The overriding aim of this research is to analyze the possibilities of harmonizing the administrative

208 Pages·2013·2.09 MB·English

by  Ines Casanovas

DS
DS
Online Education in Universities
IN
É
S
C
Moving from Individual Adoption to Institutionalisation A
S
of an Information Technology Innovation A
N
O
V
A
S
INÉS CASANOVAS
O
n
lin
This thesis describes and analyses the move from individual adoption to insti- e E Online Education in Universities
d
tutionalisation of an information technology innovation: online education in u
c
universities. The study focuses on the processes that took place within two uni- at
io
versities, one in Sweden and the other in Argentina. The results showed that the n Moving from Individual Adoption to Institutionalisation
adoption processes appeared to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. in U of an Information Technology Innovation
The contributions provide complementary and pluralistic insights into the re- n
iv
search field of IS, for both theory and practice, as well as into higher education er
s
managers’ decision-making. Interactions at macro and micro organisational levels it
ie
could be modelled as the cyclic linkage between sensemaking outcomes and in- s
INÉS CASANOVAS
stitutionalised structures. A higher level of theorization resulted in a meta-theory
model to describe and explain the linkage itself within the perspective of adaptive
structuration theory. Scholar-engaged research allowed conflicting interests to be
reconciled by changing the existing practices through sensemaking and negotia-
tion among stakeholders in an ongoing implementation.
As an overall conclusion, online education is still far from being fully institu-
tionalised. Though the change has not yet become an integral part of the formal
core of the institutions, it has been a great achievement considering the universi-
ties’ structure, culture and resources. However, there are still key factors that need
to be faced. These factors are of a strategic nature and the way to handle them
seems to be more political than technological or pedagogical.
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Jönköping International Business School
Jönköping University
JIBS Dissertation Series No. 087 • 2013
ISSN 1403-0470 ISBN 978-91-86345-40-2 JIBS
DS
DS
Online Education in Universities
IN
É
S
C
Moving from Individual Adoption to Institutionalisation A
S
of an Information Technology Innovation A
N
O
V
A
S
INÉS CASANOVAS
O
n
lin
This thesis describes and analyses the move from individual adoption to insti- e E Online Education in Universities
d
tutionalisation of an information technology innovation: online education in u
c
universities. The study focuses on the processes that took place within two uni- at
io
versities, one in Sweden and the other in Argentina. The results showed that the n Moving from Individual Adoption to Institutionalisation
adoption processes appeared to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. in U of an Information Technology Innovation
The contributions provide complementary and pluralistic insights into the re- n
iv
search field of IS, for both theory and practice, as well as into higher education er
s
managers’ decision-making. Interactions at macro and micro organisational levels it
ie
could be modelled as the cyclic linkage between sensemaking outcomes and in- s
INÉS CASANOVAS
stitutionalised structures. A higher level of theorization resulted in a meta-theory
model to describe and explain the linkage itself within the perspective of adaptive
structuration theory. Scholar-engaged research allowed conflicting interests to be
reconciled by changing the existing practices through sensemaking and negotia-
tion among stakeholders in an ongoing implementation.
As an overall conclusion, online education is still far from being fully institu-
tionalised. Though the change has not yet become an integral part of the formal
core of the institutions, it has been a great achievement considering the universi-
ties’ structure, culture and resources. However, there are still key factors that need
to be faced. These factors are of a strategic nature and the way to handle them
seems to be more political than technological or pedagogical.
JIB
S
D
is
s
e
r
ta
tio
n
S
e
r
ie
s
N
o
. 0
8
7
Jönköping International Business School
Jönköping University
JIBS Dissertation Series No. 087 • 2013
ISSN 1403-0470 ISBN 978-91-86345-40-2 JIBS
Online Education in Universities
Moving from Individual Adoption to Institutionalisation
of an Information Technology Innovation

INÉS CASANOVAS
Jönköping International Business School
P.O. Box 1026
SE-551 11 Jönköping
Tel.: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
www.jibs.se

Online Education in Universities: Moving from Individual Adoption to Institutionalisation of an
Information Technology Innovation
JIBS Dissertation Series No. 087

© 2013 Inés Casanovas and Jönköping International Business School

ISSN 1403-0470
ISBN 978-91-86345-40-2

Printed by ARK Tryckaren AB, 2013

2
Abstract
This thesis describes and analyses the move from individual adoption to
institutionalisation of an information technology innovation: online education
in universities. The study focuses on the processes that took place within two
universities, one in Sweden and the other in Argentina, regarding online
education adoption and the organisational changes developed.
The aim is to contribute to the understanding of individual and
organisational strategies for the institutionalisation of the innovation. To
achieve this aim, three research questions were posed. The first focused on the
way in which teachers influence the adoption processes. The next addressed the
changes and interactions at the individual and institutional levels resulting from
these processes. The third question deepened into the methodological practices
that can harmonise stakeholders‟ objectives and the conflicting interests
regarding online education initiatives. Innovation theory, complemented with
organisational theories provided the foundation for the description and analysis
of the information technology innovation and the adoption processes.
The results of analysing and interpreting the collected data from the two
universities in two different countries (Sweden and Argentina) showed that the
adoption processes appeared to be evolutionary rather than revolutionary. The
iterative nature of the appropriation and the constant “newness” of the
information technology innovation may be plausible explanations for the
phenomenon. Though the change has not yet become an integral part of the
formal core of the institutions, it has been a great achievement considering the
universities‟ structure, culture and resources.
The contributions provide complementary and pluralistic insights into the
research field of Information Systems, for both theory and practice, as well as
into higher education managers‟ decision-making. Furthermore, the knowledge
contribution of the thesis could be applied to implementation of information
technology innovations in other organisations with similar characteristics as the
studied higher education institutions. Such characteristics are, for example, to
be complex and knowledge intensive.
Interactions at macro and micro organisational levels could be modelled as
the cyclic linkage between sensemaking outcomes and institutionalised
structures. A higher level of theorization resulted in a meta-theory model to
describe and explain the linkage itself within the perspective of adaptive
structuration theory.
Regarding practice, scholar-engaged research allowed conflicting interests to
be reconciled by changing the existing practices through sensemaking and
negotiation among stakeholders in an ongoing implementation. As an overall
conclusion, online education is still far from being fully institutionalised. After
four years of technological and contextual changes during the research
development, a positive shift can be seen in teachers‟ attitude towards online
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education. They show more confidence in working with constantly improved
virtual environments. Nevertheless, there are still key factors that need to be
faced regarding online education adoption and institutionalisation. These
factors are of a strategic nature and the way to handle them seems to be more
political than technological or pedagogical.

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Acknowledgments
Once upon a time, more precisely on 11 February, 2007, four of my dearest
Swedish friends, Mats-Åke, Jörgen, Mats and Carita, were sitting in Mats-Åke‟s
home, by the swimming pool, enjoying a coffee and encouraging me to make
one of my most challenging decisions: to take up doctoral studies. Thanks and
ever thanks…
Jörgen Lindh was so enthusiastic that he became one of my supervisors, and
he undertook the task bravely, even during the short time when his health
weakened. Christina Keller and Stefan Hrastinski, dear friends too, joined the
team as associate supervisors. The three of them gave me advice and
encouragement when I needed ….and very happy moments when I was staying
in Sweden. They believed in me; without their support, I would never have
succeeded. Specifically worth mentioning is the support from Sven Carlsson.
Thanks for the valuable advice during my final seminar.
I am grateful to the Department of Informatics in Jönköping. There, I met a
group of colleagues who gave me not only intellectual but emotional support.
Thanks to Susann Anderson, Ewa Bewing, Kerstin Ferroukhi, Peter Hilton,
Britt-Marie Johansson, Ulf Larsson, Stefan Nylander, Carol-Ann Soames, May
Wismen…The coffee breaks with „semlor‟ on Fridays are unforgettable. Sincere
thanks to Daniela and Marius Mihailescu. They made me feel „at home‟.
I will not forget to thank Susanne Hansson and Monica Bartels for their
kindness and help with administrative issues, and all the participants in my
empirical studies who contributed patience and time during the four years of
the research.
Sincere thanks also to my Argentinean colleagues and friends. They
accompanied me all the time and helped with my duties when I had to work in
Sweden.
I reserved the closing paragraph to thank the most important persons in my
life: my family. They encouraged me to undertake the challenge and for five
years, they patiently and lovingly supported my effort. I missed all of you so
much when I had to be far from you for so long!

Buenos Aires, November 2012
Inés Casanovas

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Table of Contents
1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 13
1.1 Online education and Information Systems (IS) research ..................... 15
1.2 The literature review about adoption and institutionalisation of .............
online education in universities .................................................................. 16
1.2.1 Prior reviews ..................................................................................... 17
1.2.2 Review design ................................................................................... 18
1.2.3 Summary of the review (Paper I) .................................................. 19
1.3 Aim and research questions ........................................................................ 20
1.4 Structure of the thesis .................................................................................. 22

2 Theoretical background ................................................................................. 26
2.1 Conceptual issues about online education................................................ 27
2.1.1 From e-learning to online education ............................................ 27
2.1.2 The status of online education ....................................................... 28
Key contributions to the thesis ..................................................................... 31
2.2 Online education as innovation ................................................................. 32
2.2.1 Reviewing the concept and models of innovation: a historical
and theoretical approach ................................................................. 32
Key contributions to the thesis................................................................... 34
2.3 The institutional context: universities ....................................................... 34
2.3.1 Universities as learning organisations ........................................... 37
Key contributions to the thesis ..................................................................... 39
2.4 The institutional environment: Sweden and Argentina .......................... 39
2.4.1 Swedish national governmental policies for ICT-based
education ........................................................................................... 40
2.4.2 Argentinean national governmental policies for ICT-based
education ........................................................................................... 43
2.4.3 Similarities and differences between Sweden and Argentina„s
policies regarding ICT-based education ....................................... 47
2.4.4. The role of culture in IS adoption in different geographical
settings .............................................................................................. 48
Key contributions to the thesis ..................................................................... 51
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2.5 Adoption and diffusion of technology innovations: theories and
models .............................................................................................................51
2.5.1 The sequential model founding theories .......................................51
2.5.2 The networked models ....................................................................53
2.5.2.1 The networked grassroots diffusion model .............................54
Key contributions to the thesis ......................................................................57
2.6 Institutionalisation of change as a multilevel ongoing process ..............58
Key contributions to the thesis ......................................................................60
2.7 Relating individual technology innovation adoption and
organisational theories ..................................................................................61
2.7.1 The organisational macro-level and the contextual constraints:
Institutional theory ...........................................................................62
2.7.2 The organisational micro-level: individuals‟ sensemaking ........63
2.7.3 Linking macro and micro-level interactions .................................65
2.7.4 The production and reproduction process: Structuration
Theory as a meta-theory ..................................................................65
2.7.5 Including IT: the Adaptive Structuration Theory .......................67
Key contributions to the thesis ......................................................................70
2.8 To sum up: a pluralistic and complementary framework to explore a
complex scenario ...........................................................................................71

3 Research approaches .......................................................................................74
3.1 The interpretive approach ...........................................................................74
3.2 The goals of theory .......................................................................................75
3.3 A mixed methodological approach ............................................................76
3.4 Choosing the style of the researcher ..........................................................80
3.5 Working in different countries: the research settings ..............................81
3.5.1 Jönköping University (JU) ...............................................................82
3.5.2 National Technological University (UTN) ...................................83
3.6 Data collection and analysis .........................................................................85
3.7 The survey questionnaire .............................................................................86
3.7.1 Questionnaires analysis ....................................................................88
3.8 In-depth interviews .......................................................................................89
3.8.1 Interview analysis ..............................................................................93
3.8.1.1 The Argentinean interviews analysis .............................................96
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