Review by: Schönwald, Ingrid (2004-08-18)

This paper presents a model for integrating instructional technology into colleges and universities based on literature review and a quantitative empirical study.

In the first part of the paper Surry provides an overview of his reading list on the adoption and diffusion of innovations. He refers to Roger’s diffusion theory, Hall & Hord’s Concerns Based Adoption Model, Ely’s findings on the conditions that facilitate the implementation of instructional technology innovations, Stockdill & Morehouse’ checklist of critical factors that facilitate adoption of innovations in educational settings, and Farquhar & Surry’s research on the factors that affect adoption.

The second part of the paper reports the results of a survey that was conducted to analyse the deans’ perspective about the factors effecting technology integration. The questionnaire addressed issues of planning and support, infrastructure, expenditures, integration, and overall impression and was sent to the deans of Education at all 126 Carnegie Research I and Research II Universities in the United States. 61 questionnaires were returned, 6 of them were incomplete and thus excluded from the sample, which resulted in a response/inclusion rate of 43.7%. A factor analysis indicated five significant correlations between implementation factors: The level of the college’s technology infrastructure significantly correlated with the deans perception of the technological competency of recent graduates, as well as with the dean’s perception on faculty efforts to integrate technology into their teaching. Technology expenditures significantly correlated with the dean’s satisfaction with the college’s technology infrastructure, as well with faculty efforts to integrate technology into the classroom. Another significant correlation was detected between faculty use of technology and the technology competency of recent graduates. Interesting are also the findings of non-existing correlations, such as between having a required course on technology and the technological competency of recent graduates. Surry emphasises that these findings support the importance of technology infrastructure for the integration of technology into the curriculum.

In the last part of the paper Surry introduces a model for integrating instructional technology into higher education. The model emerged from the literature review, the survey results, and the author’s personal experiences with change in Higher Education. The elements of his “RIPPELS-model” are Resources, Infrastructure, People, Policies, Learning, Evaluation, and Support. Surry stresses that the model is not linear, but that all elements of the model and their implications have to be considered throughout the integration process. He points out, that even though the single elements of the models are based in theory and practice, the overall model is still a prototype that has to be tested.

Thus the paper gives a good overview on relevant approaches in innovation literature. The survey results show a startling importance of technological infrastructure for the integration of technology into the curriculum. As these empirical findings reflect the specific perceptions of the interviewed deans, it would be desirable to broaden the empirical bases of the model with the perspectives of other stakeholders in the implementation process. The model provides a generic implementation framework – it would be interesting to follow up experiences of its practical application.