Factors That Influence the Perception of Higher Education Leaders in the Adoption Process of Instructional Technology and Distance Education

Author

Diego Tibaquirá, Nova Southeastern UniversityFollow

Date of Award

2020

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Abraham S. Fischler College of Education

Advisor

Lisbia Romero

Committee Member

Perdro Mendez Querecuto

Keywords

distance education, educational innovation, information technology, instructional technology, technology integration, technology uses in education

Abstract

The problem addressed by this study was that many administrators at institutions of higher learning are faced with the task of finding ways to provide the latest technologies while being extremely constricted by budgets and the rising cost of education. The purpose of this study was to determine the factors that influence the perceptions of higher education leaders in the adoption process of Instructional Technology and Distance Education. This included an examination of the decision-making process and what determined if Instructional Technology and Distance Education were either implemented or upgraded at various higher learning institutions.

The researcher implemented a mixed-methods design in order to conduct the research in this case study. Participants completed a survey containing quantitative scaled-style questions and qualitative open-ended questions to obtain their perceptions regarding adoption of instructional technology. For this particular study, purposeful sampling was established by selecting the chief executive officers, chief information officers, chief information security officers, directors of technology, or deans within technology departments of institutions of higher learning as the key participants in this study.

The research gave some themes for predominant factors in the decision-making process for Instructional Technology and Distance Education. There was an all-encompassing theme of convenient innovations that enhance education, enduring from the three main themes of flexibility, increased student engagement, and improved time efficiency. Six supporting themes that also entered into the decision-making process included adopting technology that (a) makes education accessible and therefore reaches a more varied student body, (b) provides flexible course delivery formats so that higher education can be fit into busy student schedules rather than vice versa, (c) empowers education through its ability to be personalized, (d) facilitates faculty-student communication, (e) reduces costs, and (f) improves educational quality. Future research directions include (a) having a larger sample size to conduct the survey to be able to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence the perception of higher education leaders in the adoption process of instructional technology and distance education and (b) determining if the perception of higher education leaders extends or is affected by other stakeholder groups such as staff, faculty, or vendors.

NSUWorks Citation

Diego Tibaquirá. 2020. Factors That Influence the Perception of Higher Education Leaders in the Adoption Process of Instructional Technology and Distance Education. Doctoral dissertation. Nova Southeastern University. Retrieved from NSUWorks, Abraham S. Fischler College of Education. (268)
https://nsuworks.nova.edu/fse_etd/268.