A case study of incorporating technology in the curriculum and faculty attitudes

The purpose of this study was to explore and compare the strategies used by two universities to incorporate the use of technology into the teaching and learning process and how faculty accepted the implementation of this technology. The method of gathering and reporting data was case study in which documents were examined and interviews were conducted. Data collected were examined by using saturation of information.;The strategies used by the Liberal Arts University to incorporate technology were to create a center of technology, revise the curriculum, invest in technology and train faculty. The strategies for incorporating technology at the Land Grant University were a center of technology, Title III grant, smart classrooms, and incentive funding. Faculty were not involved with the development of strategies for incorporating technology but were included in the implementation process. Faculty attitude findings indicated that administrators at both institutions tended to discuss the two extremes, pacesetters and refuseniks. Also faculty at both institutions discussed the impression that faculty tended to be followers.;The strategies were different in that the Land Grant University had a strategy in place before the Governing Board mandate. The Centers of Technology were developed at each campus in a different manner. A key difference was the vocalization of the Liberal Arts University faculty about the mandates from the Governing Board. Finally, the two findings based on comparison of faculty attitude indicated that faculty at the Liberal Arts University were more positive than Land Grant faculty.;The following conclusions emerged from the findings of this study. Centers of Technology appear to be a common approach to integrate technology into the teaching and learning process. The strategy to incorporate technology is viewed as a top-down initiative by the Governing Board mandates. Faculty and Administrators view that the incorporation of technology would improve the teaching and learning process. The smart classrooms are seen as a simplified way to integrate technology. Administrators need to be able to recognize the culture of their institution and understand the change process of the culture to effectively institute change.