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remember an interesting quote that I read in the Rogers text, “One
of the greatest pains to human nature is the pain of a new idea…”~Bagehot When you couple that sentiment with the fact that the change process is very
personal, it is crucial that those of us promoting educational
technology learn how to be more effective agents of change. To
that end, this course provided a well-rounded view of both the
theory and practice involved in diffusing innovations.
It
was enlightening to assess different individuals’ views on
the same innovation. Right from the start, it made me more
aware that perceptions are instrumental in the rate of an innovation’s adoption. Creating a communication
survey chart and visual representation of a diffusion network provided me with a process for identifying opinion leaders as well as clarifying
how communication channels can work to either perpetuate or
stifle the diffusion of an innovation. Perhaps the most powerful
tool provided in this course was the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM). It will serve me as a practical instrument in identifying any problems with
diffusion of an innovation and also help to determine tactics
for intervention that can effect change.
I've
already been utilizing strategies gleaned in this learning
process to facilitate transfer of teacher understanding of
inquiry to classroom practice.
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