Diffusion of Web Supported Instruction in Higher Education--The Case of Tel-Aviv University.

Abstract

This paper describes a study that focused on long-term web-supported learning diffusion among lecturers at Tel Aviv University (TAU), from an organizational point of view. The theoretical models we used to examine this process are Rogers ' model for "Diffusion of Innovation " (1995) and Bass's "Diffusion Model " (1969). The study was conducted between the academic years 2000/01 and 2007/08. At that time TAU implemented a project aimed to integrate knowledge technologies in academic instruction. The main results show that the diffusion process among lecturers using web-based instruction was rapid and reached over 77 % of the total lecturer population. However, differences in diffusion among lecturers were found in terms of academic units. The diffusion process found behaves similarly to Rogers ' Diffusion of Innovation theory and Bass's diffusion model.