Abstract

We suggest that faculty adoption patterns move through three identifiable stages (cf. Rayport and Sviokla 1995). In Stage 1, technology serves a support function which improves efficiency, but does not significantly impact teaching. During Stage 2, teaching technology enables faculty to efficiently "mirror" classroom activities utilizing new technologies. Stage 3 utilization of technology not only supports and mirrors current activities; the goal is to substantively improve teaching and to strengthen the interaction between students and professors; unique applications result in improved application of new technologies. Our conceptualization should help departments and individuals better understand how they are currently using technology, to identify barriers which hinder stage 3 adoption behavior, and to develop goals and create applications which will push faculty beyond using new technologies merely to support or mirror previous functions.

Share

COinS