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Adaptive learning technologies (ALT) are gaining traction across education, and recent advances open new possibilities for maritime education and training (MET), particularly in simulation-based environments. This study examines how maritime educators’ technological proficiency shapes their acceptance of ALT and their views on implementation. Using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) on survey data from 104 MET professionals across five continents, we test relationships among technological proficiency, perceived usefulness, implementation importance, implementation challenges, and adaptivity needs. Results indicate that technological proficiency increases perceived usefulness (β=0.457) and perceived implementation importance (β=0.309), while implementation challenges reduce perceived usefulness (β=−0.223). Perceived usefulness partially mediates the link between technological proficiency and implementation importance (β=0.192), suggesting both direct and indirect pathways of influence. These findings offer actionable guidance for maritime institutions adopting ALT: invest in targeted professional development to strengthen educators’ technology competence while addressing infrastructure and practical rollout barriers. The study advances understanding of technology acceptance in safety-critical training contexts and helps close a gap in MET research by foregrounding technological proficiency as a key driver of ALT uptake.
Baradziej et al. (Tue,) studied this question.