Researchers have only recently recognized that assertions by various educators that they have implemented educational innovations do not all mean the same thing or bear the same weight, according to the authors of this report. Efforts made by the Research and Development Center for Teacher Education at the University of Texas at Austin to…

This guidebook identifies the tasks in disseminating new programs and provides profiles for judging their progress. The process of presenting a program to new users is divided into seven tasks: creating awareness of the project, establishing commitment among the users, providing materials, training personnel, planning to meet users' individual…

This paper describes how individual teachers, who were the target of an implementation effort, changed over a two-year period in their use of and concerns about a new approach to discipline. The main focus of this paper is the measurement of the change process, in contrast to other papers that describe the change effort and analyze the…

Four ingredients critical for successful classroom innovations are described: (1) a well defined "classroom friendly" effective innovation, (2) continuous teacher support, (3) clear direction from administrators, and (4) attention to institutionalization. (MD)

The change process as it affects program implementation is the topic of this paper, which presents an overview of current knowledge about this process, discusses the methodology appropriate to future research on and evaluations of program implementation, and considers several areas in which new knowledge must be developed if the success of future…

A review of five of their own research findings suggests (to the authors) four strategies for preparing facilitators to help implement school improvement programs. "Facilitators" are people who support teachers in implementing new classroom practices, and can include principals, district staff, or external providers of support. The five…

An analysis and review of the activities in the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory Regional Exchange (SEDL/RX) is presented, and the following questions spoken to: 1) How has the SEDL/RX evolved and developed? 2) What are the major activities at the SEDL/RX? 3) How do the Advisory Board members perceive the SEDL/RX and what do they see…

When implementing an innovation, a multitude of components interact to change not only the users, but the innovation as well. This guide explains the concept of innovation configurations, or adaptations made in innovations during implementation. After presenting and discussing past research on innovation changes, the report outlines a five step…

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) for staff development is an empirically-based conceptual framework which outlines the developmental process that individuals experience as they implement a new innovation. The model is based on the assumption that, when persons responsible for implementing change via inservice programs have relevant…

The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) has been designed to describe change as it affects individuals and to prompt more successful change efforts. CBAM views the teacher as the focal point in school improvement efforts, yet also acknowledges social and organizational influences. This paper describes the application of the model to a curriculum…

One of the keys to successfully identifying innovation configurations is to develop a clear understanding and description of innovation components. The first step requires the identification of operational components. Secondly, it is important to observe the innovation in use and to interview users. The final steps involve constructing a checklist…

A longitudinal study was conducted which focused on the concerns of elementary school teachers who were involved in implementing the Science Curriculum Improvement Study (SCIS) curriculum. Two major questions were addressed: (1) Do stages of concern exist? (2) If so, are they developmental? The sample consisted of teachers attending summer…

This paper focuses on local (school district level) facilitators, or individuals with major responsibility for implementing federal or state-sponsored school improvement practices. It covers who they are, what roles they play, and how they contribute to various outcomes. The sample is from the Study of Dissemination Efforts Supporting School…

The practice profile is a standardized, systematic, cost-effective tool for summarizing the components and requirements of a program in a manner that permits comparison with other programs or selection of discrete components from various programs. It provides a component checklist, a precise list of implementation requirements, and a system for…

Teachers who implement new programs have often been observed to adapt them to suit their own teaching situations. This process of adaptation raises four important issues: (1) Can teachers replicate practices developed elsewhere? (2) Can they be equally effective in doing so? (3) Must adaptation occur for implementation to succeed? and (4) Can…