INNOVATION ADOPTION: LESSONS FROM A TOP-DOWN INITIATIVE

The Division of Foreign Languages at Tel Aviv University provides foreign language courses for academic purposes in approximately fifteen languages. In 2009, as part of a concerted effort to update and standardize approaches and practices throughout the Department, a major drive to integrate technology in language teaching was initiated. This initiative included a top-down policy decision to adopt the Moodle platform in all courses, accompanied by intensive ongoing professional development and support. The initiative was met with diverse reactions, ranging from great enthusiasm to outright resistance.

Three years later, most instructors in the Division have implemented Moodle in their teaching, to various degrees. In addition, starting in the 2012-2013 academic year, Moodle has become the exclusive course management system (CMS) used at Tel Aviv University. Our division’s experience as pioneers in this technological turn may provide valuable insights regarding possible factors that could contribute to an instructor’s level of receptiveness toward the adoption of such a technological initiative in language teaching.

Semi-structured questionnaires were administered together with follow-up interviews in order to address the following research questions: 1) To what extent did instructors’ beliefs, attitudes and practices regarding language teaching and technology affect their adoption of the Moodle platform? 2) To what extent did the top-down initiative affect instructors’ beliefs, attitudes and practices regarding language teaching and technology?

This paper will present preliminary findings as well as recommendations that we hope will contribute to the successful implementation of similar initiatives.