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The Emergence and Evolution of Vocational College Teachers' AI Application Competency within the TOE Framework: A Dynamic Analysis

Author(s)

Shufei Zhang1,*, Feiyan Zhang1, Jing Yang2

Affiliation(s)

1Office of Academic Affairs, Zhejiang Guangsha Vocational and Technical University of Construction, Jinhua, China 2Entrepreneurship College, Zhejiang Guangsha Vocational and Technical University of Construction, Jinhua, China *Corresponding Author

Abstract

The factors influencing the emergence of AI application competency among vocational college teachers do not operate in a simple linear fashion. Instead, they interact dynamically to produce outcomes, with antecedents being multiple, concurrent, and intricately interwoven. Based on the Technology - Organization - Environment (TOE) framework, this paper analyzes the pathways of its formation and evolution. The research indicates that the emergence and evolution of vocational college teachers' AI application competency are driven by different factors across the three dimensions of "Technology - Organization - Environment." The initial stage is primarily propelled by environmental pressure, the growth stage is mainly driven by organizational and technological factors, and the mature stage is chiefly characterized by the balanced development of the system. Accordingly, a dynamic evolution model of vocational college teachers' AI application competency is constructed. The conclusions not only enrich the research related to the digital transformation of vocational education but also provide theoretical references and practical pathways for advancing the digital transformation of vocational education through enhancing teachers' digital literacy.

Keywords

AI Application Competency; TOE Framework; Vocational Colleges; Teachers; Digitalization

References

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