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The Diffusion of Wireless Internet Technology Among THE DIFFUSION OF WIRELESS INTERNET TECHNOLOGY AMONG UNIVERSITY FACULTY MEMBERS A dissertation presented to the faculty of the College of Education of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy Yong Lu March 2006 This dissertation entitled THE DIFFUSION OF WIRELESS INTERNET TECHNOLOGY AMONG UNIVERSITY FACULTY MEMBERS by YONG LU has been approved for the Department of Educational Studies and the College of Education by Sandra Turner Professor of Instructional Technology Thomas E. Davis Interim Dean, College of Education LU, YONG Ph.D. March 2006. Instructional Technology The Diffusion of Wireless Internet Technology Among University Faculty Members (203 pp.) Director of Dissertation: Sandra Turner The purpose of this qualitative study is to investigate and understand the factors that influence the diffusion of wireless Internet technology among university faculty members. Rogers’ diffusion theory provides the theoretical framework to guide the study in these aspects: perceived attributes of the wireless technology, the innovation-decision process, adopters’ categories and communication channels, and institutional factors. The study also examines the wireless teaching practices, classroom etiquette and changing pedagogy, and the roles of administrators in the technology diffusion. Multiple sources of information were used to collect data: in-depth semi- structured interviews, observations, and documentation analysis. Qualitative data analysis techniques were used to analyze data. The participants were 16 faculty members (9 adopters and 7 non-adopters) from 6 colleges, and 7 administrators from IT department at a large Midwestern state university. Findings from this study show that that there are differences between early adopters and non-adopters (the mainstream). They are different in these aspects: knowledge and skill of technology, teaching practices, teaching philosophy, technology needs, communication channels, and characteristics. They have different perceptions toward the wireless technology and they are at different diffusion stages. Therefore, these differences lead to a diffusion “gap” between early adopters and non-adopters. This diffusion gap implies that a different support infrastructure is needed for mainstream faculty to integrate technology for teaching and learning. An institution needs to act as a change agent to provide additional training, support and personnel, modify the reward system, provide a technological infrastructure, encourage interpersonal communication channels, and capitalize on the knowledge and skills of early adopters and opinion leaders to promote further adoption by the mainstream. Approved: Sandra Turner Professor of Instructional Technology Acknowledgements Graduate study at Ohio University is an unforgettable experience in my life. I am grateful to many people that have helped me along this journey. Special thanks to my adviser, Dr. Sandra Turner, who took precious time and effort to give suggestions for improving my research and dissertation writing. Her patience, understanding, wisdom, and encouragement supported me throughout my doctoral studies. Special thanks to Dr. Wayne Huang, who provided valuable advices for my study and brought me to Information Systems field. My appreciation also extends to the rest of my dissertation committee, Dr. George Johanson and Dr. Avind Singhal, who supported me whenever I needed them. Let me also express many thanks to my colleagues, faculty as well as students, who contributed to the content of my research. I am also grateful to my wife, Hongyan Ma. It was with her love, support, and encouragement that I was able to reach this milestone. I also thank my family and folks in China who supported and cared about me all the time. They are always for me no matter what happens. It’s their love that inspired me to move forward and achieve more. 6 Table of Contents Page Abstract................................................................................................................................3 Acknowledgements..............................................................................................................5 List of Figures....................................................................................................................13 List of Tables .....................................................................................................................14 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION......................................................................................15 Background of the Study .......................................................................................15 Theoretical Framework..........................................................................................16 Statement of the Problem.......................................................................................17 The Setting.............................................................................................................18 The Innovation.......................................................................................................19 Participants.............................................................................................................22 Methodology..........................................................................................................22 Significance of the Study.......................................................................................23 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study...........................................................24 Definitions of Terms..............................................................................................26 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW...........................................................................29 Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovations...........................................................................29 The Attributes of Innovation......................................................................29 Relative Advantage........................................................................30 Compatibility .................................................................................31 7 Complexity.....................................................................................31 Trialability......................................................................................32 Observability..................................................................................32 Communication Channels..........................................................................33 The Innovation-Decision Process ..............................................................34 Knowledge Stage ...........................................................................35 Persuasion Stage ............................................................................36 Decision Stage ...............................................................................37 Implementation Stage ...................................................................37 Confirmation Stage ........................................................................37 Adopter Categories as Ideal Types ............................................................38 Innovators: Venturesome...............................................................39 Early Adopters: Respect ................................................................39 Early Majority: Deliberate .............................................................40 Late Majority: Skeptical ................................................................40 Laggards: Traditional.....................................................................40 The Gap between Early Adopters and the Mainstream .............................41 The Social System......................................................................................42 Types of Innovation Decisions ......................................................42 Opinion Leaders.............................................................................43 Change Agents...............................................................................43 Summary....................................................................................................43 8 Factors that Impede or Facilitate Technology Diffusion and Implementation......44 Adoption Analysis .....................................................................................45 Conditions that Facilitate Technology Implementation.............................46 Summary....................................................................................................48 Wireless Internet Technology................................................................................49 Wireless Internet in General ......................................................................49 Wireless Internet in Higher Education.......................................................50 The General Picture of Wireless Internet in Higher Education .....51 Reasons for Wireless Internet Implementation..............................52 The Attributes of Wireless Internet in Higher Education ..............53 Wireless Internet Adopter Characteristics .....................................55 Wireless Internet to Facilitate Student Learning ...........................56 Wireless Internet and Student Achievement..................................58 Wireless Internet and Teaching .....................................................59
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