This study is a thesis project for the program Civilingenjör och Lärare at KTH. The study was conducted in spring 2014 in collaboration with Komplementskolan AB which has developed the educational material Studi.se, the focal point of this study. The overall aim of the study is to increase the knowledge of the participant teachers’ conception and use of the educational material Studi.se. The second purpose is to increase knowledge about the forms of use some of these teachers apply or claim to apply when using Studi.se. Theoretical framework used is constructivism and the notions of Piaget: adaptation, assimilation and accommodation. Roger’s Innovation-Decision process and Puentedura’s SAMR-model have been the analysis tools used. The method used is that of triangulation where action research has been supplemented by questionnaire, interviews and observations, as well as the analysis of logged data over schools' test periods. The results show that one of the main reasons for using Studi.se is that the educational material has a good basic level which to a great extent fit the needs of students with special needs. Additional reasons for using Studi.se are that the educational material is simple, time saving and suitable for reviewing and repetition. Reasons for not using Studi.se is an initial lack of time, the cost, lack of transparency at first glance and the perceived challenge given through the material. Studi.se is primarily used as a supplement to the regular curriculum where the material is mainly used individually in the form of repetition, variation and to cover things that the students have missed. / Denna studie utgör ett examensarbete på programmet Civilingenjör och Lärare, inom teknik och lärande på KTH. Studien har utförts under våren 2014 i samarbete med Komplementskolan AB som tagit fram läromedlet Studi.se kring vilket arbetet kretsat. Studiens övergripande syfte är att öka kunskapen om de skäl lärarna i studien ger uttryck för, för att använda eller inte använda läromedlet Studi.se. Det andra syftet är att öka kunskapen om de användningsformer några av lärarna tillämpar eller säger sig tillämpa vid användande av Studi.se. Studien utgår från ett konstruktivistiskt perspektiv med stöd i Piagets begrepp adaptation, assimilation och ackommodation. Rogers Innovation-Decision process och Puenteduras SAMR-modell utgör arbetets analysverktyg. Insamlingen av data har skett genom en metodtriangulering där aktionsforskning har kompletterats av enkätundersökning, intervjuer och observationer samt av analys av loggad data över skolors testperioder. Studiens resultat visar att ett av de främsta skälen för att använda Studi.se är att ämnesmaterialet håller en bra grundläggande nivå som i stor utsträckning passar elever med särskilda behov. Ytterligare skäl för användande är att läromedlet är enkelt, tidsbesparande och lämpar sig för repetition. Skäl till att inte använda Studi.se är en initial tidsbrist, kostnaden, brist på tydlighet i första mötet och upplevd avsaknad av utmaning i materialet. Studi.se används i huvudsak som ett komplement till den ordinarie undervisningen där materialet framförallt används individuellt i form av repetition, variation och för att täcka upp sådant som eleverna missat.

Concerns over the environmental impacts of the transport sector have led to the United Kingdom (UK) Government establishing a legally binding commitment of an 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (relative to the 1990 baseline) through the Climate Change Act 2008. The decarbonisation of the transport sector by 2050 will substantially contribute towards achieving this target. Technological innovations, therefore, have an important role in supporting policy objectives. One innovation that is being developed for this purpose in the transport sector is an alternative fuel vehicle. While there are several alternative fuel vehicle technologies, the only two with zero tailpipe (exhaust) emissions are battery electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles. Both of these technologies are not yet at a stage in their development where they can successfully compete with conventional fuel vehicles (internal combustion engine vehicles). They face a variety of technological hurdles that include range, performance, cost, and infrastructure. Hydrogen fuel cell vehicles are not commercially available, although battery electric vehicles have been on the commercial market for several years. Uptake of alternative fuel vehicles is occurring at a slower pace than hoped by policy makers and manufacturers. The aim of this thesis is to examine the factors influencing the decision to adopt an alternative fuel vehicle, and is underpinned by Rogers (2003) Diffusion of Innovations theory. The Innovation-Decision Process from this theory posits that an individual must first know about an innovation before forming an attitude about it. Innovativeness is instrumental in determining the knowledge an individual has of an innovation and how early in the diffusion process they are likely to become an adopter. Perceptions of the innovation are influential in forming an attitude towards it. The focus of the research is on Birmingham, the UK s second largest city. The first stage of the research involves establishing the locations of individuals across the city that possess socio-demographic characteristics associated with early adopters of alternative fuel vehicles. This is achieved by applying cluster analysis to Birmingham census data, which enabled the identification of a strong spatial cluster of potential early adopters in the suburb of Sutton Coldfield. In the second stage of the research, a household questionnaire was undertaken with 413 respondents in Sutton Coldfield. The analysis of the questionnaire data firstly involves the verification of the early adopter characteristics from stage one by examining the relationship of these characteristics with innovativeness. Analysis is then undertaken of the level of knowledge and the perceptions that the respondents have of alternative fuel vehicles. The final step in the analysis is an evaluation of the characteristics of current models of electric vehicles and how well aligned they are with the driving needs and vehicle expectations of respondents. The results confirm that the knowledge of alternative fuel vehicles is limited and individual perceptions have led to the development of negative attitudes towards them. Socio-demographic characteristics were significant in influencing these factors. There were 5% (21) of respondents who have previously considered the adoption of an electric vehicle but have not yet done so. There is evidence from the survey of active rejection among a small number of respondents. The reasons largely relate to three problems: purchase price, limited range, and poor infrastructure availability. However, the majority of respondents have passively rejected alternative fuel vehicles, such that they have never given consideration to the adoption of one. This confirms that a concerted effort is required to inform the general public about alternative fuel vehicles. Opportunities for increasing adoption have been identified for policy and marketing, including education and awareness-raising campaigns.

The purpose of this descriptive case study was to identify the strategies used by post-secondary military institutions to adopt, implement and train faculty for the use of new instructional technologies in the learning environment. Termed the Innovation Migration Process, it includes: 1) the adoption decision (selection of the innovation), 2) strategies for implementation and, 3) how faculty are trained on its use. The study was a two phased, explanatory, mixed-methods design beginning with a quantitative survey, followed by twelve qualitative interviews conducted at two exemplary institutions. The study identified two strategies are used to adopt new technology: 1) authoritative decisions from the "top-down" and 2) a bottom-up strategy where new technology is first used by innovators who work with a central organization to adopt the change. Five strategies were identified to implement the innovation: 1) centralized training; 2) leadership commitment; 3) tapping expertise; 4) well defined support for pedagogy and technical issues; and 5) a robust infrastructure. Four strategies were found for training faculty: 1) tapping expertise (indicating training and implementation are interwoven); 2) formal training; and 4) dedicated training time. The fourth strategy, incentives and rewards, was used successfully by one of the two exemplary institutions, but few of the other institutions offered either of these for training. Suggested guidelines for post-secondary, military institutions include: create a culture of innovativeness; demonstrated commitment by the leadership; follow Ely's Eight Conditions for Implementation; develop a centralized training organization; develop a robust technical support organization; invest in the infrastructure; seek out and support innovators; use a formal faculty development program. / Ph. D.

Situated within the belief that faculty development is a key institutional mechanism through which colleges and universities will be able to meet emerging social, cultural, and technological challenges in the coming years, this study sought to better understand the underlying psychological processes that facilitate the adoption of innovations by teaching faculty and GTAs in higher education. Specifically, three types of self-efficacy (college teaching, teaching with technology, and general) were considered in light of demographic variables and Rogers' model of the innovation-decision process. Most significant among the findings were that women have significantly higher college teaching self-efficacy and general self-efficacy than men; however, men have higher teaching with technology self-efficacy. Those in their forties, fifties and sixties have higher college teaching self-efficacy than those in their twenties. Full-time instructors have higher college teaching self-efficacy than doctoral GTAs and assistant professors. Those who rate themselves as having higher computer skills also have higher teaching with technology self-efficacy. When considering teaching with technology self-efficacy and instructional technology-based innovation-decision stage, it was found that this type of self-efficacy differs significantly between most stages and consistently increases from the knowledge stage through the confirmation stage. / Ph. D.

Understanding cage aquaculture adoption decisions and factors affecting adoption is necessary to ensure that fish production from cage aquaculture in Ghana is both significant and sustainable. The goal of this study was to provide a framework for understanding cage aquaculture adoption decisions and to identify factors affecting adoption, to inform decision makers as they formulate policies aimed at promoting cage aquaculture adoption in Ghana. I surveyed 122 respondents comprising current cage fish farmers, farmers who have abandoned cage aquaculture, and potential adopters of cage aquaculture such as, fish traders, fishermen and land-based fish farmers. Respondents answered questions related to knowledge, interest, constraints in cage aquaculture, and demographics. I used non-metric multidimensional scaling and discriminant function analysis to identify unique groups within the respondents, classify respondents according to their position in the innovation-decision continuum, and identify factors affecting cage aquaculture adoption. Based on their differences in knowledge and interests, I placed respondents into one of three stages of the cage aquaculture innovation-decision process model I developed: (1) Unawareness, (2) Knowledge, Persuasion, and Decision (KPD), and (3) Implementation (Confirmation and Abandonment). Respondents in the KPD and Implementation stages had knowledge, were more interested in cage aquaculture, and were aware of constraints in cage aquaculture, whereas respondents in the Unawareness stage lacked knowledge and interest in cage aquaculture, and did not clearly understand the constraints. Respondents who were males, belonged to the tribes Ewe and Akan, and who had fishing experience tended to be more interested in cage aquaculture. The lack of capital, high input costs, inability to adequately market fish, theft, lack of information sources, conflict over water use, and cage destruction by storms, were identified as the main constraints to cage aquaculture adoption in Ghana. The results of the study suggest that programs aimed at encouraging new entrants into cage aquaculture should focus on demographic characteristics such as gender, and tribe. However, demographic characteristics may affect adoption decisions and it may be important to consider them as such. Some recommendation to address the major constraints in cage aquaculture include: the Fisheries Directorate should (1) develop an efficient extension program that farmers can access regularly, especially, for farmers with no other information sources, (2) provide feed subsidy to enable farmers produce fish at competitive prices, (3) facilitate the formation of fish farmers' cooperative groups that would purchase large quantities of feed, (4) encourage local production of high quality fish feed, and (5) develop credit facilities that can be accessed by individuals interested in cage aquaculture to assist potential farmers who would, otherwise, not be able to adopt cage aquaculture . In addition, fish farmers should (6) be proactive in marketing their fish by identifying potential niche markets prior to production, and (7) join cooperative groups to ease the burden of accessing loans to increase production. / Master of Science

he purpose of this study was to examine faculty perceptions about attributes and barriers impacting diffusion of Web-based distance education (WBDE) at the China Agricultural University (CAU). Random and stratified sampling was used and 273 faculty participated in the study. About 70% of participants stayed in early stages in the innovation-decision process related to WBDE (no knowledge, knowledge, or persuasion) and about 30% were in later stages (decision or implementation). Faculty members' stage differed significantly by professional area, level of education, teaching experience, and distance education experience. Gender, age, and academic rank had no significant influence on faculty members' stage. CAU faculty tended to agree with the existence of the five attributes of WBDE (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability). Professional area, gender, age, level of education, and academic rank had no significant influence on the five perceived attributes. Teaching experience had no significant influence on the five perceived attributes, except compatibility. Distance education experience had no significant influence on the five perceived attributes, except compatibility and observability. CAU faculty perceived ten factors (concerns about time, concerns about incentives, WBDE program credibility, financial concerns, planning issues, conflict with traditional education, fear of technology, technical expertise, administrative support, and infrastructure) as moderate barriers to diffusion of WBDE. Age, level of education, academic rank, and teaching experience had no significant influence on faculty perception about the ten barriers. Professional area and gender had no significant influence on faculty perception about the ten barriers, except concerns about time. Distance education experience had no significant influence on faculty perception about the ten barriers, except conflict with traditional education. Faculty members' stage in the innovation-decision process had no significant influence on faculty perceptions about relative advantage of WBDE and nine of the ten barriers. Faculty members' stage in the innovation-decision process, however, did have a significant impact on faculty perception about compatibility, complexity, trialability, observability of WBDE, and WBDE program credibility as a perceived barrier. Relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, and trialability were correlated with at least one of the ten barriers. Observability was not related with any of the barriers.

Doctor of Philosophy / Department of Apparel, Textiles, and Interior Design / Melody L. A. LeHew / The relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behavior has been a subject of interest for researchers for several decades in various fields of study. However, an inconsistency has been found from one study to another with literature showing inconclusive and inconsistent results regarding the relationship between knowledge, attitudes and behavior in general and purchase of eco-conscious apparel in particular. Literature also found perceived characteristics of innovation (PCI) to significantly influencing innovation adoption. However, research investigating the influence of eco-conscious apparel knowledge (EAK) and eco-conscious apparel attitudes (EAA) on intention to purchase eco-conscious apparel (IPEA) that includes PCI has not been conducted in any previously published studies. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the influential relationship between EAK-EAA-IPEA to understand if including PCI strengthens the inconsistent link between knowledge, attitudes and behavior as well as enhances the predictability of IPEA. The model of stages in the innovation-decision process developed by Roger’s (1983) in the diffusion of innovation theory was used as a theoretical framework for developing the model of innovation-decision process for eco-conscious apparel. Specifically, the three product characteristics used in this current study were based on the PCI (i.e., complexity, compatibility and relative advantage) explained by Rogers (1983) in his model. Two objectives were developed and tested using six research questions and pertinent hypotheses. The research relied on quantitative analysis of responses from 592 respondents to an online survey with eco-conscious knowledge, attitude and behavior questions pertaining eco-conscious apparel products. Hierarchical regression analysis, t-test and correlation analysis reveal that, inclusion of PCI significantly strengthened relationship between EAK-EAA-IPEA and also enhanced the predictability of IPEA; the ability to predict IPEA as well as strength of the link between EAK-EAA-IPEA was greater when more information was provided about eco-conscious apparel than less information; respondents have limited EAK; EAK was not a good predictor of IPEA; EAA was found to significantly predict IPEA; highly innovative respondents perceive eco-conscious apparel less complex and highly compatible and are more likely to purchase eco-conscious apparel; all three PCI were found to significantly predict IPEA; demographic variables were found to be related to only certain variables in this study.

No description available.

The paradigm of diffusion research can be traced back all the way to the 1940s when Ryan and Gross investigated the diffusion of hybrid seed among farmers in Iowa. Since the 1960s diffusion research has been applied in a wide variety of disciplines, for instance, to study the diffusion of the Internet and the non-diffusion of the Dvorak keyboard. Currently, the technologies that are on top of the Gartner Hype Cycle are all associated with Artificial Intelligence (AI), which shortly can be defined as learning devices that perceive their environment and take actions to maximize their success at some goal. Consequently, some people suggest that the current hype surrounding AI can be the end of the human kind, while others believe it will give way for millions of fresh jobs and cleverer decision-making. In recent years both media and political organizations have shown great interest in AI. In addition, the industry is captivated by the potential uses of AI. In the last years, AI-related companies in the US have raised billions of dollars in the stock market together with a large number of acquisitions. The large flow of capital into AI technology underpins the fast development of AI solutions. The purpose of this study is to investigate how groups approach AI. What can be concluded after reviewing different sectors is that organizations seem to share a common interest of AI. Furthermore, organizations share the opinion that eventually AI will be a more natural part of their processes. Organizations investing a larger share of their budget in R&D have a longer experience of using AI and are currently doing projects utilizing more advanced technologies within AI. In organizations from other sectors, the investments in AI depend on the people with the authority to invest money in projects and their view on AI. Organizations generally seem to approach AI in a similar way. Firstly, they evaluate what AI is. Secondly, they find areas to make small iterative PoC-projects utilizing AI, usually with machine learning. Finally, more money is invested if the PoC-projects were successful and the organization starts looking at how to acquire more competence within the area to fully exploit the value of AI. / Paradigmet för innovationsspridning kan spåras ända tillbaka till 1940-talet när Ryan och Gross undersökte spridningen av hybridfrön bland bönder i Iowa. Sedan 1960-talet har forskningen tillämpats inom en mängd olika discipliner, till exempel för att studera spridningen av Internet och icke-spridningen av Dvorak-tangentbordet. För närvarande är teknologierna som ligger på toppen av Gartner Hype-cykeln alla förknippade med artificiell intelligens (AI), som kan definieras som lärande enheter som uppfattar sin miljö och vidtar åtgärder för att maximera sin framgång gällande något mål. Hypen som nu finns kring AI har lett till att vissa människor tror att det kan innebära slutet för mänskligheten medan andra tror att det kommer att ge plats för miljoner nya jobb och smartare beslutsfattande. Under de senaste åren har både medier och politiska organisationer visat stort intresse för AI samt visat intresse för potentiella användningsområden av AI. AI-relaterade företag i USA har under de senaste åren har tagit in miljarder dollar i riskkapital. Ett stort antal förvärv och kapitalflödet till AI-teknik ökar den snabba utvecklingen av AI-lösningar. Syftet med denna studie är att beskriva spridningen av AI i organisationer från ett antal olika sektorer. Vad som kan sägas efter att ha studerat olika sektorer är att organisationer delar en gemensam nyfikenhet för AI och att de tror att AI kommer bli en allt mer naturlig del av sina processer. De företag som spenderar mycket pengar på FoU har längre erfarenhet av att använda AI och gör för närvarande projekt som använder mer avancerade tekniker. I andra organisationer är investeringarna inom AI beroende av de anställda som har rätt att investera pengar i projekt och deras syn på AI. Organisationer verkar allmänt närma sig AI på ett liknande sätt där de först utvärderar vad AI är. Därefter väljer de ett antal områden där de gör små iterativa projekt där de utnyttjar AI, vanligtvis via ML. Därefter investerades mer pengar om de små projekten lyckas och företaget börjar titta på hur man kan förvärva mer kompetens inom området.