Off-campus UNL users: To download campus access dissertations, please use the following link to log into our proxy server with your NU ID and password. When you are done browsing please remember to return to this page and log out.
Non-UNL users: Please talk to your librarian about requesting this dissertation through interlibrary loan.
An analysis of language teachers' concerns regarding new technologies: The case of Minnesota teachers of Spanish assessing satellite video technology to deliver authentic cultural materials
Abstract
This study analyzed Minnesota high school Spanish language teachers' concerns when they think about using "authentic cultural video materials" delivered via satellite for classroom instruction. Questionnaires were mailed to 587 Minnesota public and private high school Spanish language teachers. Concerns Based Adoption Model instruments were used to ask Minnesota teachers questions about themselves and their feelings toward the innovation. Analysis of the data provided a profile of respondents' concerns and tested the association of demographic variables to those concerns. The most intense Stage of Concern that respondents reported having toward the innovation was Stage 1 (Informational). This means that teachers have a general awareness of the innovation and interest in learning more about it. Teachers also reported having very intense Stage 2 (Personal) concerns which indicated that they were uncertain about the demands of the innovation, their adequacy to meet those demands, and their role with the innovation. Teachers' demographic characteristics were tested for association with their concerns. Variables tested were sex, age, years teaching, educational level, type of school where employed, being a native speaker of Spanish language or not, having lived and/or studied abroad or not, having had pre-service and/or inservice training in media use or not, having had professional development activities associated with global perspective-taking or not, and returning the questionnaire before the deadline or not. Chi-squared tests for association revealed that demographic characteristics were not associated with teachers' most intense concerns. This means that adoption agents and change facilitators could provide intervention activities that address teachers' primary concerns about the innovation without regard to teachers' demographic characteristics. At the present time, intervention activities for Minnesota high school Spanish language teachers should be structured to meet their Informational and Personal stage concerns when they think of using this innovation. Intervention activities should also be structured to keep pace with the developmental nature of concerns.
Subject Area
Language arts|Educational software
Recommended Citation
Falvo, James M, "An analysis of language teachers' concerns regarding new technologies: The case of Minnesota teachers of Spanish assessing satellite video technology to deliver authentic cultural materials" (1990). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9121918.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9121918