An investigation of teacher's concerns about adopting an innovation in Adult Basic Education in Texas

Abstract

The concept of teacher concerns in regard to innovation adoption encompasses the idea that teacher concerns about an innovation are developmental. Concerns about self progress to concerns about task and then to concerns about impact. At the same time, use of the innovation progresses from a disjointed, day-by-day use through routine use to levels of use where implementers considered alternative methods of operation, value opportunities for collaboration, and even explored other innovations. Profiles of teachers' concerns have been shown to be useful in personalizing staff development and in predicting implementers' levels of use of an innovation. The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM) has been validated and used in elementary, secondary and higher education. However, the model has never been used in adult basic education (ABE). This study was designed to investigate the usefulness of the CBAM for ABE, specifically for the implementation of the Competency-based High School Diploma Program (CBHSD). Results of the study indicated that two components of the CBAM methodology, the Stages of Concern Questionnaire (SoCQ) and the Levels of Use (LoU) Interview, were useful in assessing concerns of ABE teachers implementing the CBHSD and in predicting those teachers' levels of use of the CBHSD. Results of analyses of variance indicated that ABE teachers implementing the CBHSD had different concerns from ABE teachers who were not CBHSD implementers. These concerns were parallel to the progression of concerns shown by elementary and higher education teachers. A multiple regression analysis indicated that Stages of Concern are significantly associated with Levels of Use. Furthermore, 6 of the 7 Stages of Concern had a statistically significant effect on implementers' Levels of Use.These results indicated that the SoCQ should be a primary data-gathering tool for ABE staff development purposes. Although further conclusive research is needed, the general utility of the SoCQ is indicated. Results also indicated that the innovation implementation process might be improved by attending to implementers' concerns, and by regarding innovation implementation as a change process rather than an event.