LIT2T Leadership Guide

56 TO: TABLE OF CONTENTS theory resonates powerfully. At one time or another, most of us have played one of those roles in addressing something new that asks us to modify the way we think or do things. First Adopters are to some extent perceived as less influential because they usually or always favour innovation; Rather it’s more important to identify Early Adopters, because they are perceived as more cautious and thoughtful and thus having more influence on others). (FAHY, P. 165) The odds of success are improved if the planners anticipate the need for change agents among the project participants, and incorporate the need for them in recruiting and staffing, and encourage their efforts on an ongoing basis. As for management’s role in the innovation process, “Ideally, the change agent begins to play a role after the decision for adoption has been made by key decision-makers in the organization, and when a general plan has been developed for the overall shape of the organization’s change project.(Fahy, p. 172) However, this doesn’t obviate the need for champions of change among management. Instead, it emphasizes a role for them in managing and directing rather than cheer-leading. Implicit in the name of Rogers’ theory, Diffusion of Innovations, is the notion of spreading or disseminating a new process, system, product or idea. The quality of the innovation will be a primary factor in its implementation or rejection and its uptake by participants. Above all, this innovation must rise or fall on its intrinsic worth (a better or improved way to get ESL training and settlement orientation) and the quality of the implementation. Rogers describes five characteristics of an innovation: communicability, relative advantage, compatibility, complexity and divisibility. Of these, Rogers asserts that compatibility with current practices in training, and the relative advantage of the innovation compared to other possibilities would be the most important (FAHY, 2014, P. 162) . This is a core question and a key influence on uptake of learning technology in the settlement language training sector. Rogers and others argue that communication, demonstration, training, consistent implementation and empowerment of people to embrace change all play big roles in determining innovation outcomes. (WANG, 2012, P. 4 ) Stages of Innovation Some conditions that either already exist or need to be created to facilitate change include: 1. Dissatisfaction with things as they are; 2. The local knowledge and skills in order to accomplish the desired change; 3. Resources; 4. Time; 5. Incentives to engage people in the change process; 6. Broad participation in decision-making; 7. A stakeholder commitment to change; 8. Leadership committed to building expectations, getting commitment, and providing support. (WANG & BERGER, P. 13) Individuals need to be recruited for a local initiative who are eager to innovate and make a new modality of settlement language training work effectively. As Surry summarizes Rogers, “The Individual Innovativeness theory (ROGERS, 1995) states individuals who are predisposed to being innovative will adopt an innovation earlier than those who are less predispose (SURRY, 1995, P.3)