| The purpose of this study is to examine the perceptions of leaders in education, business and industry, and government regarding the readiness status of Minnesota educators to utilize technology to present and deliver education. The study focused on perceptions of barrier indicators that prevent the use of technology in education, and incentive indictors that promote the use of technology in education. The study also focused on perceptions of future possibilities for the delivery of education using technology. A qualitative research process was used. Twenty-seven educational stakeholders were interviewed.;The leaders perceived several barriers they felt impeded the use of technology in education. The barrier indicators included technology-related concerns such as the fast pace of change and lack of resource support; education-related concerns such as faculty acceptance; economic issues; factors related to fear, turf protection, time, attitude, generation gaps, and competition; negative social impacts; issues with leadership and governance; and, difficulties with business and industry, the legislature, and the community.;The leaders discussed incentive factors they perceived contributed toward the use of technology. The incentives included support for the use of technology; support for the curriculum program and faculty innovators; fiscal support; strong and involved leadership; partnership programs; supportive planning processes; marketing and public relations efforts; and incentive responses to the negative factors of fear, competition, time, job security, and attitude.;Finally, the informants provided a vision of how education might look in the distant future aided by the use of technology. They suggested scenarios that included a combination of individualized learning and research and small group inquiry and critical-thinking sessions. They suggested increased use of video exchanges at the home site, and decreased use of existing educational facilities. They provided a scenario for a new kind of teacher who is very involved with individual learners and individualized learner programs, who works on a flexible timeframe, and who uses various technological methods to communicate with learners including video/audio wristbands.;The perception statements and thesis narrative can serve as an information base and planning guideline for the development of future growth in the use of technology in the delivery of education. |
