The purpose of this study was to examine the initiation and implementation of microcomputer technology in the educational environment of N. H. Jones Elementary School and to assess its impact on teachers. Microcomputer technology was configured as a teacher workstation. / A conceptual framework was developed to promote microcomputer technology and to monitor and interpret the phenomenon. Elements of the framework were five guidelines of the Innovation-Focused strategy (Fullan, 1985), interventions of the Change Facilitator strategy (Hall & Hord, 1984) and the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) (Hord, Rutherford, Huling-Austin & Hall, 1987). / Five research questions provided direction for the inquiry. The questions were: (1) What concerns did teachers have about microcomputer technology? (2) Were there factors in the school environment that promoted the diffusion and use of microcomputer technology by teachers? (3) Were there perceived barriers that impeded acceptance and use of microcomputer technology by teachers? (4) What levels of use did teachers attain using the innovation microcomputer technology? (5) What teacher-related outcomes are attributed to using microcomputer technology? / Teachers' concerns were identified with the Stages of Concern instrument of the CBAM. Results showed that teachers had Self and Task concerns at the beginning of the study. As teachers increased their involvement with microcomputer technology their concerns shifted toward the Impact concerns, Consequences, Collaboration and Refocusing. Teachers' levels of use of microcomputer technology was assessed with the Level of Use instrument. Results revealed that teachers clustered in Mechanical and Routine user levels. By the end of the study 80% of teachers had reached the Routine Level of Use. / Study Conclusions were: (1) Fear of technology can be alleviated with an implementation strategy that empowers teachers and accepts and works within their point of view, (2) Complexity of an innovation affected the rate at which teachers mastered and used the innovation, and (3) Configuring the innovation into its component parts facilitated successful implementation and alerted the change facilitator to technical assistance needs. / Recommendations for future research include configuring microcomputer technology beyond a teacher workstation, replication of the study using the change model presented and identifying long term impact of microcomputer technology on teachers. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-03, Section: A, page: 0779. / Adviser: Robert G. Stakenas. / Thesis (Ed.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_77383 |
| Contributors | Hope, Warren Conley., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 203 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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