What Learners Need to Take On: A Technology Acceptance Model–Informed Reflection

When reflecting on “learner responsibilities” in technology adoption, I no longer see them as mere actions like trying the tool or watching tutorials. After examining Kang (2025) and reviewing the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) and its extensions, TAM2 and TAM3, I now interpret learner responsibilities as internal growth efforts—mindset shifts that empower adults to integrate new technologies effectively into their learning processes.

To set the stage, the figure below illustrates how TAM constructs and adult learning theories orbit around the learner. It is not meant to be a precise causal diagram, but rather a conceptual mood-setter that highlights the cognitive and emotional dimensions of adoption.

Figure 1

Conceptual Sketch of the Learner's Dual Responsibilities in Technology Adoption

Note. Conceptual sketch showing the learner centered among TAM-related factors that influence technology adoption. Image generated by Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft, 2026) using a prompt requesting a sketch of a learner looking at an office building surrounded by TAM, TAM2, and TAM3 constructs.

This week, two responsibilities stood out:

1. Actively constructing relevance and

1. Proactively shaping one’s emotional connection with technology.

1. Learners must actively construct relevance (not wait for it).

Kang (2025) suggests that meaningful technology integration begins when learners intentionally connect tools to their personal learning objectives. This aligns with TAM2, which shows that job relevance significantly influences perceived usefulness, especially when paired with output quality (Venkatesh & Davis, 2000).

In essence:

Adults are more likely to adopt technology when they can see its clear benefits in helping them achieve what matters to them.

But instructors cannot fully provide relevance. Learners must:

• articulate their own goals

• map the tool to those goals

• test whether the tool actually helps

This demonstrates andragogical self-direction: adults learn most effectively when their learning is connected to real-life needs (Knowles, 1984).

2. Learners need to maintain a healthy emotional connection with technology.

TAM3 broadened the model by emphasizing emotional aspects like computer anxiety, playfulness, enjoyment, and self-efficacy (Venkatesh & Bala, 2008). These are not merely technical concerns — they relate to identity.

Adults carry their past experiences, fears, and confidence into each new tool they encounter. Kang (2025) notes that learners often feel discomfort, uncertainty, and vulnerability when engaging with new technologies. This supports Mezirow’s (1991) notion that transformative learning entails facing disorienting dilemmas, and technology can often be one such challenge.

Akpan (TEDx Talks, 2020) illustrates how everyday technology use generates anxiety — separation from a smartphone, fear of missing out, social comparison — the same emotional terrain TAM3 identifies as shaping perceived ease of use.

Learners must take responsibility for managing the emotions that shape their perception of ease of use:

• acknowledging anxiety

• seeking support early

• allowing low-stakes experimentation

• building confidence through small wins

Integrating Both Responsibilities: A Learner Journey

To help visualize how learners can take on these responsibilities, I created a second figure outlining a single, supportive path toward technology confidence. It integrates TAM, adult learning theories, and concrete learner actions.

Figure 2

Learner's Path to Tech Confidence

Note. Conceptual sketch showing a learner's journey toward technology confidence across five stages: recognizing relevance (Knowles, 1984), experimenting and adapting (Mezirow, 1991), testing and reflecting (TAM2; Venkatesh & Davis, 2000), reflecting together (TAM3; Venkatesh & Bala, 2008), and building confidence. Image generated by Microsoft Copilot (Microsoft, 2026) using a prompt requesting a hand-drawn sketch of a learner walking a winding path toward a summit, surrounded by five labeled stages of technology adoption.

This journey shows that while learners hold responsibilities, they are not meant to walk alone. Support is essential. 

Why These Responsibilities Matter for Adult Education

Together, these responsibilities highlight a core truth:

Adopting technology is not merely a technical task — it is a process of shaping meaning.

Learners face the cognitive task of assessing relevance and the emotional challenge of building confidence. TAM indicates that perceptions, rather than design alone, influence usefulness and ease of use. Kang (2025) highlights that meaningful integration relies on learners actively constructing their understanding.

A Question for My Classmates

What has been the most challenging emotional or cognitive responsibility you have faced when adopting a new learning technology, and how have you managed it?

References

Kang, H. (2025). Adult learning and meaningful technology integration (2nd ed.). New Prairie Press.

Knowles, M. (1984). The adult learner: A neglected species (3rd ed.). Gulf Publishing.

Microsoft. (2026). Copilot [Generative AI tool]. https://copilot.microsoft.com

Mezirow, J. (1991). Transformative dimensions of adult learning. Jossey-Bass.

TEDx Talks. (2020, May 6). Technology anxiety: Hate liking for dummies | Mfon Akpan | TEDxAllendaleColumbiaSchool [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qd3px40lYDs

Venkatesh, V., & Bala, H. (2008). Technology acceptance model 3 and a research agenda on interventions. Decision Sciences, 39(2), 273–315. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1540-5915.2008.00192.x

Venkatesh, V., & Davis, F. D. (2000). A theoretical extension of the technology acceptance model: Four longitudinal field studies. Management Science, 46(2), 186–204. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.46.2.186.11926

From Canvas to the Open Field: What Blogging Asks of a Self‑Directed Learner

Figure 1 - Stepping Into Blogging 

Note. Photograph taken by the author, August 2026

         Switching from Canvas discussion boards to blogging feels like stepping out of a structured classroom and into a space I have to shape myself. Discussion boards are effective for guided, instructor-framed conversations and work well for learners who benefit from clear prompts and predictable structure. But for self-directed learning (SDL), blogging is not the same activity. The difference is not the platform—it is who sets the terms.

        Knowles (1980) explains that adults develop toward autonomy, and Kang (2025) argues that meaningful technology integration begins with understanding learners and choosing tools that support that autonomy. Blogging does exactly that. It gives me room to decide how I want to express ideas, how I want my space to look, and how I want to connect readings to my own experiences. Grow’s (1991) Staged Self-Directed Learning model helped me see the contrast clearly: discussion boards fit learners who need more structure (Stages 1–2), while blogs support learners ready to take more initiative (Stages 3–4).

        I will admit I was intimidated at first. I have read blogs for years, but creating one felt different—almost like standing before a blank canvas — or the open field in Figure 1. I worried about doing it “right,” especially when others already have polished websites. That hesitation was real, but it also pushed me to grow. Blogging feels a bit like journaling, except the notebook is not locked. Because I work in a security-conscious environment, privacy matters to me, so I chose restricted access. Making that decision—evaluating risks, setting boundaries, and adjusting the tool to fit my comfort level—was itself an SDL moment.

        So no, blogging is not the same as discussion board activity for an SDLer. It asks more of me, and that is exactly why it feels worth doing.

References

Grow, G. O. (1991). Teaching learners to be self-directed. Adult Education Quarterly, 41(3), 125–149. https://doi.org/10.1177/0001848191041003001

Kang, H. (2025). Adult learning and meaningful technology integration (2nd ed.). New Prairie Press.

Knowles, M. S. (1980). The modern practice of adult education: From pedagogy to andragogy (Revised ed.). Cambridge Adult Education.