BOULWARE, ZELLA MOORE; EDD
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL FLORIDA, 1994
EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGY (0710); MASS COMMUNICATIONS (0708)
The purpose of this descriptive survey was to identify the roles of various
factors in the adoption and
implementation of the educational telecommunications network, Florida Information
Resource Network
(FIRN). The diffusion of innovation theory was used as a theoretical framework
for the study. The major
purpose of the study was to determine if the early adopter existed in the population
of FIRN users. Other
purposes of the study were to identify variables which affected the adoption
and implementation of FIRN;
the patterns of communication among Florida educators; and the uses of FIRN.
A descriptive survey was
conducted in the Spring semester of 1994. Subjects were teachers, media specialists,
guidance
counselors and program specialists in the school setting. A random sample of
300 users was chosen
from a group of 1,547 users who had signed on the system between November 1991
and June 1993.
The questionnaire covered demographic information, characteristics of early
adopters, variables which
affected adoption and implemention of FIRN, communication patterns and uses
of FIRN. Analysis of
responses (n = 192) revealed that the early adopter, as identified by characteristics
found in the review of
literature, does exist in the population of FIRN users. Positive factors affecting
the adoption and
implementation of FIRN included the relative advantage of the system, its consistency
with educators'
needs and the observable results of using the system. Negative factors included
the complexity of
experimenting with, understanding and using the system. Patterns of communication
indicated that a
network of near peers existed in the school setting; other patterns were not
as easily discerned since
most early adopters rely on themselves and their outside sources for information.
FIRN services
identified as most valuable to educators included electronic mail, the Internet,
and group conferencing.
Since early adopters can be identified in the population of FIRN users by using
characteristics identified
in the literature, recommendations were made for identifying early adopters
who assist with diffusing an
innovation. Further recommendations were made for using the data of the study
for modifying and
planning for future developments of the network.
Social
Systems Simulation Group
P.O. Box 6904 San Diego, CA 92166-0904 Roland Werner, Principal Phone/FAX (619) 660-1603 |