Exploring subject area differences in teacher beliefs and technology use: A national study of vocational and non-vocational teachers

Abstract

Subject culture has long been recognized as a key factor influencing teachers’ technology integration. While prior research has explored differences across subject areas, few studies have examined how vocational teachers compare with non-vocational teachers in terms of beliefs and technology use. Given the growing interest in vocational teachers’ technology integration, this understanding is timely and important. Using a nationally representative sample of Korean in-service teachers (n = 2,117), the present study compared teacher beliefs and both the quantity and quality of technology use across subject areas, with vocational teachers serving as the reference group. Multiple Indicators and Multiple Causes (MIMIC) modeling and multiple regression analyses revealed systematic subject-area variation, after accounting for key teacher and school backgrounds, such as age, gender, ICT training and organizational support. Vocational teachers reported higher competence beliefs, value beliefs, quantity of technology use, and quality of technology use than teachers in Korean (mother tongue), mathematics, human sciences, and other subject areas (e.g., moral/ethics, physical education, personal and social development). These findings suggest that the close alignment between vocational education and technological application may foster vocational teachers’ positive beliefs and practices related to technology integration. The results underscore the role of subject culture in shaping teachers’ beliefs and classroom practices and offer actionable implications for targeted teacher education and professional development initiatives.

Shonn Cheng

Assistant Professor

My research interests include applying a variety of analytical methods to study motivation, expertise, and training.