Implementation of Mobile Technologies in Higher Education : A case study of how one tertiary education organisation decided to implement and use iPads as teaching and learning tools in New Zealand

Abstract

Education has a history of rushing to adopt new technologies, such as televisions, videos, interactive whiteboards and, most recently, iPads. Despite the current rush towards iPads in education, little research exists at the meso-level looking at the processes by which educational organisations decide to adopt a specific technology in the first place. Thus, this study investigated how one New Zealand tertiary teacher education organisation decided to adopt iPads as a teaching and learning tool. The study sought to understand the processes by which decisions were made regarding the use and implementation of iPads, which stakeholders were involved or excluded, and what assumptions and interpretations informed those who were making the decision. Thus, the study asked: What are the factors and processes that shape the adoption of specific mobile technologies in a tertiary teacher education institution? Although the focus was on iPads, the study may have general application, as specific technologies come and go, but the penetration of technology itself in education appears irreversible. The decision to focus on iPads was appropriate because at the time of the study they were the dominant mobile technology. The conceptual framework that underpinned this research was the Social Construction of Technology (SCOT) approach, which was developed in the 1980s when looking to understand technology design and development. Applying this approach offered an innovative way of looking at the underlying issues and assumptions regarding the use and implementation of iPads in an educational context in New Zealand. In this research study, the theoretical lens was utilised as a perspective to identify potential participants and what issues needed to be investigated in terms of how the decisions were made regarding the use and implementation of technology in education. The study revealed the complexity of decision-making around implementation of technology, and the diversity of groups and perspectives that played into the decisions. There were a range of stakeholders with different levels of influence or power, and many internal and external factors seemed to play a role. The study also showed that the organisation had a range of ways of making decisions regarding the implementation of technology and there was no specific policy mandate around using iPads as the tool. Thus, the outcome of such a flexible approach led to some confusion and lack of clarity in regards to which stakeholders were involved or excluded, what and who were influences on decision-making, what stakeholders perceived to be their role, and how the broader iii socio-political context and power relations influenced the decisions. The in-depth interviews that form the empirical basis of this case study revealed the complexities, including whose views and which pressures or constraints carried the most weight in this particular context. The results have the potential to lead the way for further research in this area, as institutions offering teacher education regularly attempt to make the best choices around technology in order to prepare pre-service teachers for working with children and young people across the country. The SCOT approach offered valuable theoretical concepts for understanding the implementation of technology in education. It revealed the complexity of the decision-making process and the extent to which there were shared understandings between stakeholders. The SCOT approach was a valuable analytical tool when looking at the decision-making processes, and could be used to inform future decision-making processes so as to identify and incorporate the views of all relevant stakeholders and increase the likelihood of successful technological implementations.