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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify which transfer-of-training characteristics may describe the general tendencies of early or late adopters in implementing speech recognition technology among business education instructors. The transfer-of-training characteristics were ratings of administrative, peer, and technological support. The subjects in this study were selected from business education instructors from middle, secondary, and postsecondary rural and urban educational institutions located within the state of Nebraska. To be included in the study, the subjects had to be full-time business education instructors of the rank of high school instructor, community college instructor, or college instructor or professor. The business education instructors had to have completed training in speech recognition technology.
Data were collected by the principal investigator who sent a cover letter via email informing participants of the study and the contents of the Speech Recognition Technology Survey. Each participant was surveyed to identify which transfer-of-training characteristics described the general tendencies of early or late adopters in implementing speech recognition technology among business education instructors.
The results indicated that 44 business education instructors (71%) are currently implementing speech recognition technology for instructional activities in the business education curriculum. T-tests were computed to examine differences between early and late adopters on the levels of administrative, peer, and technological support. The results indicated there was a significant difference (p < .006) in one question of administrative support asking if the administrator reinforced training through grants and/or funding availability for additional software purchases. There were no significant differences (p < .006) in all other questions for levels of administrative, peer, and technological support between early and late adopters of speech recognition technology.
Based on the results of these data, the following conclusions were drawn. Speech recognition technology implementation is an integral part of instruction in the business education curriculum. Transfer-of-training characteristics constitute only a part of the identifying factors for speech recognition technology implementation in educational institutions.
