Identifying key actors for technology adoption in higher education

A social network approach

Abstract

Higher education institutions are increasingly implementing strategies and practices aimed towards enhancing learning for the future by integrating educational technologies with classroom instruction. Despite the notable affordances these technologies bring to the learning context, there continues to be some resistance within the academy. Senior higher education administrators or leaders are frequently challenged with developing novel strategies to influence technology adoption. Prior studies relating to technology adoption and diffusion have emphasized the importance of collaboration, mentorship, and communities of practice in influencing the level of technology acceptance. Research in social networks has also shown that key actors within a network can assist with the dissemination of information. This case study investigated the relationship between the position of instructors within their departmental social network and their level of technology adoption to begin to identify strategic access points for facilitating technology adoption within higher education.