Technology-Assisted Instruction and Instructor Cyberphobia: Recognizing the Ways to Effect Change
1996; Project Innovation Austin; Volume: 116; Issue: 4 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0013-1172
AutoresGerard George, Randall G. Sleeth, C. Glenn Pearce,
Tópico(s)Impact of Technology on Adolescents
ResumoAnsoff & McDonnell (1990) noted that resistance to change occurs when there is a departure from the historic behavior, culture and power structure. Resistance will manifest as behavioral resistance and systemic resistance. Behavioral resistance occurs as active opposition to change, while systemic resistance arises out of passive incompetence to change. The technology-assisted instruction drive should account for the two types of resistance, both allaying fears of instructors and educating them to use technology effectively. This paper draws on a typology of personal roles in relating to technological change and advocates change strategies that would help overcome instructor anxiety and fear of new technology. Literature The new information revolution in the classroom is now in a unique situation where it can permanently alter the method of instruction. Several authors (Dede, 1987, 1993; Issing, 1994; Large et al., 1995; Melmed, 1994 Park and Hannafin, 1993; Sammons, 1995; Ward; 1994: Zack, 1995) have stressed the importance of technology-assisted instruction by means of electronic messaging, hypermedia and multimedia presentations. The change to the 'new system' is highly dependent on perceptions of people and will elicit different reactions, some of which will be positive and some negative. The modem age has seen technological change and its eventual acceptance. However, when we ask instructors to change their method of instruction which they have been practicing for a long time we are more likely to face immediate rejection than passive acceptance. Technology aversion is not an uncommon problem. A survey by Dell Computer Corporation revealed 55% of the population harbors fear of some form of technology (Hogan, 1994). Another survey found that 36% of people who use computers at their office feel that their skill levels are inadequate (Donoho, 1994). Do these numbers reflect phobia of faculty? Maybe not, but we have to realize and recognize that instructors may harbor some form of fear or anxiety to use technology in their classrooms where they are focus of the student's attention. Harris (1985) coined the term cyberphobia, an aversion or anxiety caused by technology. Attention to the phenomenon has led to several descriptions. Applebaum (1990) concluded that perhaps the principal common denominator of computer anxious people was that they were over thirty years old. Cyberphobics in Gardner's (1985) study were principally over 50, and female, though either of these findings may well have changed, or will change, with time and acculturation (Watson & Barker, 1984; Lehman & Kramer, 1990; Hapens & Rasmussen, 1991). Research shows that opposition to attitudinal change can gradually give way to acceptance with the passage of time (Coch & French, 1966; Tesser, 1978; Tesser & Shaffer;, 1990). Attitudinal change towards acceptance may be a slow and even tedious experience for some teachers. Classifying and Recognizing Phobic Behaviors Sleeth, Pearce and George (1995) suggested Phobia as anxiety produces reactions involving avoidance of public scrutiny. A natural response to anxiety would be to seek comfort in isolation_a private response of avoiding others. Computer anxiety is a person's tendency to experience a level of uneasiness over his or her impending use of technology that is disproportionate to the threat the technology presents. The response modes to aversion of technology (cyberphobia) may appear as a general anxiety to use technology (cyberanxiety). The cyberanxious person who seeks isolation from the group is not rejecting the learning or even the technology, but probably is avoiding the public scrutiny. Given this discussion, a procedure for coping with cyberphobia is to recognize the change strategies possible for each. First, however, we note five symptoms or failure modes which can signal resistance and thus alert us to investigate for any cyberphobia. …
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