| Course ID: | ALDR 8030E. 3 hours. |
| Course Title: | Diffusion of Innovations |
Course
Description: | Students will develop a better understanding of the factors
that influence changes in social systems. Students will analyze
several examples of diffusion and determine how each represents
the theory base supporting the process of diffusion. |
| Oasis Title: | DIFFUSION OF INNOVA |
| Duplicate Credit: | Not open to students with credit in ALDR 8030 |
| Nontraditional Format: | The course will be taught fully at a distance - all of the
class sessions will be delivered via technology, including
Powerpoint, Internet, e-mail, web pages, WebCt, or other
computer software. This course does not require students to
travel to a classroom for instruction; however, students may be
required to travel to a site to attend an orientation or exam. |
Semester Course
Offered: | Offered summer semester every year. |
| Grading System: | A-F (Traditional) |
|
| Course Objectives: | After successful completion of this course, the student will be
able to:
1. Analyze the diffusion process of various innovations
and determine possible catalysts and inhibitors associated with
the process.
2. Identify and describe members of society in relation to
the role that they play in the diffusion process.
3. Apply the theory base posited by Rogers to predict the
success of planned diffusion.
4. Evaluate members of a social system and classify them
in the appropriate categories of adopters.
5. Recognize the value of various communication resources
in the diffusion of innovations.
6. Appreciate their role as well as the role of others in
successfully implementing positive change.
7. Recognize the importance of various attributes of an
innovation and their effect on the adoption process.
8. Students will be required to identify and employ peer-
reviewed research concerning attempts at diffusion of various
innovations that will be synthesized into literature reviews to
illustrate the theory base of the course. Students will also be
required to analyze and evaluate current attempts of diffusion
through the lens of the diffusion theory base and predict
success or failure rates based on the literature. Multiple
writing intensive projects will be assigned to accomplish this
purpose. Students will be required to follow the guidelines set
forth by the American Psychological Association when preparing
the aforementioned papers. |
| Topical Outline: | I. Elements of Diffusion
a. The Innovation
b. Communication Channels
c. Time
d. A Social System
II. Attributes of Innovations
a. Relative Advantage
b. Compatibility
c. Complexity
d. Trialability
e. Observability
III. Adopter Categories
a. Innovators
b. Early Adopters
c. Early Majority
d. Laggards
IV. History of Diffusion Research
a. Communication
b. Marketing
c. Geography
d. Sociology
V. The Decision Process
a. Knowledge Stage
b. Persuasion Stage
c. Decision Stage
d. Implementation Stage
e. Confirmation Stage
VI. Communication Channels
a. Mass Communication
b. Personal Communication
c. Cosmopolite and Localite Channels
VII. Change Agents
a. Change Agents
b. Homophily and Heterophily
c. Critical Mass
VIII. Consequences of Innovations
a. Classification
b. Equilibrium |
| Honor Code Reference: | Academic dishonesty in any form or fashion will not be tolerated
and will result in a failing grade on the assignment in question
or even for the entire course. |