why was the mediation effect not observed for perceived competence in ICT use?

The mediation pathway through perceived competence was not supported by the study’s structural equation modelling results.

What implication does the study suggest for teacher education?

Because risk taking orientation can be nurtured, teacher education should enhance student teachers’ risk taking attitudes to support using modern technologies as pedagogical tools in schools.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by Jasmine