how teachers adopt technology innovations a school-wide perspective
TRANSCRIPT
How Teachers Adopt Technology InnovationsA School-wide Perspective
Research on innovation diffusion
Led by Everett Rogers
News of new tools travels by interpersonal connections.
His discovery:
Each person’s decision about whether to adopt a new tool is more dependent upon who shares the news of the tool than on how well the tools can actually assist the current non-user.
Technology Users
Fall into different categories:1. Innovators2. Early Adopters3. Early Majority4. Late Majority5. Laggards
Innovators
Are change-agents comprise 2.5% of the school Easily understand and apply
technical knowledge Form friendships and
communicate most often with other innovators
Can live with uncertainty
But, Innovators…
May not be either understood or respected by the majority of their colleagues.
Committed, self-starting, and rich in resources
Early Adopters
the next 13.5% of the district or school teachers
Are well-respected by their peers
More local viewpoint Are “the teacher to check
with” when a new approach is considered
Early Adopters
Whereas innovators are seen as a “breed apart,” early adopters are talented, but still “one of the folks.”
Hold a leadership position in school, due to the talent they exhibit in technology use.
Are: committed, interested, self-starting
Early Majority
34% of the school population
Known for their very high frequency of interaction with colleagues.
Don’t often hold leadership positions in the school, either formally or informally
Early Majority
Primary role = provide connections between and among different interpersonal networks within the school system.
Follow with deliberate willingness Their decision process is more often
careful, conscious, and cautious than the innovators and early adopters.
Early Majority
Once an idea catches on with this group, it spreads rather quickly … due to the interaction this group exhibits.
Late Majority
the next 34% of the social system
Are: skeptical of new ideas, methods, and tools more cautious about trying an innovation
Have scarce resources compared to the previous groups have difficulty they do decide to adopt an innovation
Late Majority
For them to adopt an innovation, most of the uncertainty must be removed
and The norms for behavior and belief in
the social system must also favor its adoption.
Laggards
Last 16% of a social system Most traditional of all
members of a social system Their point of reference is
the past; they remember the history and provide continuity in the social system.
Frequently interact with others like themselves.
Advice for working with the different groups
To work with Innovators:
Stay out of their way! Keep them supplied with as
many resources as possible. Try to shield them from
bureaucratic red tape and others’ jealousy.
Don’t force or coerce them to teach others, especially those who are less innovative in their approaches.
To work with Early Adopters
Don’t push! Instead, offer to help
them to explore rich, well-grounded, high-quality applications of innovations.
More than any group, this bunch will sell the innovation for you to their peers.
To work with the Early Majority
Encourage collaborative explorations and applications of new tools, ideas, and techniques.
Be patient! Then, be fast to support
once the innovation begins to spread.
How to work with the Late Majority Will adopt an innovation
when it’s commonly used, so it won’t be hard to work with them.
Don’t force, embarrass, or get frustrated with them.
Be sure they have the resources they see as essential in using the innovation.
Keep offering to help and one day, they will accept.
How to work with the Laggards
Use techniques similar to those offered for the Late Majority.