Organizational Decision Making Related to Instructional Technology at Small Liberal Arts Colleges and Universities

This study examines the factors that influence the creation, purchase, and selection of free instructional technology. Specifically, this study uses the RIPPLES Model to examine the perceptions and reflections of instructional technology directors and staff members with regard to the Resources, Infrastructure, People, Policies, Learning, Evaluation, and Support available to instructional technology creation, purchasing, selection, and implementation at their institutions. Thirteen participants at seven small, residential liberal arts colleges and universities in the United States were located using peer nomination technique. The higher education instructional technology community was asked to nominate instructional technology staff members at institutions that were exemplars of building home grown instructional technology tools, purchasing instructional technology tools, implementing open source instructional technology tools, or utilizing free web-based instructional technology tools. The findings are based on interviews of approximately one hour with each of the thirteen participants. An interview protocol based on a previous interview protocol developed by Dr. Daniel Surry, the creator of the RIPPLES Model, was utilized. Creswell's three-step data analysis process was utilized to find categories of responses related to decision-making regarding instructional technology from the perspective of instructional technology directors and staff members are discussed. The Resources, People, Policies, and Evaluation dimensions of the RIPPLES Model provided the most salient findings about organizational decision making regarding instructional technology. The findings of the study provide small, residential liberal arts institutions with very useful comparison cases as they are considering the types of instructional technologies to explore and implement. The study also provides valuable information about how instructional technology staff groups are structured and the effects of staffing models on interactions with faculty members.