Acceptance–Adaptation Gap among College Teachers in the Gen Z Learning Environment

Abstract

The emergence of Generation Z (Gen Z) in higher education has transformed the expectations and dynamics of the teaching-learning environment. Gen Z learners are generally accustomed to digital technologies, online resources, multimedia content, mobile applications and interactive forms of communication. These changes have created new expectations for college teachers to integrate technology into teaching practices. However, teachers' willingness to accept educational technologies does not necessarily translate into their effective adaptation of those technologies in classroom pedagogy. This study proposes to examine the acceptance–adaptation gap among college teachers in the Gen Z learning environment. The study focuses on teachers' perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, technological self-efficacy, institutional support, digital competence, pedagogical adaptation and intention to use technology. The proposed study adopts the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) along with the concept of pedagogical adaptation to investigate the difference between teachers' acceptance of digital technologies and their actual classroom adaptation. A structured questionnaire may be administered to college teachers, and the data may be analysed using percentage analysis, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, correlation and regression/structural equation modelling. The study is expected to identify the major factors responsible for the acceptance–adaptation gap and provide recommendations for faculty development, institutional policy and technology-enabled teaching practices suitable for Gen Z learners.