Using the Diffusion of Innovation Theory to Explain the Degree of English Teachers’ Adoption of Interactive Whiteboards in the Modern Systems School in Jordan: A Case Study

Abstract

This study aimed to explain the use of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) by English female teachers in Modern Systems School in Jordan. Viewed from the lens of Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation Theory, the study examined and reported teachers' use of IWB and its features that have impact on their decisions to adopt it in Modern Systems School . The study employed the qualitative case study approach. Data were collected through different ways such as semi-structured interviews, document reviews, and participatory observations. Rogers' (2003) diffusion of innovations theory was used to guide the investigation. The study concluded that the extent of teachers’ use of IWB is related to their perceptions of the five major attributes: Relative advantages, compatibility, simplicity, trialability, and observability. The regular use of IWB has shifted the teachers’ methodologies of teaching from traditional ways to using dialogues, open sources, and group work. The study finally recommended giving more attention to training workshops regarding how to integrate IWB into the educational process.

Keywords

• Interactive white board, IWB, Diffusion of innovation theory, ICT tools, English teachers, Instructional technology.

Kaynakça

1. Abu El Einein, R. (2011). The effect of using the smart board on student’s achievement in learning Arabic at the beginner’s level for non-native speakers (Unpublished master’s thesis). Department of Psychological and Educational Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Education, The Arabic Academy in Denmark.
2. Betcher, C. & Lee, M. (2009) The interactive whiteboard revolution: Teaching with IWBs.
3. Victoria, Australia: Acer. Available at: http://schoolnet.org.za/CoL/ACE/course/ classroom/documents/iwb_revolution.pdf Creswell, J. W. (2007). Qualitative inquiry and research design: Choosing among five traditions
4. (2nd ed.). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage. Dang, X. T. (2011). Factors influencing teachers’ use of ICT in language teaching: A case study of Hanoi University, Vietnam. International Conference on ICT for Language Learning.
5. CITY?Australia. Retrieved on 21 December 2012 from http://www.pixel-online.org/
6. ICT4LL2011/common/download/Paper_pdf/SLA51-478-FP-Dang-ICT4LL2011.pdf
7. Digregorio, P. & Sobel-Lojeski, K. (2009). The effects of interactive whiteboards (IWBs) on student performance and learning: A literature review. Journal of Educational
8. Technology Systems. 38(3), 255-312. Essig, D. (2011). A case study of interactive whiteboard professional development for elementary mathematics teachers (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Walden

9. University. Minneapolis, Minnesota. Glover, D., Miller, D., & Averis, D. (2003, September). The impact of interactive whiteboards on classroom practice: Examples drawn from the teaching of mathematics in secondary schools in England. Proceedings of the International Conference: The Decidable and the Undecidable in Mathematics Education. Brno, Czech Republic.
10. Available at: http://math.unipa.it/~grim/21_project/21_brno03_Miller-Averis.pdf Gruber, B. (2011). A case study of an interactive whiteboard district-wide technology initiative into middle school classrooms (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). George Mason
11. University. Fairfax, VA. Hanafi, A. (2010). The effectiveness of a smart-board based program in developing some electronic teaching skills of teacher students in mathematics section (Unpublished master’s thesis). Almenofeyya University. Shbeen El-coom, Egypt.
12. Hussein, H. B. (2011). Attitudes of Saudi universities’ faculty members towards using learning management system (JUSUR). Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology, 10(2), 53.
13. Intharaksa, U. (2009). Using diffusion of innovation theory to explain the degree of faculty adoption of Web-based instruction in a Thai university (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Oklahoma State University. Available at: http://139.78.48.197/utils/ getfile/collection/Dissert/id/ 72454/filename/73145.pdf
14. Jang, S. J. & Tsai, M. F. (2012). Reasons for using or not using interactive whiteboards:
15. Perspectives of Taiwanese elementary mathematics and science teachers. Australian Journal of Educational Technology, 28(8), 1451-1465.
16. Kervin, L. K., Verenikina, I., Wrona, K., & Jones, P. T. (2010). Interactive whiteboards:
17. Interactivity, activity and literacy teaching. In J. Herrington & B. Hunter (Eds.), Proceedings of World Conference on Educational Multimedia, Hypermedia and Telecommunications (pp. 2605-2614). Virginia, USA: AACE. Available at: http://ro.uow.edu.au/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1122&context=edupapers
18. Miller, D. J., Glover, D., Averis, D., & Door, V. (2005). From technology to professional development: How can the use of an interactive whiteboard in initial teacher education change the nature of teaching and learning in secondary mathematics and modern languages? London: Training and Development Agency. Retrieved on 24 December 2012 from http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20101021152907/http:/www. ttrb.ac.uk/attachments/0d65acf3-488a-4fca-8536-918d6dafd694.pdf
19. Preston, C. & Mowbray, L. (2008). Use of SMART boards for teaching, learning and assessment in kindergarten science. Teaching Science Journal, 54(2), 50-54.
20. Robinson, L. (2009). A summary of diffusion of innovations. Retrieved 25 December 2012 from http://www. enablingchange.com.au/Summary_Diffusion_Theory.pdf
21. Rogers, E. M. (1986) Models of knowledge transfer: Critical Perspectives. In G. M. Beal, W.
22. Dissanayake, & S. Konoshima (Eds.), Knowledge generation, exchange and utilization (pp.37-60).. Boulder, CO: Westview. Retrieved on 19 October 2012 from https:// studieninteressierte.unihohenheim.de/uploads/tx_uniscripts/25720/A7020_KIM_2011. pdf
23. Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York: Free Press. Retrieved on 19
24. October 2012 from http://books.google.com.sa/books?id=9U1K5LjUOwEC&lpg=PP1&dq
25. =Diffusion%20of%20Innovations&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q&f=false Smith, H. J., Higgins, S., Wall, K., & Miller, J. (2005). Interactive whiteboards: Boon or bandwagon? A critical review of the literature. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, , 91–101. Retrieved on 17 November 2012 from http:// edtech2.boisestate.edu/ spechtp/551/IWB_ Boon_Bandwagon.pdf
26. Correspondence: Mustafa Jwaifell, Ph.D., Instructional Technology, Department of Curriculum and Instruction, Al-Hussein Bin Talal University, Ma’an, Jordan