This case study examines a preschool called Forever Growing that aims to implement new educational technologies to improve students' readiness skills. It will evaluate whether conditions for successful implementation exist based on an 8-factor framework. A strategy will be developed to address any deficiencies and ensure technologies become fully institutionalized. The school has grown steadily but faces financial challenges inhibiting resource acquisition. Additional technologies may help overcome knowledge gaps in students. The case study will generate recommendations to guide Forever Growing through the implementation and institutionalization of new innovations.

1. Implementation and
Institutionalization of
Technology to Improve
Academic Readiness Skills
A Case Study
Brett Mahan, James De Lane &
Melissa Smith

2. Introduction
• At some point in the history of any organization, it has adopted a
new innovation or idea in order to improve various processes or
generate more efficiency.
• Subsequently the new innovation results in a detrimental cycle of
unintended outcomes
– growing to be ineffectual
– turning out to be unused
– eventually becoming abused
• These negatively unplanned outcomes waste valuable resources
and frustrate the very people the innovation was intended to
help.
• So, how does an organization attempt to prevent substandard
results procured from this cycle?

3. • During the process of diffusion theory, a
technological innovation
– creates awareness
– arouses interest
– undergoes trial
– accomplishes adoption
• However, two steps transpire following the
adoption of an innovation, and are essential for
the enduring success of the innovation.
– Implementation
– Institutionalization

4. •After the determination to use an innovation,
implementation commences through the actual
utilization of that innovation into practice (i.e.
teaching or instruction in a classroom).
•The Association of Education and Communication
Technology’s (AECT) standard says
–“using instructional materials and strategies in real
settings . . . to facilitate appropriate use of the
innovations by individuals in the organization.” (AECT
Standard, 2002, Std. 3.3).
•Surry and Ely illustrate eight conditions, required
from an organization, which contribute to the
successful implementation of an innovation
(Surry and Ely, n.d).

5. Surry and Ely’s 8
Facilitative Conditions
1. Dissatisfaction with 5. Rewards and/or
the status quo incentives exist
2. Knowledge and 6. Participation
skills exist 7. Commitment
3. Availability of 8. Leadership
resources – of the executive officer
4. Availability of time – within the institution or
project

6. • Increasingly, schools are seeking to incorporate
technology into their curricular programs in order to
– improve the quality of learning activities for the students
in order to enhance school readiness
– expand the efficiency and effectiveness of the teachers in
order to complete additional pertinent work
• Technology also prevalent in the pre-kindergartens,
preschools and other early childhood education
institutions
• This case study examines one such pre-kindergarten
(Forever Growing) and its devotion to providing high
quality academic and social learning experiences.

7. • The director of Forever Growing plans to coordinate with
representatives from the Instructional Design Technology
Department at the University of Houston Clear Lake
(UHCL).
– UHCL will design and develop various DVDs and internet-based
learning modules for utilization by the school
– UHCL will construct a school web page and establish visibility in
several of the social media forums
• This case study will evaluate whether the aforementioned
conditions offered by Surry and Ely are present at Forever
Growing and where they, if any, are lacking.
• Then it will identify strategies to establish these conditions
within the school.

8. Background of the School
• Forever Growing
– 1990 in Alvin, Texas by Denise West
– Originally founded as an in-home daycare and after
school program
– Curriculum designed to integrate
academic skills as well as social
interactions in children ages 2-5.
– Teaches academic and reading
readiness through situational
problem solving, phonological and
phonemic awareness, and social
dialogue.

9. • School employs five full time teachers and one part
time teacher in order to split the classrooms
according to developmentally appropriate age
groups.
• Expenditures
– 40% on teacher training and salary
– 30% on curriculum materials
– 20% on office upkeep
– 10% on miscellaneous (marketing, billing, etc.)
• Mission statement: support small class sizes, teacher
guidance, and the perception that the attainment of
knowledge is a continuous process.

10. Specific Area of Interest
• Forever Growing
– small, privately owned
preschool
– total of 6 teachers on staff
• Its small size can be an
advantage or a
disadvantage when it
comes the diffusion and
implementation of
technological
innovations.

11. • Once a technology has been adopted, an organization must establish a
plan which includes strategies with the purpose of
– ensuring that the innovation is integrated into the structure and culture of the
organization
– is appropriately managed by the workforce
• Surry and Ely describe variables which impact the effectiveness of
implementation
– organizational climate
– political complexity (not applicable within this case study)
– demographics
– attributes of the innovation itself
• This case study will design a strategy focusing on the eight conditions
as well as addressing the controlling variables in support for Forever
Growing to achieve a successful implementation of the impending
educational technology innovations.

12. • Institutionalization is successfully achieved when an
innovation is “…routinely used in settings for which it was
designed. It [the innovation] has become integral to the
organization or the social system and is no longer
considered to be an innovation.” (Surry & Ely, n.d.).
• At this point, the innovation is considered to be
institutionalized as an integrated part of the organizational
structure.

13. • Surry and Ely also suggest six • This case study proposes
commonly accepted strategies for assessing the
indicators of degree of institutionalization
institutionalization. They of the newly procured
are: educational technology
– Acceptance by relevant participants innovations established at
– The innovation is stable and Forever Growing.
routinized
– Widespread use of the innovation
throughout the institution or
organization
– Firm expectation that use of the
practice and/or product will continue
within the institution or organization
– Continuation does not depend upon
the actions of specific individuals but
upon the organizational culture,
structure or procedures
– Routine allocations of time and
money

14. School’s History and
Growth
• Embraced an optimistic
vision and a determined
outlook.
• Experienced many
challenges and numerous
triumphs.
• Learned from the obstacles
and victories
• Believe that the school can
overcome any adversity in
order to achieve success

15. • Timeline of History and Growth
– 1990 - Began with 5 students and grew to 12 students in just a
couple of months.
– 1991 - School was becoming overcrowded and had to
reluctantly turn away children
– 1994 - After-school program abandoned order to better assist
the future progress of the school.
– Currently – Supports a wonderful staff, a great facility and a
prominent curriculum. Enrolls almost 100 full and part time
students each year in their pre-kindergarten program.
• Forever Growing has witnessed periods of
difficulty and hardship as well as stages of
remarkable prosperity and growth.

16. Strengths and Weaknesses
• Strengths
– Strong management system
– High quality curriculum
– Effective teacher training and
staff development
• Weaknesses
– Obtaining financial capital
– Utilizing media instructional technology
– Developing effective marketing materials

17. Responses and Results of the
School’s Current Strategy
• Largest challenge is obtaining the financial capital
which
– Maintains the operations
– Supports the acquisition and implementation of resources
– Improve the educational quality of its programs
• Addressing these challenges
– Implements a mixture of initiatives to both raise funds and avoid
costs.
– Obtain full and partial scholarships from local businesses to help
off-set tuition costs
– Receives assistance with fund raising activities and donation
matching from the community
– Acquires one time financial gifts
– Teachers have voluntarily given up their pay raises

18. • In spite of everything, there is not sufficient
capital to acquire additional educational
resources (technology implementation, training)
• Additional resources are needed
– to support the school’s over-all efforts
– to help students especially from lower socio-economic family
environments
• These additional resources will
be leveraged to overcome the
knowledge gap which many
students possess when they
first enroll in Forever Growing.

19. The Specific Problem
• Director’s decision to bridge the shortage through a
collaborative development project with UHCL produces
the demand for a strategy to assure the implementation
and institutionalization of the adopted innovations.
• This case study will review the conditions mentioned by
Surry and Ely to establish an environment favorable for
successful implementation and institutionalization.
• The circumstances where variables and conditions are
deficient, strategies will be developed to establish or
augment promising conditions for these processes.

20. Alternatives
• The following action based alternatives are
suggestions for an iterative process rather
than mutually exclusive alternatives.
• These alternatives will encompass planned
methods which support the school through
the diffusion processes of implementation
and institutionalization stages, focusing on
each stage of the process.

21. Assessment of Environment
for Implementation
• The executive climate at Forever Growing contains a strong and
cohesive faculty
– who share a common set of values and a mutual group of established goals
for the success of the school and the students.
• Teachers exhibit a variety of technology familiarity
• The technology proposed for adoption is neither exceeding
complex nor will it require extensive technical support to operate.
• The current conditions at the school were analyzed and evaluated
addressing variables, where necessary, within the setting. The
current conditions at Forever Growing support successful
implementation of the proposed technology.
• The assessment of the school’s eight facilitating conditions (more
information see case study)

22. Alternatives for
Implementation
Teachers work with UHCL instructional
designers in the analysis and design phase
of the collaborative project
• By participating in the design and development of the
learning modules, the affluence of the teaching staff will
become more enhanced as the products are constructed.
– Questions can be addressed
– Coaching will ensure any technology gaps are overcome
• Also help to shorten the time needed for the teachers to
feel experienced with the final products in order to
support implementation into the instructional programs
• Reinforce both number two and four of Surry and Ely’s
conditions

23. Identify an innovator or early
adopter among the teachers to
start peer to peer conversations
plus act as mentors and tutors
• Aligns effectively with the first achievement
suggested previously
• Through peer conversations, the less technically
advanced teachers will engage in an informal, less
threatening support structure in order to answer
questions, demonstrate concepts, and facilitate
reassurance regarding the proposed changes
• Supports the decrease in time required to establish
a level of comfort to use and implement the
learning programs into daily learning activities

24. Implementation Summary
• In an environment as small and
cohesive as Forever Growing,
problems achieving successful
implementation of the
proposed technology will be
minimal.
• Staff recognizes the need for
and will undoubtedly support
the adoption and
implementation of the
technology.
• Alternatives provide a resource
for the school to address
possible complications that may
arise as a result of uneven
technological knowledge or
insufficient time

25. Assessment of Environment for
Institutionalization
• All previously noted conditions supporting
institutionalization of the proposed technology are
substantiated except perhaps the routine allocations
of time and money.
• Scarcity of monetary resources is one of the biggest
challenges confronting Forever Growing.
• The project to develop a website and subscribe to
social media forums was selected precisely to
increase the visibility of the school beyond just the
community
• The hope was that the increased visibility would
result in a corresponding increase in fund raising
success

26. Alternatives for
Institutionalization
• The conditions supporting successful institutionalization of an innovation
or new technology are:
– Acceptance by relevant participants
– The innovation is stable and routinized
– The innovation is used throughout the entity
– There is a firm expectation of continuance regarding the innovation
– There will be routine allocations of time and money
• The current environment at Forever Growing already furnishes the
conditions that will support institutionalization of the new technology
once it has been adopted and implemented.
• The staff already acknowledges the need for and is supportive of the
utilization initiative.
• The proposed technology is not complex therefore will be stable and
easily routinized to be used throughout the school.
• Additionally, there is a strong intention to continue using the technology
once it is implemented.
• Therefore, alternative actions are required.

27. Recommendations for
Future Changes
• The school director will initiate the alternatives
recommended.
• Even if, for some reason, the initiative to acquire the
proposed technological learning resources failed to
materialize, the teaching staff can be trained on the
technology which will undoubtedly pay dividends in
the future.
• The alternatives suggested also offer a way to
construct a professional learning community among
the educators as well as provide a method for
increasing decision-making input concerning the
direction and future of the school.

28. How Alternatives Relate to
AECT Standard 3.3
Sub-Standard 3.3.1
•Use appropriate materials and strategies in
various learning contexts
– The decision by Forever Growing to adopt and implement DVDs
and web-based learning modules into their curricular programs
directly addresses this standard.
– The learning modules will be used throughout the school to
encompass a variety of subjects.
– The alternatives and recommendations provided support the
implementation of the proposed technology.

29. Sub-Standard 3.3.2
• Identify and apply techniques for integrating ECIT
innovations in various learning contexts
– The intended use of DVDs and web-based learning modules
directly addresses this standard.
– Using technology to assist in elevating the quality of the
school’s instructional programs, will improve the foundational
learning skills the children need throughout the K – 12 school
environment.

30. Sub-Standard 3.3.3
• Identify strategies to maintain use after initial
adoption
– Both of the alternatives directly address this standard.
– Involving the teaching staff in the design and development
phase of the technology initiative creates a sense of ownership
as well as resolves any questions or issues that may emerge
– Additionally, using peer mentors and tutors to overcome
knowledge deficits establishes a professional learning
community
– Instill a level of comfort and create an enthusiasm for the
resources which will assure support for the continued use
– Standards regarding integration of the technology into the
structure and culture of the school will emerge as
institutionalization creates permanence for the innovation

31. Conclusion
• Implementation and Institutionalization of the
educational innovative technology in this case study
does not cause an extensive or complex problem.
• Forever Growing is a small cohesive educational
organization whose existing structure and culture
already demonstrate many of the conditions which
support successful implementation and
institutionalization of the new technology.
• By following the alternatives and recommendations
mentioned in this study, the last stages,
implementation and institutionalization, of Forever
Growing’s diffusion process will be a successful
achievement.

32. References
• Association for Educational Communications and Technology. (2001). What are the initial standards?
Retrieved from http://www.aect.org/standards/initstand.html
• Congressional and Budget Office. (2011). The Budget and Economic Outlook: Fiscal Years 2011 to
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• EDTC Curriculum Project. (n.d.). AECT rubric for the curriculum project (reflective journal). Retrieved
from http://www.udel.edu/education/edtc/CurriculumProject.html
• Fayol, H. (n.d.). 14 principles of management. Retrieved from
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Washington, DC: Association for Educational Communications and Technology.
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• Surry, D. & Ely, D. (n.d.). Adoption, diffusion, implementation and institutionalization of educational
technology. Retrieved from http://www.usouthal.edu/coe/bset/surry/papers/adoption/chap.htm