Adaptation is a dynamic diffusion of innovations process in which adopters change innovations
according to their individual needs. Adaptation may be explained by three factors: (a) the
differing interpretation of innovation components by individual adopters, (b) an individual's
level of adopter innovativeness or readiness to accept change, and (c) the generative learning
process whereby an individual relates new information to prior knowledge and experience.
Adaptation may occur unconsciously at the beginning of the diffusion process. Those who study
the adaptation process should begin at the initial awareness stage when potential adopters are
forming their opinions and ideas about an innovation.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
Berman, P. (1981). Educational change: An implementation paradigm . In R. Lehming & M. Kane (Eds.), Improving schools (pp. 253-286). Beverly Hills, CA: Sage.
2.
Blakely, C., Mayer, J., Roitman, D., & Gottschalk, R. (1983, April 11-14). The implementation of disseminated educational innovations: Is the modified RD&D model viable ? Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreat, Canada.
3.
Cole, E., & McCain, K. (1985). Adoption and adaptation in the use of transaction processing systems: The case of OCLC software. Information Processing and Management, 21(1), 27-34.
4.
du Toit, B. (1984). Innovation and diffusion: An anthropological view. In Instructional development: The state of the art, 2 (pp. 348-358). (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 298 888)
5.
Emshoff, J., Blakely, C., Gottschalk, R., Mayer, J., Davidson, W., & Erickson, S. (1987). Innovation in education and criminal justice: Measuring fidelity of implementation and program effectiveness. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 9(4), 300-311.
6.
Fullan, M., & Pomfret, A. (1977). Research on curriculum and instruction implementation . Review of Educational Research, 47, 335-397.
7.
Gross, N., Giacquinta, J., & Bernstein, M. (1971). Implementing organizational innovations. New York: Basic Books.
8.
Hall, G., & Loucks, S. (1977). A developmental model for determining whether the treatment is actually implemented. American Educational Research Journal, 14(3), 263-276.
9.
Hall, G., Loucks, S., Rutherford, W., & Newlove, B. (1975). Levels of use of the innovation: A framework for analyzing innovation adoption. Journal of Teacher Education , 26(1), 52-56.
10.
Harlen, W., & Osborne, R. (1985). A model for learning and teaching applied to primary science. Journal of Curriculum Studies, 17(2), 133-146.
11.
Havelock, R.G. (1970). A guide to innovation in education. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan, Institute for Social Research, Center for Research on Utilization of Scientific Knowledge .
12.
Loucks, S. (1983, April 11-14). Defining fidelity: A cross-study analysis. Paper presented at the annual meeting of the American Educational Research Association, Montreal, Canada.
13.
Reynolds, L. (1973). Teacher adaption to planned change: The case of Stormy Heights. In W. Charters & R. Pellegrin (Eds.), The process of planned change in the school's instructional organization (CASEA #25, pp. 67-84). Eugene: University of Oregon.
14.
Rice, R., & Rogers, E.M. (1980). Reinvention in the innovation process. Knowledge: Creation, Diffusion, Utilization, 1, 499-514.
15.
Rogers, E.M. (1983). Diffusion of innovations (3rd ed.). New York: Free Press.
16.
Vosniadou, S., & Brewer, W. (1985). The problem of knowledge acquisition (National Institute of Education Report No. 348. Urbana-Champaign : University of Illinois.
17.
White, M. (1975). Management science in federal agencies: The adoption and diffusion of a socio-technical innovation. Lexington, MA: Lexington Books.
