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Faculty reaction to interactive television: A preliminary examination of institutional realignment required to support the adoption of change
Abstract
Higher education, like other institutions within our society, is under tremendous pressure to change. There is increasing pressure to expand access to the knowledge resources of the university for education, research, and continuing professional development. Ironically, this press for change is occurring at a time when fiscal restraints are forcing all levels of education to do more with less. Universities are being challenged to become more efficient, increase the productivity of individual faculty members and assure the delivery of a quality education. The judicious use of technology appears to offer promise for "increasing productivity" and expanding institutional access. However, the challenge of effectively implementing such a change within the academy is significant. In most of higher education, any change is slow to occur and, even when new practices are well received, they are frequently abandoned after short periods of use (Mohr, 1969). Four theories of academic change are reviewed--Diffusion; Complex Organization; Political and Planned Change. However, existing theory generally focuses on descriptions of the organization, attributes of an innovation, or specific characteristics of the innovator and fails to recognize the on-going interaction between these three. This study suggests the need for a more systemic orientation--an orientation which articulates the process through which changes occur to the innovation, in the organization and to a faculty member as they evaluate a change and either reject or adopt the innovation. This study examines the reaction of eight faculty members to a particular innovation--interactive television. Document reviews, observations and in-depth interviews examine faculty perception of the context in which they work, characteristics of the innovation and their motivation to try the innovation. These data result in a matrix identifying the levers of change which define institutional realignment necessary at the university, college and faculty level for the use of this specific innovation to be sustained. As an exploratory case study, this study identifies implications for current practice and provides direction for future research.
Subject Area
Higher education|Educational software
Recommended Citation
Spurgin, Michael Edward, "Faculty reaction to interactive television: A preliminary examination of institutional realignment required to support the adoption of change" (1996). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9712528.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9712528