An exploratory study of administrative practices and their relationship to the use of microcomputers in instructional programs in Illinois community colleges

This study examined administrative practices in Illinois community college districts in order to suggest how administrators can encourage community college faculty to develop computing skills and to use computer technology in instructional programs. The study was based on a 1986, K-12 study by Winkler, Stasz, and Shavelson.Assuming that administrative practices contain both incentives and disincentives for faculty use of innovations, four areas of theoretical concern were identified for the study: (a) policy mechanisms available; (b) staff development related to the use of innovations; (c) faculty instructional use of innovations; and (d) characteristics of local context. Empirical evidence is lacking in this area; therefore, the study was guided by two assumptions: (a) computer technology is assimilated in ways analogous to the adoption of educational innovations in general; (b) what is generally known about change in educational institutions can lead to better understanding of how to encourage community college faculty to use computer technology in instruction.The approach taken was one of action-oriented policy research designed to solve a technical problem in the administration of community colleges. The primary research instrument was a telephone survey. Descriptive statistical analysis and content analysis were used to examine associations between administrative practices and local context features (independent variables) and faculty participation in inservice and faculty use of microcomputers in instructional programs (dependent variables).Data analysis revealed that administrative practices and local context features are associated with faculty participation in training and use computer technology in instruction. Once computer technology is accessible factors such as faculty program affiliation, level and type of assistance and training, proportion of minority students served, constituent need, and student headcount may influence both faculty participation in training and the instructional use of computer technology. Because instructional programs are unique to districts, the variables examined may impact the use of computer technology differently within individual districts.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio