Impact of educational intelligent agent cognition on teachers' technology anxiety in medical colleges: the moderating roles of mutual trust and competitive atmosphere

Objective To explore the impact of educational intelligent agents' cognition on teachers' technology anxiety in medical colleges and the moderating effects of mutual trust and competitive atmosphere.

Methods A questionnaire survey was conducted among 2013 teachers from 22 medical colleges in Beijing, Shanghai, Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Anhui, Guangxi, and Yunnan, using a general information questionnaire, the educational intelligent agent cognition scale, the teachers' technology anxiety scale, the mutual trust scale, and the competitive atmosphere scale.

Results Reliability and validity test results of the scales: Cronbach's α value all ＞0.8, composite reliability (CR) all ＞0.8, the average variance extracted for each dimension all ＞0.6, the variance inflation factor (VIF) for each item all ＜5, and the factor loadings for all measurement items ＞0.7. Correlation analysis revealed significant negative correlations between perceptions of educational intelligence and teachers' technology anxiety, mutual trust and teachers' technology anxiety, perceptions of educational intelligence and competitive atmosphere, and mutual trust and competitive atmosphere (r = –0.771 – –0.514, P ＜ 0.01), while teachers' technology anxiety exhibited a positive correlation with competitive atmosphere (r = 0.532–0.824, P ＜ 0.001). Structural equation model results showed that educational intelligent agent cognition negatively predicted technology anxiety (β = –0.419, P ＜ 0.01). Mutual trust positively moderated the relationship between educational intelligent agent cognition and technology anxiety (β = –0.343, P ＜ 0.01). Competitive atmosphere negatively moderated the relationship between educational intelligent agent cognition and technology anxiety (β = –0.191, P ＜ 0.05). The model fit well (χ²/df = 2.449, CFI = 0.969, TLI = 0.963, RMSEA = 0.057, and SRMR = 0.047).

Conclusions Cogonition of educational intelligent agent is a direct predictor of teachers' technology anxiety, where positive and certain cognitive evaluations reduce such anxiety. Mutual trust provides teachers with a psychological safety net and works in conjunction with high–level cognition to alleviate technology anxiety. A competitive atmosphere amplifies technology anxiety.