INNOVATIVE METHODS FOR STUDYING INNOVATION IN EDUCATION AND AN ILLUSTRATIVE ANALYSIS OF STRUCTURAL EFFECTS ON INNOVATION DIFFUSION WITHIN SCHOOLS / NAN LIN.

THE PURPOSES OF THIS PAPER ARE TO EXAMINE THE RESEARCH METHODS GENERALLY UTILIZED IN DIFFUSION RESEARCH AND TO SUGGEST RESEARCH METHODS WHICH MIGHT HELP PROVIDE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE DIFFUSION PROCESS. TO PROMOTE THE UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLETE DIFFUSION PROCESS OF EDUCATIONAL CHANGE, RESEARCH SHOULD CONSIDER THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS, THE PROCESS OF GATEKEEPING, OR THE ROLE OF THE INTERMEDIATE DISSEMINATORS, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF AN INNOVATION AFTER IT HAS BEEN ADOPTED, AND THE EFFECTS OF INNOVATION UPON EDUCATION. RESEARCH METHODS WHICH OFFER PROMISE IN SOLVING SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF STUDYING EDUCATIONAL CHANGE ARE FIELD EXPERIMENT, COMPUTER SIMULATION, AND STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS, THE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE VARIOUS PROPERTIES OF GROUP STRUCTURE AND INNOVATION DIFFUSION INDEXES. A STUDY OF INNOVATION DIFFUSION AMONG TEACHERS IN THREE MICHIGAN HIGH SCHOOLS DEMONSTRATED HOW GROUP STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES CAN BE ANALYZED IN A WAY THAT IS MEANINGFUL AND THAT SHEDS LIGHT ON THE DIFFUSION PROCESS. IT DEMONSTRATED THAT THE DIFFUSION PHENOMENA WITHIN ORGANIZATIONS MAY BE EXPLAINED AND PREDICTED FROM CERTAIN STRUCTURAL PROPERTIES. FOR EXAMPLE, THOSE WHO PLAY LIAISON ROLES AND WHO ENJOY HIGH PRESTIGE AMONG FELLOW MEMBERS SHOULD BE STUDIED BECAUSE THEY ARE RELEVANT TO THE INTRODUCTION OF AND RECEPTIVITY TO THE INNOVATION IN THE SOCIAL SYSTEM. STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS HAS POSSIBLE IMPLICATIONS FOR EDUCATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS OR POLICY MAKERS ATTEMPTING TO INNOVATE BECAUSE IT CAN PROVIDE INFORMATION ABOUT THE OPTIMAL PROCESS FOR DISSEMINATING NEW IDEAS AND PRACTICES AND ABOUT THE COMPATIBILITY BETWEEN THE FORMAL AND INFORMAL STRUCTURES WITHIN A SYSTEM, AND IT MAY BE USED TO IMPROVE THE STRUCTURE FOR INNOVATION ASSIMILATION. THIS SPEECH WAS DELIVERED AT THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE DIFFUSION OF EDUCATIONAL IDEAS (MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY, MARCH 26-28, 1968). (MM)

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