The effects of ICT on students' motivation, conducted by Cox, have identified a number of specific motivational aspects, including enhanced commitment to the learning task, enhanced enjoyment and interest, increased self esteem and increases in independence and confidence (Cox, 1997; 1999).The researchers found that the majority of the teachers reported a higher degree of motivation amongst the pupils and a better attitude to work when the pupils were using laptop computers. This motivation, leading to enhanced self esteem, was especially noticeable for the pupils in a school for special needs.
Many other studies provide corroborating evidence about the motivating effects of IT/ICT on students' learning. Many of the same motivating factors have been identified in studies of adults using new technologies. For example, Davis, Bagozzi and Warshaw (1989) developed a theory of 'action relating to reasons' (Technology acceptance model) based on the work of Fishbein and Ajzen (in Davis et al, 1989) to investigate the reasons why some people use computers and their attitudes towards them. Their model, shown in Figure 1, links the perceived usefulness and ease of use with attitude towards using ICT and actual use (system use). They tested this model with 107 adult users, who had been using a managerial system for 14 weeks. They found that people's computer use was predicted by their intentions to use it and that perceived usefulness was also strongly linked to these intentions. This supports the work of Ajzen (1988) and others who have found that a positive attitude towards performing certain behaviours was related to the perceived value of those behaviours.
The analysis of previous research and theories about motivation and attitudes and behaviour has shown that a range of factors can contribute to teachers' motivation to use ICT. These include their attitudes to ICT, their beliefs in the value of ICT for teaching and learning and their perceptions of whether or not they can use it themselves and use it effectively in their teaching. Motivational factors include making lessons more interesting and more fun, contributing to pupils' learning, improving the presentation of materials and making the lessons more diverse.
Our analysis of the relationship between extent of IT use and motivation, has shown that the most significant motivation factors relating to use were: perceived ability to use IT; difficulties experienced in using IT; level of resources available and their satisfaction with IT; and whether using IT in teaching is considered to be interesting and enjoyable. In referring to Ajzen's theory of planned behaviour we can deduce that the negative factors amongst these have not been sufficient to deter the teachers in our sample from using ICT, but the significant correlations imply that the more interesting and enjoyable using ICT is, and the greater their perceived abilities are and the fewer the difficulties experienced then the more likely teachers are to use it regularly in their teaching
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