Facilitating Technology Integration in a Resistant Environment

...thoughts in progress...

SLP Wiki Integration

A year ago I looked at adoption of innovations in the workplace for my RCA Theory project. I examined the Facilitative Conditions (as cited in Surry & Ely, 2007) that we had studied in ITED 8100 (Dr. Zahner) to look for patterns of workplace failures and successes, as cited by my peers and me.

Facilitative Conditions

(1) Dissatisfaction with Status Quo
(2) Knowledge and Skills Exist
(3) Availability of Resources
(4) Availability of Time
(5) Rewards and/ or Incentives
(6) Participation
(7) Commitment
(8) Leadership


I am revisiting my own comments to determine their accuracy, as I interpret the situation with the Wiki I created five months ago for our department. This is what I wrote in February, 2007.

Each of the three unsuccessful or partially successful projects lacked leadership, commitment, and participation of all stakeholders. If the organizational leadership is not committed to the innovation's successful implementation and does not value participation of all stakeholders, the other factors will most likely not be present to the necessary degree. If the remaining five factors are present without leadership, commitment, and participation, success may be present but limited, and institutionalization may not occur. Facilitating conditions should be present beginning with the design phase. Development, utilization, management, and evaluation will all be negatively affected by their omission in the earliest stage of the project.

I'm going to take the next few days to think about this. More later. Woops. I just read my original analysis again.

Facilitative Conditions - relative to the SLP Wiki

(1) Dissatisfaction with Status Quo -- YES
(2) Knowledge and Skills Exist -- 1/2 and 1/2
(3) Availability of Resources -- YES
(4) Availability of Time -- They don't believe this, but could be convinced somewhat easily
(5) Rewards and/ or Incentives - A good start with crucial forms provided on site; could do more
(6) Participation -- Somewhat
(7) Commitment -- meaning??? look it up
(8) Leadership -- NOPE

Shoulda. Coulda. Woulda. Blatantly obvious what is missing. Not so sure what to do about it. But I'm perking on it. Research Idea! hmmmmmmmmmm.


Surry, D. W., & Ely, D.P. (2007). Adoption, diffusion, implementation, and institutionalization of
instructional innovations. In R. A. Reiser & J. V. Dempsey (Eds.), Trends and issues in instructional
design and technology (pp.104-111). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.