Increasing Faculty Adoption of Instructional Technology

IT Strategy Advisory Services members can read the full study to learn how one institution:

• Built faculty consensus for instructional technology purchases
• Increased faculty adoption of instructional technology
• Prioritized emotional security (versus simply technical expertise) during instructional technology training to drive adoption

Executive summary

Challenge

Faculty non-use or misuse of instructional technology often underserves student success goals. Root causes include:

• Faculty not involved in instructional technology selection process. leading to dissatisfaction with technology options that were chosen by IT
• Insufficient training and learning support opportunities for faculty

Innovative approach

• Eastern Michigan University | Ypsilanti, Mich.
• Student Enrollment ~23,500, Faculty ~ 1,300

To promote faculty pedagogical development and participation in collaborative projects, Eastern Michigan University’s Library envisioned and created the “Collaboratory.” The Library partnered with the Faculty Development Center and IT to create a multifunctional room for faculty teaching and learning development.

This brief focuses on only one aspect of the Collaboratory’s mission: technology evaluation and self-testing by faculty to improve University investment in instructional technology. The University’s IT, Library, and Faculty Development Center provide technical and instructional assistance to faculty when requested. The Collaboratory is designated for individual development of teaching skills, including exploration of technologies; another classroom in the library allowed faculty to test technologies with students for one-off classes.

Key animating principle

Create an “ego-safe” environment for faculty exploration of new instructional technologies, away from student eyes and peer observation; this not only allows for more informed input into IT technology selection, but also increases faculty comfort with the chosen technologies, leading to greater and more effective use in the classroom.

Learn how Eastern Michigan University increased its investment in instructional technology with the creation of a “Collaboratory.”

Download the Report