Factors Affecting Technology Uses in Schools: An Ecological Perspective

Abstract

Why is technology not used more in schools? Many researchers have tried to solve this persistent puzzle. The authors of this article report on their study of technology uses in 19 schools. They suggest an ecological metaphor, using the example of the introduction of the zebra mussel into the Great Lakes, to integrate and organize sets of factors that affect implementation of computer uses. Their findings suggest that an ecological perspective can provide a powerful analytical framework for understanding technology uses in schools. That perspective points out new directions for research and has significant policy and practical implications for implementing innovations in schools.