Adopting Technology: Using Student Qualitative Data and Gartner’s Hype Cycle

Abstract

Technology is changing education. School leaders are charged with purchasing and leveraging technology to maximize an ever-changing landscape of teaching and learning. They have many factors to consider as they make decisions about what specific technologies to purchase for their schools. Gartner’s Hype Cycle is an annually published report that can help school leaders anticipate and plan for trends in education. A recent qualitative study analyzed data from fifteen participants in two different countries and five different high schools regarding their one-to-one (1:1) laptop experiences. The study used a phenomenological strategy to explain first-year college students’ perceptions of the effects of a 1:1 laptop experience on their readiness for college and the uses of technology for instructional purposes by high school teachers and college professors. Implications from the study for school leaders call for technology initiatives to be thoughtfully planned and sustainable. Preparation for implementation should include infrastructure planning, clear and measureable goals for the initiative that are effectively communicated to the stakeholders involved in the initiative, and effective training for teachers prior to and during the technology initiative. The results of the 1:1 qualitative study used in conjunction with Gartner’s Hype Cycle provide critical information for school leaders to consider when determining the selection and timing of technology initiatives and planning for implementation.