Abstract:
This paper summarizes observations on three technology adoption projects: (a) a College-wide telecommunications capabilities study, (b) development of a departmental Web site, and (c) a multimedia lecture development and training project. It describes resistance to the adoption of technology in an academic department, with the belief that a problem must be understood before progress can be made to overcome it. Resistance among staff centers around defensive responses ("I already have too much work to do!") and anxiety from negative prior experience with technology changes ("There is no reward for learning something new"). Types of resistance among faculty include computer phobia, difficulty comprehending how the technology will be useful in the classroom, and beliefs that any extra effort expended in teaching is wasted or at least unrewarded. We conclude that change efforts become possible when the group involved sees that technology is being adapted to them (rather than conversely) and when they have power to make decisions on their roles in the effort.
Keywords:
instructional technology, observations, acceptance, resistance
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