The widespread adoption of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has significantly impacted various sectors, particularly education. The intention to use ICT (ITUICT) is crucial for successful technology implementation in education, influencing teaching efficacy and student engagement. Previous research highlights the critical role of ITUICT in business success, with inadequate adoption hindering educational advancement. This study focuses on China's education sector, examining the impact of several factors on ITUICT and acceptance. These factors, supported by existing literature, include social factors (social influence), individual factors (trustworthiness), technological factors (information acquisition, perceived awareness), and external factors (regulatory support). While some studies focus on ICT adoption among teachers, research on teachers' intention to use technology remains limited. Technology acceptance is vital for accelerating technology use, particularly in the context of teachers' intentions. Past literature highlights various theories used to analyze the factors influencing technology use intention, including social factors, trust in innovation, perceived awareness, and cultural influences. The present study aims to (1) examine the role of information acquisition, perceived awareness, social influence, and regulatory support on ITUICT among Chinese educational employees, and (2) investigate the moderating effect of trustworthiness on the relationship between ITUICT and the aforementioned independent variables. This study contributes by validating an ICT intention-based model within an educational setting, using the UTAUT model in a developing country context (China), and providing empirical evidence on the impact of trustworthiness on ITUICT.

The study uses the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) model as its theoretical framework. UTAUT synthesizes eight existing models (TRA, TPB, TAM, MM, C-TPB, TAM2, MPCU, and IDT) to identify four key determinants of technology acceptance: performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. This study focuses on social influence (the belief that significant others think one should use the technology) and regulatory support (perceived organizational and technical infrastructure support). The literature review explores the relationships between social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, regulatory support, and ITUICT. It highlights that perceived awareness of ICT's benefits increases the likelihood of adoption, while insufficient information acquisition, lack of regulatory support, and distrust hinder adoption. The literature also emphasizes the significant role of social influence, highlighting that individuals are more likely to adopt technology when their peers or colleagues are using it, and that this influence can be stronger than other factors. Further, information acquisition is shown to enhance understanding of technology's features and benefits, boosting confidence and intention to use. The review also emphasizes that perceived awareness (user's knowledge and understanding) positively impacts ITUICT. Finally, it discusses the role of regulatory support, including financial incentives, policies, and resources that reduce perceived risks and encourage technology adoption. The literature suggests that trustworthiness moderates these relationships, enhancing the impact of social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, and regulatory support on ITUICT.

This quantitative study employed a survey using a convenience sampling approach to collect data from 381 university employees in six top-ranking universities in Beijing, China. The survey included questions on demographics (gender, age, education, work experience, position) and measures of social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, regulatory support, trustworthiness, and intention to use ICT. A five-point Likert scale was used for all variables. 70 responses with missing values were removed, resulting in 381 valid responses (84% response rate). The sample comprised 57% males and 43% females, with the majority (52%) aged 27-35 years old. The educational backgrounds included Bachelor’s (17%), Master’s (49%), and Ph.D. (34%) degrees. Work positions were diverse, including faculty members (50%), teacher assistants (19%), ICT researchers (16%), and others (15%). Work experience ranged from 5 years or less (34%) to 6-10 years (46%), and 11-20 years (20%). Data analysis utilized partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. The PLS-SEM approach was chosen to handle the complex relationships among the variables, considering both direct and indirect effects and interactions, and its ability to handle a relatively small sample size. The measurement model was evaluated for reliability (Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability), convergent validity (average variance extracted), and discriminant validity (Fornell-Larcker criterion, Heterotrait-Monotrait ratio of correlations). The structural model was assessed using path coefficients, R-squared, goodness-of-fit (GoF) index, and standardized root mean square residual (SRMR) to evaluate overall model fit.

The PLS-SEM analysis revealed significant positive relationships between each of the independent variables (social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, and regulatory support) and the dependent variable (intention to use ICT, ITUICT). Specifically, social influence (β = 0.195, t = 5.909, p < 0.05), information acquisition (β = 0.483, t = 8.473, p < 0.05), perceived awareness (β = 0.134, t = 3.622, p < 0.05), and regulatory support (β = 0.374, t = 6.697, p < 0.05) all significantly and positively predicted ITUICT. Trustworthiness also showed a significant positive direct effect on ITUICT (β = 0.211, t = 4.489, p < 0.05). Furthermore, trustworthiness significantly moderated the relationships between the independent variables and ITUICT. The moderating effects were all positive and significant: social influence and ITUICT (β = 0.125, t = 2.508, p < 0.05), information acquisition and ITUICT (β = 0.171, t = 3.563, p < 0.05), perceived awareness and ITUICT (β = 0.082, t = 2.562, p < 0.05), and regulatory support and ITUICT (β = 0.163, t = 7.409, p < 0.05). The R-squared value for ITUICT was 0.861, indicating that the model explained 86% of the variance in ITUICT. The model also showed good overall fit based on the GoF index (NFI = 0.811, SRMR = 0.068, Chi-Square = 2678.235). Moderation graphs visually illustrated the stronger relationships between the independent variables and ITUICT under high trustworthiness conditions.

The findings support the hypotheses, demonstrating that social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, and regulatory support all positively influence ITUICT among university employees in China. The moderating role of trustworthiness emphasizes the importance of building trust in ICT systems and institutions. This underscores the need for transparent and reliable information channels, secure systems, and supportive organizational cultures. These results align with previous research emphasizing the importance of social influence and trust in technology adoption. The high R-squared value indicates a strong explanatory power of the model. The significant moderating role of trustworthiness implies that the effects of social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, and regulatory support are amplified when users trust the ICT systems and the supporting organizations. The study’s findings have important implications for policy-makers and educational institutions in China, highlighting the need for strategies to enhance trust, provide relevant information, and establish supportive environments to encourage wider ICT adoption.

This study provides a valuable contribution to the understanding of factors influencing ICT adoption in China's education sector. The validated model, incorporating the moderating effect of trustworthiness, offers a comprehensive framework for enhancing ICT implementation strategies. Key findings highlight the importance of social influence, information acquisition, perceived awareness, and regulatory support, with trustworthiness acting as a critical amplifier of these effects. Future research could explore cultural nuances in ICT adoption, expand the sample to include students and other stakeholders, investigate additional factors influencing adoption, and conduct longitudinal studies to track the impact of interventions aimed at improving ICT adoption.

Several limitations should be considered when interpreting the findings. First, the convenience sampling may limit the generalizability of the results to other regions or educational institutions in China or globally. Second, relying solely on self-reported survey data may be subject to response bias. Future research could incorporate other data collection methods, such as interviews or observations. Third, the study focused on university employees; future studies should include other educational stakeholders, such as students and administrators, to gain a more complete understanding of ICT acceptance. Fourth, the study focused on a limited number of factors; future research could explore additional factors, such as perceived usefulness, ease of use, and technological self-efficacy. Finally, this study was cross-sectional; a longitudinal study could provide a better understanding of the dynamic relationships between the variables over time.