A Two-Dimensional Framework for Evaluating Teachers’ Technology Adoption

When describing teachers’ adoption of new technology, existing conceptual models tend to focus on a single dimension, either quantitative, such as the frequency or amount of technology use, or qualitative, such as the way in which a given technology influences teachers’ instructional practices. Such one-dimensional approaches can fail to adequately describe similarities and differences in technology adoption between teachers. In this chapter, we describe a conceptual framework for teacher technology adoption that incorporates two dimensions: a quantitative description of technology adoption and a qualitative description of technology adoption. Then, apply this framework to data from a year-long mixed-methods study of Earth science teachers in the Denver Public Schools district who adopted a new Web-based instructional planning system called the Curriculum Customization Service. Our findings suggest that this two-dimensional framework offers useful insights for those seeking to evaluate not only “how much” or “how frequently” teachers adopt a new technology but also how a new technology relates to teachers’ instructional practices.