The Diffusion of Educational Technology as an Instructional Tool:
General Material Designation
[Thesis]
First Statement of Responsibility
Alshammari, Dalal Tharwi
Title Proper by Another Author
A Case Study within a Single-Sex, Postsecondary Educational Institution in Saudi Arabia
.PUBLICATION, DISTRIBUTION, ETC
Name of Publisher, Distributor, etc.
University of Hartford
Date of Publication, Distribution, etc.
2020
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
Specific Material Designation and Extent of Item
164
DISSERTATION (THESIS) NOTE
Dissertation or thesis details and type of degree
Ed.D.
Body granting the degree
University of Hartford
Text preceding or following the note
2020
SUMMARY OR ABSTRACT
Text of Note
This qualitative, exploratory, single-case study examined female facultys reports in an institution in Saudi Arabia regarding the diffusion of educational technology as an innovative instructional tool in a single-sex, postsecondary education institution. The study of educational technology includes "the content to be learned, the format of instructional messages, and the interaction between computers and students" (Winn, 2002, p. 331). For the purpose of this study, educational technology is defined as hardware and software technologies such as computers, information and communications technology (ICT), distance education, e-learning, and other applications that can be used for instructional or learning purposes. Rogers (2003) diffusion of innovation guided this study and served as the theoretical lens. The model consists of five characteristics that influence the rate of adoption include relative advantage, compatibility complexity, trialability, and observability. Interview questions were researcher-developed and based on the survey instrument developed by Moore and Benbasat (1991) and Rogers (2003) theoretical framework. A total of fifteen full-time female faculty members from one education department within a university located in Saudi Arabia were recruited to participate in this study, using the snowball sampling strategy. This analysis yielded 27 findings. Female faculty reported that there were educational benefits gained as well as technology-related problems. The diffusionof innovation was impacted by the discipline in which they teach, inaccessibility, lack of technical and institutional support, and the unavailability of needed technology, university trainings and workshops. Female faculty also noted that personal time constraints, influenced their use of educational technology.