Discourses informing

Educational Technology

Modernisation, Technology Determinism, Human Capital Productivity & Diffusion of Innovation

E. Haipinge

13.05.2014

What is a discourse?

• A discourse can be said to be “a formal way of thinking that can be

expressed through language, a social boundary that defines what can be said

about a specific topic”

• Discourse limits of possible truth or what can be conceptualised as true

• “Discourses are seen to affect our views on all things; it is not possible to

avoid discourse”

• (Wikipedia, 2014)

Modernisation

• Modernisation theory is a theory used to explain the process of

modernization within societies whereby previously agrarian and

contemporary societies have become developed (Encyclopedia69.com)

• It refers to a model of a progressive transition from a 'pre-modern' or

'traditional' to a 'modern' society. (Wikipedia)

• Modernisation is closely associated with science and technology in

complimentary fashion through scientific research and technological

innovation

Characteristics of Stages of Development

1. Primitive society: The stage is characterized by subsistence farming and barter trade.

2. Preparation for take-off: The characteristics of the stage are; specialization, production of surplus goods and trade. Transport infrastructure is developed to support trade. The stage encourages savings and investment

3. Take-off: At this stage industrialization increases and the economy switches from agriculture to manufacturing.

4. Drive to maturity: At this stage the economy diversifies into new areas and there is less reliance on imports.

5. Period of mass consumption: At this stage, the economy gears on mass production and service sector becomes increasingly dominating.

Modernisation and Educational

Technology

• With the belief that societies and economies are always changing, education is required to reform to reflect those changes

• The adoption of technological innovations and the importance of scientific research in educational “development” are ideas anchored in the theory of modernization

• Technology in education needs to develop from traditional, “primitive” and less efficient tools to modern, digital tools that makes teaching more efficient and productive

• Technological adoption in education is associated with improvement and progress

Technology Determinism

• Technological determinism is ‘The belief in technology as a key governing force

in society ...’ (Merritt Roe Smith).

• 'The idea that technological development determines social change ...' (Bruce

Bimber) by changing the way people think and how they interact with others

• The theory holds the idea that social problems can be solved by technological

advancement, and this is the way that society moves forward.

• “You can't stop progress” implies that we are unable to control technology

Technology Determinism cont…

• Hard Determinism: Technology is viewed strictly as a powerful and influential

force acting to control social activity. Society organizes itself in order to meet the

needs of technology, the result of which is beyond society’s control.

• “The uses made of technology are largely determined by the structure of the

technology itself ” (Neil Postman).

• Soft Determinism: Technology is viewed as a guiding force that helps in society’s

evolution, but people still have a chance to make decisions based on the outcome

Social Determinism is the Opposite

• According to Langdon Winner, social determinism says “What

matters is not the technology itself, but the social or economic

system in which it is embedded”.

• Basically that society is not controlled by technology but

innovation and the consequences of technology are shaped

through the influences of things like culture, politics, economic

arrangements and regulation.

Technology Determinism & Educational

Technology

• Arguments that promoted the use of educational technology using technology

determinism usually consider technology is inevitable

• Technology is considered central to everything done in schools or in the society, and

people have no choice but to adopt it, or be left behind

• They way such technology should be used is based on how it was designed –

technology determines how it is used, not its users

• Advancement in educational quality or development can only be achieved through

the adoption of technology

Human Capital Theory• Human capital theory rests on the assumption that formal education is highly

instrumental and even necessary to improve the production capacity of a population

(Olaniyan & Okemakinde, 2008, p. 158)

• The human capital refers to the knowledge, information, ideas, skills and health of

individuals

• Human capital theory emphasizes how education increases the productivity and

efficiency of workers by increasing the level of cognitive stock of economically

productive human capability

• New generation should be taught how existing knowledge should be used to develop

new products and people must be encouraged to develop entirely new ideas, products,

processes and methods

Human Capital Productivity & Educational

Technology

• Education is an investment and thus learning outcomes should be measurable to

measure the economic returns of the investments made

• Education is there to prepare students for the job market – find jobs and get their

returns to their investments

• The quality of education should be enhanced through the use of latest technologies

• Skills and knowledge should reflect the needs of the job market

• Since ICT skills are required in the job market, education should provide such skills

Diffusion of Innovation

• Diffusion of innovation explains how, over time, an idea or product gains

momentum and diffuses (or spreads) through a specific population or social

system.

• The end result of this diffusion is that people, as part of a social system, adopt

a new idea, behavior, or product.

• The relative speed with which an innovation is adopted by members of a social

system is called rate of adoption. It is generally measured as the number of

individuals who adopt a new idea in a specified period, such as each year.

Five Established Adopter Categories

1. Innovators - People who want to be the first to try the innovation. They

are venturesome and interested in new ideas, willing to take risks, and are

often the first to develop new ideas.

2. Early Adopters - People who represent opinion leaders. They enjoy

leadership roles, and embrace change opportunities. They are already

aware of the need to change and so are very comfortable adopting new

ideas.

Five Established Adopter Categories

3. Early Majority – People that are rarely leaders, but they do adopt new

ideas before the average person. They typically need to see evidence that

the innovation works before they are willing to adopt it.

4. Late Majority – People skeptical of change, and will only adopt an

innovation after it has been tried by the majority.

5. Laggards – People are bound by tradition and very conservative. They

are very skeptical of change and are the hardest group to bring on

board.

Diffusion of Innovation: Adopters’

Curve

Key Aspects of the Diffusion of Innovation

Theory

• Status Aspects: One motivation for individuals to adopt an innovation is

the desire to gain social status. Some innovations lose prestige after more

members of the social system adopt them. The gradual loss of status-

giving on the part of a particular innovation provides pressure for yet

newer fashions.

• Fad: this is an innovation that represents a relatively unimportant aspect

of culture, which diffuses very rapidly, mainly for status reasons, and then

is rapidly discontinued.

Key Aspects of the Diffusion of Innovation

Theory

• Overadoption is the adoption of an innovation by an individual when experts feel that he or she should reject. Overadoptionoccurs because of insufficient knowledge about the new idea on the part of the adopter, an inability to predict the innovation's consequences, and/or the status-conferring aspect of a new idea.

• Incremental innovation – adopted to bring advantage

• Preventive innovation – adopted to avoid disadvantage

Incremental and Preventive Innovation

Five Factors that Influence Adoption of

an Innovation1. Relative Advantage – The degree to which an innovation is seen as better than

the idea, program, or product it replaces.

2. Compatibility – How consistent the innovation is with the values, experiences, and needs of the potential adopters.

3. Complexity – How difficult the innovation is to understand and/or use.

4. Triability – The extent to which the innovation can be tested or experimented with before a commitment to adopt is made.

5. Observability – The extent to which the innovation provides tangible results.

Diffusion of Innovation and Educational

Technology

• When ideas about new technology spread, they are adopted differently: by various

school leaders, teachers, government and policy makers and parents

• Some would be innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority or laggards

• Promoters of technology may use incremental or preventive innovation approach

• To prevent overadoption, expert advice (research) is required by educators

• For new technology to be adopted, it should offer benefits, be compatible to the

needs and values of target people, be easy to use, accessible for trial and its impact

observable

References

• Boston University School of Public Health. (2013). Diffusion of Innovation Theory. Retrieved from http://sphweb.bumc.bu.edu/otlt/MPH-Modules/SB/SB721-Models/SB721-Models4.html

• Encyclopedia69. (2009). Theories of Modernity. Retrieved from http://www.encyclopedia69.com/eng/d/theories-of-modernity/theories-of-modernity.htm

• Hennayake, N. (2010). Handout 1: Modernization theory. Retrieved from http://www.mrt.ac.lk/tcp/uploads/UG/92/Handout%20for%20modernization%20theory/Handout%20for%20modernization%20theory.pdf

• Olaniyan. D.A. & Okemakinde. T. (2008). Human Capital Theory: Implications for educational development. Pakistan Journal of Social Sciences, 5: 479-483.

• Techopedia. (2014). Technodeterminism. Retrieved from http://www.techopedia.com/definition/28194/technodeterminism

• Wikipedia. (2014). Modernization theory. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modernization_theory

• Wikipedia. (2014). Technological determinism. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Technology_determinism