Teachers’ acceptance of technology-based simulation games as teaching pedagogy in management education: an extended technology acceptance model

The present study investigates the factors underlying the adoption of technology-based simulation games (SGs) by teachers in the formal management education. The proposed framework is an integration of the widely used Technology Acceptance Model (TAM); two institutional factors namely, top management support and training; and one individual factor, i.e. self-efficacy. The proposed model was empirically tested using a sample of 311 teachers selected using convenience sampling from the Indian management institutions. The primary data was gathered through surveys of teachers from business and management schools in India. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed model. This study has found that the three external variables, i.e. top management support, training opportunities and self-efficacy, have direct influence on the two constructs of TAM (i.e. perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use), and have indirect influence on adoption intention of simulation games. The findings of this study have relevance to the SG developers as well as the top authorities / management of business schools. The findings suggest that SG developers must concentrate on creating the solutions that fit well with the teachers’ current pedagogies. Moreover, the management of business schools provide adequate training and support to their teachers to promote the adoption of SGs. The study contributes to the literature by putting forward the perceptions of management teachers within Indian contexts. By proposing an extended TAM model, the study has contributed to the knowledge of educational technology adoption in the context of technology-based simulations for teaching.