Successful Adoption of Innovation in Engineering Education: Faculty Characteristics and Environmental Perceptions

This engineering education research project will investigate factors that help or hinder faculty adoption of innovations in engineering education. Specifically, the project seeks to understand relationships between faculty and their work environment in the cases of those who adopt and choose not to adopt innovations. The project will study the current culture in an academic institution to extend theories related to adoption and diffusion of innovations, change management, and attitudinal-behavioral theories to diffusion of engineering education innovations.

The broader significance and importance of this project are to help better disseminate successful educational innovations by understanding the interface between faculty and their work environment. Should the project succeed at lowering barriers to adoption, the results could be transferred to other institutions of higher education.