Technology utilization by doctoral-level counseling supervisors: Application of the technology acceptance model

The frequency of use, perceived usefulness, and perceived ease of use of the 12 Technical Competencies for Counselor Education Students developed by the Association of Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) Technology Interest Network (1999) within the framework of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) by doctoral-level student counseling supervisors in CACREP-accredited counseling programs was examined. Gender, race or ethnicity, and age of the doctoral-level counseling supervisors were examined. A questionnaire using the two components of the TAM and measuring frequency of use was developed to solicit doctoral students' perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and frequency of use. One-tailed, single sample t-tests of frequency of use for the 12 ACES Student Technology Competencies showed that frequency of use for all of the competencies was statistically significant from never. This study found all 12 competencies being used to a moderate degree. Bivariate correlations were used to evaluate the relationships between perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and frequency of use. Data analysis indicated a statistically significant relationship between frequency of use and perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use. One-way ANOVA procedures were used to measure the relationship between gender, race or ethnicity, and age for frequency of use. Data analysis indicated no significant relationship between gender or age and Frequency of Use. However, data analysis indicated a significant relationship between race or ethnicity and Frequency of Use. While this finding indicated a statistically significant difference between groups, in actuality the differences between these groups was small. These differences may have been attributable to the variability in the data or small sample size in one of the groups. This study demonstrated that doctoral-level counselors are using the 12 ACES competencies, and that the TAM constructs of perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are positively correlated with the frequency of use. Future research can further explore the extent to which the 12 competencies are being used.