David Michael Marcovitz

  Coordinator of Technology in the Educational Environment Department of Education Loyola College in Maryland Email to David  

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Support for Technology and Innovation in the Elementary School

College of Education University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign Ph. D., May 1996   This dissertation describes two new models for support for technology and innovation in the schools. The models are derived from an ethnographic case study of three classrooms at Burnham Elementary School.

 The first model proposes support received and inspiration as the two primary goals of support. It relates proximity, relevance, and credibility of the support given to those two goals. Proximity, relevance, and credibility relate directly to support received. Lack of proximity, mainly seen as newness of ideas, and credibility relate directly to inspiration. Inspiration is as important as support received because an inspired teacher (with respect to a particular innovation) finds ways to make that innovation happen by finding the necessary support or doing without support.

 The second model proposes that innovations are not merely isolated entities, but related innovations interact with one another, forming a family of innovation, with each innovation having both positive and negative effects on other innovations within the family.

 These two models were derived from a study of three classrooms using methods of case study, ethnography, and situated-evaluation. The models and how they apply to the case that was studied are described in detail.

 Committee: Bertram C. Bruce (Adviser), Sheryl Benson, Nona Prestine, Robert Stake