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Running head: CRITICISMS OF DIFFUSION RESEARCH 1

Criticisms of Diffusion Research

Lisa Durff

Walden University



CRITICISMS OF DIFFUSION RESEARCHCriticisms of Diffusion Research

Rogers (2003) listed four criticisms of diffusion research studies namely pro-innovation

bias, individual blame bias, recall problems, and issues of equality. My mindmap included five

research studies shared by my classmates in EDUC-8841-3/EDUC-7101-3 Diffusion and

Integration of Technology in Education which I categorized by different criticisms of diffusion

research.

The study by Glover, Miller, Averis, and Door (2007) concerning interactive whiteboard

use in secondary schools was not connected with one of the four criticisms identified by Rogers

(2003). Rather, this study included a sampling bias by including participants overwhelmingly

from secondary math classrooms. The results of this study were therefore skewed towards that

population. Because this criticism of diffusion research was not identified by Rogers (2003), I

have categorized this study has “no criticism”. This criticism might be reduced by including a

wider selection of content teachers in subsequent research.

Ertmer et al. (2011) studied global collaborations using digital technologies. This study

was criticized by recall problems of participants during the post treatment survey. Surveys request

participants to remember back to when diffusion of the innovation, in this case the global

collaborations, took place. Anyone who has surveyed eyewitnesses to an accident, even moments

after the accident took place, understands the lack of reliability in survey research. This criticism,

caused by collecting self-reported data from participants, might be avoided by administering a test

of cultural competency. A quick scan of the internet reveals there are over 80 such instruments

already developed and available.

The study by Vatanparast and Qadim (2009) on mobile phones was criticized by issues of

equality. Those unable to acquire cell phones are often prevented by socio-economic

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CRITICISMS OF DIFFUSION RESEARCHcircumstances. Instead of bridging socio-economic gaps, innovative technologies often have

made gaps wider. The authors state a limitation of their research is that it involved those mobile

phone owners who also already had stationary internet connections (i.e. computers). A stated

focus of the research is to determine how mobile service providers should focus their services.

The study appeared in a journal produced by the Mobile Marketing Association and may have

been funded by them. To avoid criticisms based on inequalities, the study might look at how the

innovation or delivery of the innovation could change in different cultural contexts.

Dale and Pymm (2009) studied ipods and this research was subject to pro-innovation bias.

This criticism implied that the innovative technology should be accepted. To avoid this criticism

future studies might look at the format instead of a brand name. The implication of this research

is that educators must change in order to engage students in learning content, placing the

responsibility on educators to engage students, not on students to engage with the content. This

study involved tertiary education (not mandatory primary or secondary education), so it would

seem to me that students are to be held responsible for their own learning.

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CRITICISMS OF DIFFUSION RESEARCHReferences

Dale, C., & Pymm, M. J. (2009). Podagogy: The ipod as a learning technology. Active Learning

in Higher Education, 10, 84-96.

Ertmer, P.A., Newby, T.J., Yu, J.H., Liu, W., Tomory, A., Lee, Y.M.,…Sendurur, P. (2011).

Facilitating students’ global perspectives: Collaborating with international partners using

web 2.0 technologies. The Internet and Higher Education. Advance online publication.

doi: 10.1016/j.iheduc.2011.05.005

Glover, D., Miller, D., Averis, D., & Door, V. (2007). The evolution of an effective pedagogy for

teachers using the interactive whiteboard in mathematics and modern languages: An

empirical analysis from the secondary sector. Learning, Media, & Technology, 32(1), 5-20.

Picciano, A. G., Seaman, J., & Allen, I. E. (2010). Educational transformation through online

learning: To be or not to be. Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks, 14(4), 17-35.

Rogers, E. M. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.

Vatanparast, R., & Qadim, H. Z. (2009). A cross-cultural study on mobile internet usage.

International Journal of Mobile Marketing, 4(2), 14-27.

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