Teachers' Stages of Concern Towards Internet Integration.

A course was designed at West Virginia University to provide ed -nrs with the fundamental skills and knowledge needed to successful) Itegrate and use computer-mediated communication (CMC) in their educationai settings. Content was divided into progressive levels and delivered in the following three phases: (1) Internet hierarchy and access skills; (2) communication infrastructures; and (3) curriculum integration. Throughout the semester, in each of the phases of instruction, an opportunity was provided to assess individual concerns. The stages of concern questionnaire was used to measure participants' attitudes in an evaluation study; a repeated measures design was used, examining seven stages of concern to measure any changes across the semester. The study focused on assessing: (1) the effect of Internet instruction on students' attitudes toward Internet integration before, during and after instruction, and (2) the relationships of gender and computer knowledge on students' attitudes toward Internet inty;ration before, during and after instruction. Results from the internal stages--awareness, informational, personal and management--yielded mixid results, with a general trend towards mitigation of initial concerns regarding the integration of this new innovation. All of the external concerns--consequence, collaboration and refocusing--increased as computer experience increased. Females were found to have higher mid concerns for external collaboration and refocusing. (AEF) *********************************************************************** Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. *********************************************************************** U S DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Enal or.vi nesedirn aio ii-provenie-t EDU TIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER IERICI his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating a 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality Points of view ur opinions stated in this document Oo riot necessa'ay represent off q:icit OERI position or policy "PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS MATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)." --12\ Teachers' Stages of Concern Towards Internet Integration John G. Wells and Daniel K. Anderson John G. Wells, Assistant Professor, Technology Education West Virginia University 706 Allen Hall Morgantown, WV 26505 (304) 293-3803 Daniel K. Anderson, Doctoral Student, Computer Education West Virginia University 404-B Allen Hall Morgantown, WV 26506-6122 (304) 293-7390