Factors That Affect the Acceptance of Educational AI Tools by Greek Teachers—A Structural Equation Modelling Study

Abstract

The discussion around integrating AI technologies into educational practice is current among scholars and in sociopolitical circles. This study examines the factors influencing teachers’ acceptance of educational AI tool (EAIT) use, aiming to inform the development of a pedagogical framework for the responsible integration of AI tools in education. A conceptual model was developed by amalgamating constructs of TAM (perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use) and UTAUT (social influence and facilitating conditions) while integrating the variables of perceived trust and personal innovativeness and considering the impact of teachers’ pedagogical beliefs. A total of 342 Greek teachers participated in the quantitative survey conducted. The proposed model was evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings illuminated perceived usefulness as the most significant predictor of teachers’ behavioural intention to use EAIT. The research also revealed that social influence and personal innovativeness exert considerable influence. While constructivist pedagogical beliefs were found to have no direct impact on EAIT acceptance, the results indicated that educators who embrace those teaching methods exhibit a high propensity to perceive EAIT as useful and trustworthy. Furthermore, the study’s analysis demonstrated that trust had a significantly positive effect on usefulness, and innovativeness influences positively and significantly both usefulness and ease of use.