Yakah, Jemima Abena (2006-10). Faculty perceptions about attributes and barriers impacting the adoption and diffusion of Web-Based Educational Technologies (WBETs) at the University of Cape Coast and the University of Ghana, Legon. Master's Thesis.
Thesis
The purpose of this study was to determine faculty perceptions about factors impacting the adoption and diffusion of Web-Based Educational Technologies (WBETs) at the University of Cape Coast and the University of Ghana, Legon. This study, based on RogersAcA?A? theory of adoption and diffusion, is a modified replication of a study by Li (2004), in the context of Ghana. Data were collected with a modified instrument created by Li (2004), from 61 teaching faculty out of a target accessible population of 200. The instrument comprised of four sections: The first, was used to collect data about faculty stage in the innovation development process. The second was used to collect data describing five attributes (relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability) impacting the adoption and diffusion of WBETs. The third was used to collect data about ten barriers (concerns about time, concerns about incentives, program credibility, financial concerns, planning issues, conflict with traditional education, fear of technology, technical expertise, administrative support, and infrastructure) impacting the adoption and diffusion of WBETs. The fourth section was used to collect data on personal characteristics of the faculty. Descriptive, correlational and regression analyses were used to examine relationships between faculty personal characteristics, stage in the innovation-decision process, and perceptions of attributes and barriers impacting the adoption and diffusion of WBETs. From the descriptive results, respondents perceived AcA?A?relative advantageAcA?A? and AcA?A?observabilityAcA?A? as the two most important attributes that impact the adoption and diffusion of WBETs. Infrastructure, financial concerns, and technical expertise were perceived as posing moderate to strong barriers to the adoption and diffusion of WBETs. Only compatibility (attribute) and technical expertise (barrier) had statistically significant correlations with faculty stage in the innovation decision process. The attributes and barriers altogether explained only 10.6% and 17.3% respectively of faculty stage in the innovation-decision process. Of the eight personal characteristics examined, only AcA?A?experience with WBETsAcA?A? had a statistically significant correlation with faculty stage in the innovation-decision process. Recommendations to administrators and policy makers include allocating investments and resources that promote attributes and eliminate barriers, and conduct further research into factors that affect the adoption and diffusion of WBETs.
