Dissertation
Middle range theories Diffusion of Innovations Theory
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Middle range theoriesDiffusion of Innovations TheoryEverett Rogers first proposed the Diffusion of Innovations Theory in 1962 (R. L. Miller, 1995; Rogers, 2009). This theory explains how new ideas, products, and technologies propagate throughout a society or organisation over time. Five stages of the diffusion process are identified by the theory: knowledge, persuasion, decision, implementation, and confirmation. Innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards are also identified. According to the theory, the rate and pattern of adoption of an innovation are affected by a number of factors, including the innovation's characteristics, the communication channels used to promote it, the adopter's perceived needs and values, and the social and cultural context in which it is introduced. The Diffusion of Innovations Theory can help explain the adoption and implementation of disruptive technologies in the context of the research topic of bridging the digital skills divide with disruptive technologies in engineering education. By identifying the factors that influence the rate and pattern of adoption, such as the innovation's characteristics and the adopter's perceived needs and values, we can develop effective strategies for promoting the adoption of disruptive technologies and closing the industry's digital skills gap. The Diffusion of Innovations Theory has been applied to analogous topics in the field of engineering education in previous research. For instance, the theory has been used to investigate the adoption and implementation of diverse technologies, such as computer-aided design software e-learning platforms and mobile learning applications (Hoque et al., 2021; C. H. Lee et al., 2020). These studies have identified a number of factors that influence the adoption and implementation of these technologies, including the technological complexity, the perceived benefits and costs of adoption, and the social and cultural context in which the technology is introduced. This research seeks to contribute to the development of effective strategies for promoting the adoption and effective use of disruptive technologies in engineering education by building on previous studies. Download 2.1 Mb. Share with your friends:
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