Teaching reform and innovation awareness as a mediator in AIGC adoption among vocational information technology teachers: an extended TAM study

Introduction Artificial intelligence-generated content (AIGC) is increasingly influencing educational practice, but its effective adoption in vocational education depends not only on teachers' perceptions of the technology itself but also on their awareness of teaching reform and pedagogical innovation. Methods Drawing on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this study developed an extended model to examine how perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), and teaching reform and innovation awareness (TRIA) influence AIGC adoption intention (AAI) among vocational information technology teachers. Data were collected from 122 valid questionnaire responses from teachers in 18 vocational colleges. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling, and bootstrap mediation analysis were used. Results The results show that PU has a significant direct positive effect on AAI, whereas PEU does not directly predict AAI. TRIA significantly predicts AAI and significantly mediates the relationship between PEU and AAI. However, the mediating effect of TRIA between PU and AAI is not statistically significant. Discussion These findings suggest a dual mechanism of AIGC adoption among vocational information technology teachers. PU directly drives adoption intention, whereas PEU influences adoption intention mainly through teachers' awareness of teaching reform and innovation. The study extends TAM by highlighting the pedagogical innovation mechanism underlying AIGC adoption in vocational education and provides practical implications for teacher professional development and institutional support.