This examination of the process the Toronto elementary school system is using to become familiar with microcomputers focuses on the introduction of microcomputers into the school setting and the resulting changing responses and interactions among pupils, teachers, administrators, parents, and others. In Phase 1, principals were surveyed for…

Recruitment of Native Americans to be foster or adoptive parents for Native American children involves careful planning, preparation, and work. In addition to making standard administrative decisions and maintaining required records, social workers must be sensitive to the attitudes, lifestyle, and culture of Native Americans recruited as adoptive…

A study was conducted to determine the place of cable in the lives of subscribers and its perception among nonsubscribers. Subjects, 251 subscribers and 246 nonsubscribers in a northeastern city midway in the process of cable diffusion, responded to a number of questions concerning their recreational activities, sources of information about cable,…

This study traces the introduction of microcomputers in two elementary schools, one middle school, and one high school in San Diego County, California. To determine whether or not the process of introducing microcomputers in education includes the necessary elements for change outlined by S. Saranson--i.e., a positive concept of the change,…

Qualitative research methods were used to investigate the sources and methods of dealing with stress in eight families with adopted children who have severe developmental or multiple disabilities. The families, who had each adopted from two to 30 children, included "birth children" and, in some cases, foster children as well. The research methods…

This study was designed to examine how teachers' beliefs and values influence the successful integration of microcomputers into the curriculum. Semi-structured interviews with 20 teachers were conducted in elementary, middle, and high schools in one urban and one suburban district in New York State and responses were categorized into four groups:…

The relative newness of the field of adult education and the newness of its research has been one of the problems in the research-to-practice dilemma. Edcuators have a sense of uncertainty and hence uneasiness in their role as social scientists. Others feel that adult education research is too flawed or impoverished for adoption. Dissemination…

Implementation of educational computing in schools is dependent upon teachers' attitudes toward computers as well as their expertise. Most inservice activities focus on increasing teacher expertise, while paying little attention to teachers' attitudes towards the technology. To investigate teachers' concerns about educational computing, two…

An overview is presented of the Concerns-Based Adoption Model, which describes the major factors influencing the decisions and actions of individuals in the innovation adoption process. The two critical indicators hypothesized by the model, Level of Use of the Innovation, and Stages of Concern About the Innovation, are discussed. The seven stages…

This paper summarizes a survey of Dutch junior secondary schools which was conducted to measure their adoption of the "information and computer literacy" (ICL) concept, and to investigate how far the implementation factors identified by Fullan (1982) are consistent with this innovation. The study's objectives were twofold: (1) to collect…

The logistics for college adaptation of telecourses entail certain procedures which, though they differ from one school to another, still encompass a basic minimum of steps that need to be taken: (1) the decision to investigate; (2) the ascertainment of interest within the relevant disciplines; (3) the evaluation and acceptance of an available…

The adoption process for personal computers by faculties in business administration and teacher education at the graduate college and university level was studied. Diffusion Theory (Roberts, 1962) was tested as it related to the adoption of an innovation and the adoption process as the individual passed through the stages of the process…

As a part of a larger research project intended to aid university planners, 2,027 faculty and staff at a large western university were questioned about their interest in telecommunications services. Of those surveyed, 366 faculty and 466 others--41%--returned the lengthy mail questionnaire, which included questions about computing, videotex, and…

The Adoption Assistance and Child Welfare Act of 1980 provides for annual federal incentive payments to states if they improve foster care programs by (1) avoiding unnecessary removal of children from their homes; (2) preventing extended stays in foster care; and (3) reunifying children with their families or placing them for adoption. To be…