The readiness of pre-service teachers to teach Coding and Robotics

This study explores pre-service teachers' engagement with Coding and Robotics within a teacher education programme. It aims to determine their readiness through their behavioural intention to teach this new subject in South Africa. A quantitative analysis of behavioural intention predictors was conducted on data collected from 235 pre-service teachers through a structured 5-point Likert survey. The research was grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) framework, focusing specifically on three core constructs: Performance Expectancy (PE), Effort Expectancy (EE), and Social Influence (SI), and their influence on Behavioural Intention (BI). Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to support the study's focus and emerging educational context. Results indicate that Effort Expectancy (EE) had a moderate effect on behavioural intention, while Performance Expectancy (PE) and Social Influence (SI) showed weak effects. The lack of alignment between curriculum reform and teacher education policies raises concerns about the readiness of pre-service teachers to implement Coding and Robotics effectively in a classroom setting. This study contributes to the growing body of research around educational robotics and coding by highlighting its role and pre-service teachers' preparedness by examining possible factors affecting their readiness to teach the subject.