Last week we focused on the idea of Diffusion of Innovation. Before learning about this topic, I had never heard of this idea and never really thought about how new, innovative tools became popular and widely used, or not. However after reading into it, it made a great deal of sense and was much more pertinent to my job as a teacher than I thought.
In regards to the Diffusion of Innovation, there are two things that should be taken into consideration: the innovation itself and, the time and steps it takes to incorporate this new innovation into ones daily life or workplace. As educators, these two aspects are extremely important and relevant to our profession because we (or administration) are constantly trying to incorporate technology and other 21st century learning tools into our classroom The effectiveness of the tool, and possible diffusion of the innovation in the classroom, can be examined by using the SAMR Model and taking into consideration the efforts and abilities of the teacher on the ETAP (Evolution of Thought and Practice) continuum.
When examining a new innovative tool, teachers constantly think about the relative advantage the innovation will allow them. Is the tool accessible? Easy? Will it reduce time or workload? What kind of tool is it? Using the SAMR model, different tools provide different opportunities. Some tools may enhance the learning experience (substitution or augmentation) however, other tools may transform the learning experience (modification or redefinition). Once the type of innovation has been determined, teachers can decide if this tool is worth incorporating into the classroom or not.
When a new innovative tool is present in a classroom, we must also look at how the teacher actually manages the tool. When looking at the ETAP continuum, there are 5 different proficiency levels in the effectiveness of the integration of the tool: entry, adoption, adaptation, appropriation and innovation. When looking around the room at a faculty meeting, it is probable that there will be a wide range of proficiency levels in regards to a certain innovative tool. For example, our district has adopted Haiku as our learning management system and all teachers are required to be using it by the beginning of this upcoming school year. I know that although we have had multiple professional developments to work on it, there are still many teachers who may be in the entry stages, while some are in the innovation stages. This is not to say one is better than the other, as we have all had to pass through each phase of the continuum to reach wherever we stand, however we need to figure out how to support all teachers in the integration of this new tool into their curriculum.
I have found that sometimes districts or administrators decide to adopt certain tools without really examining the effectiveness of the tool in the classroom. I think the SAMR model and the ETAP continuum are great tools for teachers and administrators alike. By looking at these two things, one can figure out what kind of tool it is and how it can help the classroom learning experience, as well as inform everyone of how much time it may take to prepare teachers to be proficient (possible innovative!) in the tool.
In regards to the Diffusion of Innovation, there are two things that should be taken into consideration: the innovation itself and, the time and steps it takes to incorporate this new innovation into ones daily life or workplace. As educators, these two aspects are extremely important and relevant to our profession because we (or administration) are constantly trying to incorporate technology and other 21st century learning tools into our classroom The effectiveness of the tool, and possible diffusion of the innovation in the classroom, can be examined by using the SAMR Model and taking into consideration the efforts and abilities of the teacher on the ETAP (Evolution of Thought and Practice) continuum.
When examining a new innovative tool, teachers constantly think about the relative advantage the innovation will allow them. Is the tool accessible? Easy? Will it reduce time or workload? What kind of tool is it? Using the SAMR model, different tools provide different opportunities. Some tools may enhance the learning experience (substitution or augmentation) however, other tools may transform the learning experience (modification or redefinition). Once the type of innovation has been determined, teachers can decide if this tool is worth incorporating into the classroom or not.
When a new innovative tool is present in a classroom, we must also look at how the teacher actually manages the tool. When looking at the ETAP continuum, there are 5 different proficiency levels in the effectiveness of the integration of the tool: entry, adoption, adaptation, appropriation and innovation. When looking around the room at a faculty meeting, it is probable that there will be a wide range of proficiency levels in regards to a certain innovative tool. For example, our district has adopted Haiku as our learning management system and all teachers are required to be using it by the beginning of this upcoming school year. I know that although we have had multiple professional developments to work on it, there are still many teachers who may be in the entry stages, while some are in the innovation stages. This is not to say one is better than the other, as we have all had to pass through each phase of the continuum to reach wherever we stand, however we need to figure out how to support all teachers in the integration of this new tool into their curriculum.
I have found that sometimes districts or administrators decide to adopt certain tools without really examining the effectiveness of the tool in the classroom. I think the SAMR model and the ETAP continuum are great tools for teachers and administrators alike. By looking at these two things, one can figure out what kind of tool it is and how it can help the classroom learning experience, as well as inform everyone of how much time it may take to prepare teachers to be proficient (possible innovative!) in the tool.