Effects of Intelligent Teaching Tools in Colleges and Universities: A Case Study of "Rain Classroom"

Based on the "Uses and Gratifications" theory, this paper proposes an analysis framework of "use and gratification" for intelligent teaching tools. Taking "Rain Classroom" intelligent teaching tools as an example, we conducted a questionnaire survey on the effect of intelligent teaching tools applied in higher education with 651 students respondent from 15 universities. The findings have shown that the intelligent teaching tool has proved to be efficient, and its operation process coincides with the "uses and gratification" theory in general, which presents a full path of medium choices "demand motivation-media use behaviors-functional satisfaction-medium impression". However, college students' impression of "rain classroom" does not have a significant moderation effect on the relationship of demand motivation and media use behaviors. In addition, we found that students use the basic functions more frequently, and rarely use the advanced functions. The interaction between teachers and students was highly responsive, and students' participation in the course was greatly improved, but the learning effect as well as the degree of self-realization was only slightly improved. Based on this conclusion, this paper offers a series of suggestions:focus on the students demand for intelligent tools to develop more appropriate function; strengthen the training on teachers and encourage them to make full use of the tools; guide the teachers to pay attention to the influence of the type and frequency of media use behaviors on the improvement of students' learning effects; adjust teaching strategies in terms of the observed current situation of students' learning.