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The study examined: (1) the relative contributions of six intrapersonal subsystems of potential adopters of innovations in accounting for attitudes toward change and toward the change agent; and, (2) the characteristics of diffusion strategies associated with modifications in attitudes toward change and toward the change agent. Administrators and teaching faculty (N = 624) from 103 secondary level programs for the hearing impaired participated in the study. Data for the study were obtained in three ways: (1) initial questionnaire to obtain indices of intra-personal characteristics; (2) a similar follow-up questionnaire seven months after the initial questionnaire; and, (3) records of interactions between change agency personnel and staff in the 103 participating programs. Six intra-personal subsystem scores were derived from the 26 intrapersonal characteristics using a priori subsystem assignment based on Paisley's (1973) model of the change process. Multiple regression analyses yielded no substantial predictive relationships for either of the two research questions. Cross-validation analyses on the regression analyses indicated substantial shrinkage in already inconsequential predictive power. Possible explanations for the lack of predictive relationships are discussed. Suggestions for future research include: (1) refinements in procedures to continue investigation into the research questions attempted in this study; (2) use of multiple criterion variables; (3) use of simulation or gaming techniques to overcome methodological difficulties; and (4) investigation into organizational and administrative factors which are related to innovation and change within educational settings. / Ph. D.

Advances in computer and video technology, coupled with their decreasing cost, have placed considerable impetus for implementation of new technology in the educational environment. While many institutions of higher education are considering implementing systems of new educational technology, the actual process of implementing change is not well understood. The purpose of this study was to attempt to gain greater insight into the implementation process. The research questions guiding this study were: (1) What are the factors associated with the implementation of new educational technology at community colleges? (2) Who are the change agents associated with the implementaon of new educational technology at community colleges? The case study methodology was selected as the most appropriate technique for this study because: (1) research involving the implementation stage of the change process has been limited; (2) the change process does not have a single theoretical basis for conducting empirical testing; and (3) the complexity of the subject being investigated. Three community colleges in the southwestern United States, which have recently completed the implementation of an innovation, were selected for the case study research. The innovation under investigation at Vernon Regional Junior College was the implementation of a microcomputer system. The subject of investigation at Dona Ana Branch Community College was the implementation of equipment to support a word processing program. The implementation of an instructional television program was studied at New Mexico Junior College. Seven factors emerged as common to all three institutions as they implemented innovation. The seven common factors were: (1) the availability of funds outside the normal operating budget to finance implementation of innovation; (2) elimination of boundary contraction; (3) individuals affected by the innovation had input into the implementation process; (4) clear channels of communication existed among those involved in the implementation process; (5) the hierarchy involved in the approval process was limited; (6) the administration supported plans to implement the innovation; and (7) measures were taken to reduce resistance to the innovation. Change agents were found to be a necessary catalyst for change and can emerge from any level of governance.

Photocopy of typescript. / Digitized by Kansas Correctional Industries

Genetic counselors are healthcare professionals who work with patients and families affected by or at risk for conditions with a genetic cause or component. They act as purveyors of genetic and genomic testing and support the translation of test results into targeted and personalized medical care. Innovations, which arise and are introduced into practice continuously, compel genetic counselors to update their skills, knowledge, and approach quickly to ensure adequate and appropriate care of patients. The purpose of this study was to explore the professional learning strategies utilized by genetic counselors, with particular attention to learning which occurs in response to innovation. Utilizing critical incident questionnaires, interviews, and a database of credits accrued for continuing education, this study sought to contribute to a detailed understanding of genetic counselors’ professional learning and how strategies may vary by specialty or years of experience. Genetic counselors were found to utilize reflection to identify learning needs arising within uncertain, complex, and ambiguous circumstances of practice, and match those needs to appropriate learning strategies. Prized learning strategies included reading to gather information, discussion with colleagues to curate alternative perspectives and past experiences, and experimentation to actively test ongoing apprehension. Through strategies which were permeable, complementary, and active, genetic counselors demonstrated their abilities to synergize learning, practice, and novel, complex, ambiguous, and uncertain environments.

Human development has occurred against a timeline that has seen the creation of and diffusion of one innovation after another. These innovations range from language to complex computing and information technologies. The latter are assisting with the distribution of information, and extend to the distribution of the human species beyond the planet Earth. From early times, information has been published and mostly for a fee to the publisher. The absorption and use of information has had a high priority in most societies from early times, and has become institutionalised in universities and institutes of technical learning. For most in Western societies, education is now a matter of ‘lifelong learning’. Today, we see higher education institutions, worldwide, adapting their organisational structures and operating procedures and forming strategic alliances with communications content providers and carriers as well as with information technology companies. Modern educational institutes seek productivity and efficiency. Many also seek to differentiate themselves from competitors. Technological convergence is often seen by management to be a saviour in many educational organisations. It is hoped that lower capital and recurrent costs can be achieved, and that competitors in an increasingly globalised industry can be held at bay by strategic use of knowledge media (Eisenstadt, 1995) commonly associated with distance education in the campus setting. Knowledge media set up costs, intellectual property costs and training costs for staff and students are often so high as to make their use not viable for Australian institutes of higher education. Against this backdrop, one might expect greater educator and student use of publisher produced textbooks and digital enhancements to the textbook, particularly those involved in distance education. A major issue is whether or not the timing of instructor adoption of converging information technology and communications technologies aligns with the wishes of both higher education management and government, and with those who seek commercial gain from the diffusion and adoption of such technologies. Also at issue is whether or not it is possible to explain variance in stated intentions to recommend adoption of new learning technologies in higher education and implementation. Will there occur educator recommendation for adoption of individual knowledge media such as World Wide Web access to study materials by students? And what will be the form of this tool and others used in higher education? This thesis reports on more recent changes in the technological environment and seeks to contribute to an understanding of the factors that lead to a willingness, or unwillingness, on the part of higher education instructors, as influencers and content providers, to utilise these technologies. As such, it is a diffusion study which seeks to fill a gap in the literature. Diffusion studies typically focus on predicting adoption based on characteristics of the potential adopter. Few studies examine the relationship between characteristics of the innovation and adoption. Nearly all diffusion studies involve what is termed discontinuous innovation (Robertson, 1971). That is, the innovation involves adoptees in a major departure from previous practice. This study seeks to examine the relationship between previous experience of related technologies and adoption or rejection of dynamically continuous innovation. Continuous and dynamically continuous innovations are the most numerous in the real world, yet they are numerically the least scrutinised by way of academic research. Moreover, the three-year longitudinal study of educators in Australian and New Zealand meets important criteria laid down by researchers Tornatzky and Klein (1982) and Rogers (1995), that are often not met by similar studies. In particular the study examines diffusion as it is unfolding, rather than selectively examining a single innovation and after the fact, thus avoiding a possible pro-innovation bias. The study examines the situation for both ‘all educators’ and ‘marketing / management educators’ alone in seeking to meet the following aim: Establish if intended adopters of specific knowledge media have had more experience of other computer-based technologies than have those not intending to adopt said knowledge media. The analytical phase entails use of factor analysis and discriminant analysis to conclude that it is possible to discriminate adopters of selected knowledge media based on previous use of related technologies. The study does not find any generalised factor that enables such discrimination among educators. Thus the study supports the literature in part, but fails to find generalised factors that enable unambiguous prediction of knowledge media adoption or otherwise among each grouping of educators examined. The implications are that even in the case of related products and services (continuous or dynamically continuous innovation), there is not statistical certainty that prior usage of related products or technologies is related to intentions to use knowledge media in the future. In this regard, the present study might be said to confirm the view that Rogers and Shoemaker's (1971) conceptualisation of perceived innovation characteristics may only apply to discontinuous innovations (Stratton, Lumpkin & Vitell, 1997). The implications for stakeholders such as higher education management is that when seeking to appoint new educators or existing staff to knowledge media project teams, there is some support for the notion that those who already use World Wide Web based technologies are likely to take these technologies into teaching situations. The same claim cannot be made for computer software use in general, nor Internet use in general.

Thesis (D. Ed.)--University of Oregon, 2006. / Typescript. Includes vita and abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 146-152). Also available for download via the World Wide Web; free to University of Oregon users.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2001. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves [241]-252). Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Chicago, Department of Sociology, 2001. / Includes bibliographical references. Also available on the Internet.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2003. / Typescript. Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 273-289). Also available on the Internet.