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I hereby declare that to the best of my knowledge the project is my original work and has not been subjected to any publishing and presentation in any institution at the same level and therefore free from any malicious manipulation of copying whatsoever. Students name…………………………. Signature………………………………. Date ……………………………………. I approve and hereby confirm that the project presented is the original work written by the student and has been written within minimal standards for research projects. Supervisors name…………………………… Signature ……………………………………. Date ………………………………………… DEDICATION I wish to dedicate this project to my dear parents whom during the study gave me the courage I needed to succeed they have always been my mentors and thank them for that .this research project is dedicated to them for remembrance of what they have done to my life. They will always hold special place in my life. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT I wish to take this moment to thank all the people who made this project to be successful .first and foremost my parents who have continuously supported my education. They have been very supporting and encouraging. I also wish to appreciate friends for giving me the moral support and giving me advice on how I can better do my research and manage time. I n addition I thank my college by granting me the opportunity to undertake this task of sharing new information with my fellow college and helping me in my career development. Last but not list my supervisor who decided to dedicate his time to enabling me and providing guidance to the research process that I undergone and provide an environment that supported me to succeed in completing the project. I wish to thank all and believe that God will reward you abundantly for every bit of support you gave for me to complete my report. May the Lord bless you! BIOGRAPHY Give-Provide the following information in this section -your background -your education -current course being pursued -ambition and how this project helps you In building your career LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: showing adoption of ICT……………………………………………………………… Figure 2: showing the factors influencing the adoption of ICT…………………………………. TABLE OF CONTENTS Declaration ……………………………………………………………………………………….. Dedication ……………………………………………………………………………………….. Acknowledgement ………………………………………………………………………………. Biography ………………………………………………………………………………………... Table of contents ………………………………………………………………………………… CHAPTER ONE 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1Background of the study……………………………………………………………………… 1.2staemenet of the problem…………………………………………………………………….. 1.3 Research objectives……………………………………………………………………………. 1.4 Hypothesis……………………………………………………………………………………. 1.5 Significance of the study……………………………………………………………………. 1.6. Scope and limitations of the study…………………………………………………………. 1.7 Operational definitions of terms…………………………………………………………….. CHAPTER TWO 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1Introduction……………………………………………………………………………….. 2.2 Main literature review …………………………………………………………………… 2.3 Summary …………………………………………………………………………………... CHAPTER THREE 3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 3.1 Research design……………………………………………………………………………. 3.2 Sampling method………………………………………………………………………….. 3.3 Sampling procedure………………………………………………………………………... 3.4 Method of data collection…………………………………………………………………. 3.5 Research instrument ………………………………………………………………………. 3.6 Reliability and validity of the research instrument ………………………………………... 3.7 Field work …………………………………………………………………………………. 3.8 Data analysis………………………………………………………………………………. CHAPTER FOUR 4.0 DATA ANALYSIS, FINDINGS & REPORTING 4.1Data analysis……………………………………………………………………………. 4.2Findings………………………………………………………………………………… 4.3Reporting……………………………………………………………………………….. CHAPTER FIVE 5.0 DISCUSION .CONCLUSION & RECCOMEMDATION 5.1 Discussion……………………………………………………………………………… 5.2 Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………….. 5.3 Recommendation…………………………………………………………………………. CHAPTER SIX 6.0 APPENDIX 6.1 References……………………………………………………………………………… 1.0 INTRODUCTION 1.1Background of the study necessary citations required! ICT has grown over recent years especially in learning institutions it has specifically been used to support teaching and learning in colleges in Kenya. In some colleges, extra effort has been made to provide additional facilities like computer laboratories, wireless internet connection and local area network to assist teachers’ in their teaching and professional tasks. Ideally, teachers should be very receptive toward the adoption and implementation of ICT in education. Effective use of ICT with multimedia and graphics for example, enriches teaching and enhance interactivity in learning. With a large investment in the ICT infrastructure, and increased emphasis on the use of ICT in teaching, teachers are expected to be competent and effective in utilizing these tools. However, the following questions should be answered in defining the extent to which ICT is being adopted in institutions of learning. i) Are all teachers ready and making full use of the ICT in institutions of learning' ii) To what extent are teachers utilizing ICT tools in schools, how have they perceived their competency to be and iii) What are their specific training and support needs, if any' The study aims to examine these issues. Surprisingly, results indicated that elderly teachers were eager to adopt ICT in institutions of learning .They were receptive to ICT and reported a high extent of ICT use in teaching and professional job. In general, teachers held a reasonably positive attitude towards ICT adoption in school, and those who received either prior to and on the job training recorded a higher competency in ICT. Respondents who were more competent in using computers reported more favorable perception towards ICT. On top of these, teachers who have been using ICT extensively in their daily routines still indicate high training and support needs. Respondents also felt that among the various stakeholders, teachers as the classroom practitioners should have a greater say in deciding how ICT is being used in learning institutions. WHERE DO YOU GET THE FINDINGS WHEN THE RESEARCH HAS NOT STARTED''' 1.2 Statement of the problem( ‘it ought to answer the question, what is the problem'’ ideally should be one paragraph. Investigations of school level factors influencing teachers’ use of ICT, particularly whether ICT was used to support the development of 21st Century Skills found that the principal’s vision for ICT use to support lifelong learning, technical support for ICT-use and the principal’s priority for leadership development were the most important positive contributing factors. This finding indicates that if a principal of a school has a strong vision of how and when ICT can be used to support lifelong learning pedagogy, if the technical support for ICT-use within that school is in general readily available, and if the principal gives relatively high priority to leadership development, then the teachers within that school will generally show a higher lifelong learning orientation in their ICT-using practices, and vice versa. The level of technical and pedagogical support for ICT use in teaching was also found to contribute significantly to increased use of ICT by teachers. Student–computer ratio per se did not have a significant association with teachers’ use of ICT. However, if the other school level factors such as leadership and support were held constant, improved computer access (i.e. lower student-computer ratio) was found to associate significantly with increased ICT use. There are still questions about how successful ICT has been in terms of adoption. This study will therefore try to determine the challenges of adoption of ICT. 1.3 Research objectives This study will be aiming at the following objectives: a) To find out whether there are factors affecting adoption of ICT in colleges b) To determine whether the factors affect ICT as a n instructional method in colleges c) To explore the success and challenges in adoption of ICT in colleges Research questions' 1.4 Hypotheses ICT is being positively adopted in training and vocational institutions of learning. What does positive mean' 1.5 Significance of the study This study is important in bringing in new information on the trends in the adoption of ICT in learning institutions .It will specifically embrace the progress in adoption of ICT among students and teachers. This study will help in creation of new knowledge in creating new knowledge it will provide more information on challenges in adoption of ICT. It will also provide new ideas for other researchers to use to develop more researchers on the study area and improve the knowledge already existing .finally it will help the researcher to complete the requirements for the academic award. 1.6 Scope and limitations of the study This study will be done only for academic purposes and will limit its exploitation to Uasin Gishu County as a case study. However the study had limitation in the language used in literature review which was slightly hard and there were few books to refree to that were able to be accessed by the researcher. Time for the research was limited that with specific deadlines. The researcher had also to take time to write the research and always work tirelessly to get the right information .There was need for financial back up which proved challenge to the researcher. 1.7 Operational definitions of terms ICT-Information Communication Technology TVET' JISC' 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction This section contains the main literature review on aspects of adoption of ICT and factors affecting it being used as an instructional method and the summary of the literature. 2.2 Main literature review (Adequate citations required avoid plagiarism!) One of the common dilemmas faced by developers of information communication technology (ICT) initiatives is how to go about identifying potential early adopters of their service. This article outlines background research into this area and details the approaches taken within the JISC-funded Rights and Rewards in Blended Institutional Repositories Project to locate these key individuals within a Higher Education (HE) environment. The concept of an innovation is discussed and the differences between the terms innovation and invention are outlined. Models and frameworks for describing the process of introducing an innovation to an organization are described. These suggest influential institutional factors, key characteristics of individuals, the innovation, and the organization that affect the diffusion of an innovation. Together these features create the environment in which new innovations are explored. ICT use in schools around the world is a challenge that is yet to be well understood with many people, findings from the 2006 study report on results of the adoption rate of ICT in Africa shows a slow pace under which ict is used as an instructional method. The full report was published in 2008. SITES 2006 is an international comparative study of ICT adoption and use in schools. The study focused on the role of ICT in teaching and learning in courses pursued at tertiary and vocational colleges. It examined the extent to which ICT practices considered to be conducive to the development of “21st Century Skills” were present in comparison to traditionally important ones. “21st Century Skills” were defined as the capacity to engage in lifelong learning (understood as self-directed and collaborative inquiry) and as connectedness (communication and collaboration with experts and peers around the world). SITES 2006 also examined how teachers and students used ICT and whether ICT use contributed differentially to learning activities geared towards the development of 21st century skills. Analyses were also conducted to identify conditions at the system, school and teacher levels associated with different pedagogical practices and different ways of ICT use in teaching and learning. The study collected information from principals and technology coordinators from roughly 9 schools and over 35 teachers. The National Research Coordinators of these systems also provided policy information on education and ICT use through a questionnaire. Fifteen of these systems also participated in using ICT; a similar study was conducted in 1998. Hence trend analysis could be done on a number of indicators, enabling the researchers to examine whether there is evidence of changes in pedagogy and ICT use since 1998. The use of ICT as a learning tool is still a challenge to many students in many countries including Kenya which has included the ICT as its vision 2030.Adoption of ICT remains an issues in the current development spheres and it becomes more important in analyzing trends in human development. Denning defines innovation as: 'a transformation of practice in a community’. This statement carries with it the concept that a successful innovation is one that is taken up by a community with an accompanying adjustment to expected work methods and/or practices. There is an important distinction between the meaning of 'invention' and 'innovation'. Carayannis, Alexander, and Mason state that: 'Invention is the development of a new idea that has useful application. Innovation is a more complex term, referring to how an invention is brought into commercial usage.'remained. In most of the 15 education systems that study considered in 1998 and SITES 2006, there was a general increase in teaching practices that involved information handling, which includes searching for information, processing data and presenting information. On the other hand, considerable diversity in developmental trends across countries was observed. Marked changes were observed in the principals’ reports of the presence of lifelong learning oriented teaching methods in their schools over this same period. In most of the 15 systems that took part in both studies in 1998 and 2006, there was a general increase in the perceived presence of lifelong-learning pedagogy. Substantial increases were evident in some of the systems that reported the lowest presence in 1998 such as Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. Conversely, a decrease in presence was reported in the three European systems that registered the highest presence in 1998. Factors influencing ICT use in teaching and learning There was no evidence from this analysis, that age and gender per se were influencing teachers’ pedagogical adoption of ICT-use. However, academic and professional qualifications, technical and pedagogical ICT-competence, and attendance at ICT-related professional development significantly and positively correlated with adoption of ICT. Of all the personal characteristics of the teacher, pedagogical ICT-competence was the best positive predictor of teachers’ pedagogical adoption of ICT, a finding triangulating well with the observation that the teachers were more willing to attend pedagogical than technical professional-development activities on ICT-use. Support as perceived by teachers emerged as the one most consistent positive predictor of teachers’ pedagogical adoption of ICT, a finding indicating that teachers are more likely to use ICT in their teaching if they feel they are receiving support from the school—support that provides them with technical and administrative support and that offers their students access to ICT outside of class hours. Shared decision-making followed by professional collaboration were also found to be positive predictors of pedagogical ICT-use Investigations of school level factors influencing teachers’ use of ICT, particularly whether ICT was used to support the development of 21st Century Skills found that the principal’s vision for ICT use to support lifelong learning, technical support for ICT-use and the principal’s priority for leadership development were the most important positive contributing factors. This finding indicates that if a principal of a school has a strong vision of how and when ICT can be used to support lifelong learning pedagogy, if the technical support for ICT-use within that school is in general readily available, and if the principal gives relatively high priority to leadership development, then the teachers within that school will generally show a higher lifelong learning orientation in their ICT-using practices, and vice versa. The level of technical and pedagogical support for ICT use in teaching was also found to contribute significantly to increased use of ICT by teachers. Student–computer ratio per se did not have a significant association with teachers’ use of ICT. However, if the other school level factors such as leadership and support were held constant, improved computer access (i.e. lower student-computer ratio) was found to associate significantly with increased ICT use. SITES 2006 is a project of the International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement (IEA), a global cooperative of national research institutes and government agencies, with headquarters in Amsterdam. IEA has been conducting studies of cross-national achievement for nearly 50 years with the aim of gaining more in-depth understanding of the effects of policies and practices within and across systems of education. IEA’s major funding partners for 2006 included the governments of Norway and Japan, the Ford Foundation, and the participating countries that contributed by way of fees. SITES 2006 was directed by the University of Twente (the Netherlands), the University of Hong Kong and the IEA Data Processing and Research Center in Hamburg (Germany). More information about the IEA and SITES 2006 study is available at HYPERLINK " Newell and Turner introduce the concept of the degree to which individuals will have to adjust their current practices as a result of the innovation. They state that: "Innovation means change: sometimes radical change... ... ., and sometimes incremental change" Theories of ict adoption Certain theories and models associated with the acceptance and take-up of ICT innovations have been developed in association with commercial products and business organisations. It is possible that some of the principles involved in introducing an innovative service or product will differ in the education sector. However, the following underlying principles are applicable across sectors: * Adopter characteristics and motives for embracing innovations * The innovation's characteristics, its benefits, costs, and associated learning curve, and * Factors in relation to the institution, its culture and services Some of these theories and models are presented in the following section. Diffusion of innovation Theory. The factors that affect the spread of innovations are described in several well-known theories. Perry states that scholars in the diffusion theory field 'define diffusion as the process through which some innovation is communicated within a social system.' Perry introduces the idea that 'time' is an important factor in the rate of diffusion. He also stresses the role of individuals and their social influence in the diffusion process. An upsurge of research into diffusion in the late 1960s included practical studies looking at commercial products. These focused on innovations in business settings and were designed to provide insights into improving marketing, as well as describing product dissemination. Scholars, like Rogers, who study communication, have concentrated on more theoretical approaches. Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory incorporates 'the innovation-decision process, innovation characteristics, adopter characteristics, and opinion leadership' [4]. Rogers' theory can be divided into three main components: 1. The innovation-decision process 2. The characteristics of an innovation, and 3. Adopter characteristics These components are presented below. Innovation Decision Process The 'innovation decision process' categorizes the steps an individual takes from awareness of an innovation, through the formulation of an attitude to the innovation, on to the decision as to whether to implement, and finally confirmation of this approach. These five categories are: 1. Knowledge 2. Persuasion 3. Decision 4. Implementation 5. Confirmation Characteristics of Innovation Perry states that 'Different innovations have different probabilities of adoption and hence, different adoption rates' .Therefore, the characteristics of an innovation have an impact on the likelihood of acceptance and adoption, and also on the rate at which this process develops. These innovation characteristics have been classified into five criteria: * Compatibility * Complexity * Observability * Relative advantage * Trialibility Adopter Characteristics Rogers has defined the socio-economic characteristics of early adopters under three headings: * Socio-economic * Personality values * Communication behaviour He identifies the following characteristics as being typical to early adopters: Socio-economic * High social status * No relationship between early adopters' age and adoption * Upward social mobility * High level of education Personality * Ability to deal with abstract concepts * Favourable attitude to change, risk and science * Greater empathy * Intelligence * Less than average dogmatic outlook * Less than average degree of fatalism * Greater than average level of aspiration * Rational outlook Communication * Greater degree of contact with change agents * Greater degree of exposure to mass media communications * Higher degree of opinion leadership * Inter-connectedness in social networks * More cosmopolitan outlook * Greater degree of social participation * Tendency to seek information about innovation, and consequently a greater degree of knowledge about innovation The degree of interpersonal influence an early adopter possesses within the 'innovation decision process' will affect the dissemination of the innovation to others. Three issues are identified: 1) information flow, 2) opinion leadership, and 3) diffusion networks. At different stages in the diffusion of the innovation, individuals may be either leaders or followers. Leaders have the ability to exert a positive influence over their contacts and to encourage the use of an innovation. Rogers also defines five adopter categories: innovators, early adopters, early majority, late majority, and laggards. Marcus’s Theoretical Model of Adoption.Ankem describes Marcus's theoretical model of adoption that has been derived from the diffusion of innovation theory and the social learning theory. Marcus's model highlights the importance of innovative behavior and the phenomenon of others modeling themselves on this. Communication channels are a vital component in spreading this modeling behavior to other potential adopters. Ankem explains how the model sets out a range of influential factors in the take-up of innovations including. The associated 'costs' - personal and institutional * The availability of necessary 'resources' - money, equipment, training, time, prior experience and relevant skills * The 'value' of the innovation This illustrates the need to bring together a mix of personal and institutional factors for optimal take-up of innovations. Those factors relating to the institutions' ability to provide the conditions conducive to the introduction and acceptance of IT innovations could be used to map out an institutional framework for adoption. Technology Acceptance Model The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) is similar to diffusion theory although it places more emphasis on psychological predispositions and social influences. Thus, 'beliefs, attitudes and intentions are important factors in the adoption of computer technologies. Bagozzi et al stress the importance of the learning process associated with using computers. Their theoretical model places computer learning within three distinct components: "attitude toward success, attitude toward failure and attitude towards the process". A combination of the diffusion of innovation theory and TAM has been used by Dimitrova and Chen to examine the effects of non-demographic characteristics on the adoption of e-government services in the United States. Their findings illustrate the importance of perceived usefulness, perceived uncertainty and prior interest in the take-up of these services. They concluded that targeting early adopters of e-government services would be best achieved through mass media channels rather than interpersonal channels. This view is also expressed by Rogers, who asserts that mass media channels provide a more reliable means of alerting potential adopters to an innovation, while interpersonal channels are better for persuading individuals as to the benefits of a new idea. Characteristics of Early Adopters Chau and Hui conducted a study of early adopters of the Windows 95 operating system. This user group comprised predominantly: * Experienced microcomputer users * Individuals displaying opinion leadership qualities * Individuals more likely to investigate new developments * Males However, the authors of the study do stress the limitations of these findings, which were based on one new IT product. They caution that generalizations in respect of other products may not be appropriate. Another factor that may need to be considered is that this study was accepted for publication in 1997. It could be argued that, since this study, the proliferation of computers in the home and workplace will have had an effect on the profile of today's early adopters. A recent study by Simon investigated the views of women on technological change within a society driven by access to information. The sample included women from different backgrounds, of differing employment status, and with a variety of job roles (although almost half the sample had a background in library or information work). Simon's investigation discovered that their attitude towards ICT largely expressed itself in both positive terms - born of practical experience - and in those of either ambivalence or outright negativity. The less positive reactions were for the most part generated by their recognition of the pervasive nature of ITC in society in juxtaposition with their own feeling of 'being left out', based either on personal experience or their identification with others subjected to such exclusion. Identifying early adopter characteristics can provide useful information, but this data, of itself, is not helpful in directing us to early adopters. However, the literature does provide some key information on early adopter characteristics and on the conditions under which they are able to interact with new innovations. These studies have highlighted the problems associated with identifying early adopters. Resource Stores Moron Garcia has evaluated lecturers' usage of their institution's virtual learning environment (VLE) to discover * Whether they are able to make effective use of ICT * Whether technical support is provided to enable them to engage actively with the VLE * Whether environmental factors affect use (the culture of the institution and department) * Whether it is a suitable tool to use with students, and finally * Whether the VLE delivers in terms of functionality and ease of use Some of the barriers to use identified by individuals were: * The time it takes to learn a new system * Individual needs for support varied * Provision and type of support depended, in part, on institutional strategy * Knowing how to locate support Early adopters did provide support for their colleagues using the VLE at a later stage. Morón-García also uncovered issues for institutions adopting innovative teaching technologies. These included: finding time in busy workloads to make use of the VLE, the intention behind the introduction of a VLE, and ensuring that ICT was an accepted part of the role of a lecturer. One necessary requirement was that the 'institutional culture supported teaching innovation'. Other determinants were the ability of IT infrastructure to support use and incentives to use the VLE (funds or equipment). An additional barrier that prevents use of the VLE was insufficient confidence on the part of certain users of the system and consequent low self-esteem, thereby generating a reluctance to "show oneself up" by using it. This was especially true of individuals lacking confidence in their own ICT skills. The following sections focus on some of the key factors for change agents and early adopters in HEIs (Higher Education Institutions). The discussions are structured around three broad classifications: early adopters, innovations, and organizations. As we have seen, the potential 'value' an innovation represents to individuals affects their decision whether to adopt it at an early stage in the diffusion process. As Denning remarks: "A transformation of practice in the community won't happen unless the new practice generates more value to the members than the old". This value can be measured with reference to the associated benefits weighed against the costs. Therefore, value is closely associated with the 'need' for the new innovation. If existing products or services are perceived as being adequate for accomplishing the necessary work, there is no real driver for change. Conversely, if it becomes increasingly difficult to execute an existing task, then a stronger driver for change emerges. Additionally, where the introduction of a new task or practice occurs in this scenario, the need within the community for a new ICT product or service to cope with the added difficulty becomes all the stronger. Understanding early adopter characteristics can aid the process of targeting their involvement in the initial stages in the diffusion of an innovation. Initiatives for targeting early adopters within HEIs may be assisted by understanding the demographics of the group. For example: * Are early adopters scattered across campus' * Are there any university committees where they are more likely to be represented' * Are they more likely to be located in certain types of departments than others' * Are they employed within specific types of job roles' * Is there one place, meeting, or event (other than for the next new ICT initiative), where they are typically to be found (e.g. Web Management Workshop, staff development session, research seminar)' Factors relating to the specifics of the nature of the innovation may also impact on the process of targeting the right early adopters for an innovation. These factors can include: the complexity of the innovation, whether it comes from within or outside the institution, the levels of expertise required to participate in the initiative, and whether the innovation is generic or specific to a certain group, or groups, of individuals. Which channels of communication provide the best means of targeting early adopters' * Interpersonal communications - informal methods, or * Mass media communications - formal channels Rogers states, "Mass media channels are usually the most rapid and efficient means of informing potential adopters about the existence of an innovation - that is, to create awareness-knowledge." He continues that interpersonal communications provide a more effective means of persuading individuals of the benefits of a new innovation. This is especially true of communications where individuals have a similar status (socio-economic status and education). Within HEI advertising through central mass media channels, e.g., email, notice boards, university publications, could be tested as an appropriate approach to inform potential early adopters of an ICT innovation. This could be combined with interpersonal contacts to known early adopters. The adoption rates within these two groups could then be compared and levels of trust, adopter characteristics, perceived benefits of the initiative, and any perceived barriers to adoption evaluated. Rogers also introduces the effectiveness of 'audience segmentation' when considering methods of communicating with potential adopters. Targeting by means of the type of contact, source of approach, and the content of the message would seem to offer the most appropriate means of alerting potential adopters to a new innovation. Within HEIs this could include specific mailings to departments, faculties, special interest groups or research groups. The reasons why the new product or service is being developed will also have an influence on the method chosen to alert adopters to its presence. If the need for the product or service was identified by the intended community of users, or if members in that community are developing it, then a bottom-up approach is appropriate. If however, management is introducing the new product or service, then a top-down approach is appropriate. If we accept that early adopters are an important component in a framework for acceptance of ICT innovations within HEIs, then being able to identify these individuals plays a pivotal role in the success of such a project. Targeting early adopters may be a critical factor for success, but how can they be located' When devising a framework for this activity, the background activities prior to the initiative set the scene. Therefore, we can assume that the need for the ICT initiative has been determined, the stakeholders identified, a steering group assembled, a budget secured and staff time allocated. The individuals engaged in the initiative, their contacts, and the approach taken to introduce the initiative to others starts the spread of the initiative. Broadly speaking in the early phases, news of an innovation spreads through a range of communication channels, including face-to-face, email (one-to-one or one-to-many) or telephone. These initial contacts are likely to be with trusted colleagues and a high degree of control over the information imparted is assured. As the introduction of the innovation progresses, other forms of dissemination are introduced. This might be via a Web site or newsletter, through focus groups, at committees or departmental staff meetings. These approaches exploit existing communication channels and people networks, although they may also involve the creation of new networks specific to the innovation. As communications spread outwards, the originators of the initiative are less able to control which individuals receive information, and the content of the correspondence. There is also a greater potential for sceptics to be encountered. Despite this, awareness of the initiative grows, is diffused across campus, and clusters of individuals with greater awareness appear. Within HEIs, a number of ICT projects may be underway at any given time. These might include formal institutional large-scale projects, which will ultimately have an impact on all employees, smaller scale departmental or team projects, or externally funded projects that can be either large- or small-scale. The latter category is a more problematic one in terms of early adopter identification. This is because there may be no existing networks and channels for communication along which news of the innovation can be spread. The time scale of the projects is also a factor when identifying early adopters, as projects with a larger timescale can be more systematic in their approach compared to short timescales that may rely more on personal social networks. Externally funded projects having team members with prior experience of setting up ICT initiatives within the local institution may achieve a more successful outcome. Prior experience affords the advantage of greater awareness of existing early adopters and an understanding of the institution's practices and cultures. The role played by individual members of the project team, its partners and steering group within the institution might also prove to be a deciding factor in adoption. If they have a central role in the institution and the ICT initiative is broad in scope, then successful adoption may be more likely. If, however, individuals' roles are within departments and the aims of the initiative are broad, then a match to suitable early adopters via personal contacts may be more difficult. For those new to the area of ICT initiatives, or to a particular institution, the task of identifying early adopters becomes even more difficult. One solution might be to make contact with central departments likely to have involvement in institutional ICT initiatives. Alternatively, contact with those associated with prior projects at the institution that have resulted in the successful adoption of new ICT systems or services may prove useful. In summary, successful selection of early adopters may be dependent upon: * Availability and use of existing directories of staff interests and expertise * The degree of mutual acquaintance among a project's members * Levels of experience within the project tea There are five distinct phases in the emergence of a new technology. Gartner's Hype Cycle defines these phases for Emerging Technologies. The graphical model for this cycle demonstrates how a 'Technology Trigger' or product launch event sets the cycle off by generating significant press interest. This leads to the 'Peak of Inflated Expectations' phase where further publicity generates expectations at a point where the product is unlikely to be at mature enough a stage of development to satisfy them. Next comes the 'Trough of Disillusionment': having failed to live up to expectations, the product is deemed unfashionable and media interest diminishes. This is followed by the 'Slope of Enlightenment', where some organisations continue to use the technology and through its practical application discover its benefits. The final stage in the cycle is the 'Plateau of Productivity': the benefits of the technology become known and accepted since it has evolved into a stable product. Gartner's Hype Cycle omits the development process prior to the 'Technology Trigger' phase. This early development stage should involve product creation, testing, and feedback efforts. These background activities are not recognized in the Gartner Hype Cycle because one of the requirements at the trigger stage is a significant degree of press interest. As identified in the Technology Acceptance Model, the process of adopting any new tool involves a learning curve for individuals. White describes the need for learners to be creative in their approaches to learning in a rapidly changing environment. An organization that is devoted to change is the most likely environment for a culture of learning to flourish. This in turn enables learners to share experiences thus enhancing the learning process. Positive experience with technology inclines an individual towards adoption of other technologies. Marcus' model asserts that potential adopters of innovation evaluate the possible 'value' that the innovation has to them. This value can be measured in terms of 'cost' and 'benefit', with the value being determined by the balance of these two factors. Marcus also introduces the importance of 'resources' and 'communication'. Thus, personal and institutional factors combine to determine adoption of an IT initiative. These factors are listed below: Personal factors * Costs * Effort to acquire new skills * Time * Resources * Necessary skills * Prior experience with similar innovation * Risks of failure * Loss of self-esteem * Loss of social approval Institutional factors * Resources * Equipment * Finances * Training It could be argued that some of the factors that are classified as 'personal' are equally applicable to institutions. For example, the risk of failure is a consideration for a university committee that is approached to support a scheme. The costs in respect of time and effort are also valid considerations for the institution as a whole. Diffusion theory defines the attributes of an innovation and these determine the likely rate of adoption. Rogers lists these attributes and describes them as; Relative advantage,Compatibility,Complexity,Trialibility and Observability. If the perceived advantage to the use of an innovation is positive there is a greater likelihood that it will be adopted rapidly. Change agents can ease this learning process for potential adopters by creating advertising materials outlining the benefits of use and to provide general information about the innovation. The perceived compatibility with existing values, experiences and needs of potential adopters is another important factor in the rate of adoption. Complex innovations that are difficult for adopters to understand will result in slow rates of adoption. Being able to participate in trials of the innovation are more likely to result in rapid rates of adoption, particularly if the testing is limited, and if the innovation can be broken down into component parts. The lifecycle of the innovation's development is thus a determinant in use and uptake. If testing, feedback and further development to meet the needs of the users are possible, then the rate of adoption will be faster than it would be if these factors were not present. The final attribute of an innovation is observability; if the results of an innovation are readily available and good networks are present for discussions on the innovation, then diffusion of the innovation is accelerated. Marcus' model emphasizes that communication between early adopters is not an influential factor in terms of take-up of the initiative as it is for late adopters. However, we argue that communication networks are crucially important for the introduction of the new innovation to the early adopter group. By this we mean that networking activities undertaken by system developers sharing ideas, project members forming contacts with allied initiatives, and cultivating advocates within the institution, all form an important part in setting the scene for the introduction of the innovation to the early adopter group. Additional factors to be considered; the nature of the initiative - whether it is a local, national, collaborative or distributed venture, the aspects of institutional activity that are set to gain from the innovation - these may be related to teaching and learning, research, administrative functions or a combination of these, Pervasive political climate - this has an impact on the themes outlined above and rewards and incentives to engage with the innovation The project team plays a central role in ensuring the successful linkage of early adopters and the environmental conditions outlined here. Summary Many authors have given their views on the factors affecting adoption of ICT as a Instruction method and one of the authors include Rogers who lists the attributes and describes them as; relative advantage,compatibility,complexity,trialibility and observability Thus, personal and institutional factors combine to determine adoption of an IT initiative. These factors are listed below: A)Personal factors This include Costs,effort to acquire new skills ,time,Resources ,necessary skills,prior experience with similar innovation,Risks of failure,Loss of self-esteem and Loss of social approval B )Institutional factors This include;Resources,Equipment,Finances andTraining 3.0 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Introduction This section provides the information on the how the study is organized in terms of the techniques used which include ;the research design, sampling method, sampling procedure, data gathering instrument, research instrument, field work ,validity and reliability of the instrument and data analysis. 3. Research Design This study will employ both quantitative and qualitative research techniques. This means that there will be descriptive explanation of information and presented in quantitative terms that will include use of numerical presentation of data to create more meaning. These designs have been chosen carefully by the researcher after considering the nature of research which compelled the researcher to use them. This will also increases the reliability of data and create a degree of validity in the findings during in the study. 3.2 Sampling Methods The study utilized the information on the study population to choose its sampling method. The study population was homogeneous in nature and thus the researcher decided to use stratified sampling method because the study population could be divided into groups and this were translated as strata’s by the researcher . In addition the simple random sampling was also applied to find the sample which consisted of the representative units of the population sharing the same characteristics. This was done to reduce bias in getting the sample and ensure the representation of the various units in different statas. 3.3 Sampling procedure The researcher will identify the target population and divide them into strata and later use simple sampling in each stratum to get the sample. To ensure the representation the researcher used gender sensitive strategy that comprised giving cards to each units in the strata labeled (M) to mean male and (W) for woman such that those with the cards are considered for the study. 3.4 Data gathering techniques This study used survey to get the required data .survey was chosen because its contents are reliable and it suits the theme of the study which requires reflection of attitudes and views about critical issues in the study. The study will emphasize on how respondents view variables and this will help in providing respondents with freedom to express their views therefore generating variety of information that will help in building on the conclusion of the study. 3.5 Research instrument This study will use both open ended and closed ended questions to regulate the content required in the study .the survey will be divided into three sections. The first section will comprise of questions on biographical data of the respondents, the second on the closed ended questions and the third will contain the open ended questions. The survey will be subjected to pretest before being edited and be presented to the respondents in the field. 3.6 Field work & data presentations The researcher will enter the field through getting a letter of conformation to undertake data collection and introduced herself in the field. The researcher will build rapport with the community and make an introduction of himself before giving out the questionnaire to the respondents. The first assignment will be to subject the questionnaire for pretest and then edit the information before producing the final draft to be used to collect data. 3.6 Reliability &validity of research instrument To maintain the reliability of the instrument the researcher will do a pretest to ensure that the data which is to be collected used the research instrument will be dependable. The validity will be tested by the hypothetical subjection that will be done to determine the level of reliability of the research instrument. 3.7 Data analysis This collected data will be classified and sorted out by the researcher to increase the chances of make it easy to analyze. The process of data analysis will start with editing, coding and quantitative analysis. Using computer aided method of analysis. The computer aided analysis will be done to promote easy interpretation of the findings and to reduce the data load which will be however be a problem to readers in trying to understand the study and the findings of the study. 4.0 DATA ANNALYSIS, FINDINGS AND REPORTING Introduction This section presents the information o the data analysis, the findings and how the report was organized 4.1Data analysis This study exploited the factors that affect the adoption of ICT in institutions of higher learning the study findings were presented in tables and figures. Both personal and organizational processes influence a culture of innovation. Denning lists these organizational processes as: "management values, rewards, prohibitions, and encouragement of new ideas, encouragement of risk-taking, and the like". To this list we can add services, support, and communication channels and staff networks. An institution with these key components in place is better placed to ensure that innovations are facilitated, encouraged, accepted and diffused across its campus. Thus, the institutional environment shapes the development of the ICT initiative, its adoption and implementation. Culture also affects the success or failure of a new ICT innovation. As Denning states: "In a culture of innovation, people will have a habit of constantly looking for ways to improve things”. Organizational culture can be seen as the "values and beliefs shared by personnel in an organization". These cultural beliefs translate into "communication and mutual understanding" and they influence the beliefs and behaviors of individuals. Martins and Terblanche state that: "Organizations use different resources and processes to guide behavior and change". This emphasizes the importance of the pervading culture within an organization in relation to the degree of acceptance of a new innovation. Studies by Martins and Terblanche have devised a model to show the influence of organizational culture on creativity and innovation. They view the main determinants as being: strategy, structure, support mechanisms, behaviors that encourage innovation, and communication. The model highlights the requirement for institutions to encourage: flexibility, autonomy and co-operation at the 'structure' level; reward, recognition and resources at the 'support mechanism' level; support for risk taking, change, learning and conflict handling at the 'behaviors that encourage innovation' level; and finally open communication Figure 1: conceptual framework for e-government adoption determinants. Can be repurposed to represent broad factors that are influential for the adoption of innovation Broad framework for change adoption Each of the sections illustrated in Figure 1 has a variety of conditions or factors associated with it, as do individuals and groups affected under each section. Some of these influential conditions include: * Allocation of support staff * Benefits * Cost (personal) * Drivers for change - from practitioners or the institution * Existing solutions - these may be perceived to be good enough * Matters relating to employment - contracts, pay, conditions or disputes * Maturity of the technology * Political climate * Sufficient funding * Sufficient numbers of practitioners willing to investigate an innovation * Suitable environment for exploration of new innovations - trial and error, with minimal risk of loss of self-esteem Two important determinants are 'push' and 'pull' factors. Institutional push factors might be rewards offered by an institution to encourage the adoption and use of a new innovation, or mandate to enforce adoption. Personal pull factors include the perceived need for the resource and the benefits to be gained by using it. The institutional framework is bounded by external influences, which in turn influence decisions taken at institutional, faculty, department, and project level. The strength of the boundaries between faculties and departments, or the existence of cross-disciplinary collaborations can affect diffusion of innovations across an institution. Figure 2: Institutional framework for change adoption Figure 2 illustrates the complexity of the framework within which new innovations are situated. It provides an indication of the task change agents face when attempting to introduce a new service into an HEI setting. Having an awareness of early adopter characteristics and the most appropriate methods for targeting these individuals may give projects a head start in achieving institutional adoption for their ICT product or service. The next section sets out some conclusions to be drawn from experiences, to date, in attempting to generate interest and enthusiasm in its innovative teaching and learning repository. 4.2 Study findings This research, combined with the experience of the project team in introducing new e-learning innovations into the Higher Education environment, leads to the formulation of a strategy for an institutional framework for change. Some of important factors considered in the study in adoption of ICT is Relative advantage ,Compatibility ,Complexity ,Trialibility and Observability. The study suggests that main determinants of adoption of ICT as being: strategy, structure, support mechanisms, behaviors that encourage innovation, and communication. The model highlights the requirement for institutions to encourage: flexibility, autonomy and co-operation at the 'structure' level; reward, recognition and resources at the 'support mechanism' level; support for risk taking, change, learning and conflict handling at the 'behaviors that encourage innovation' level; and finally open communication 4.3 Reporting The report on the study that considered the adoption of ICT in the tertiary colleges and exploiting the factors affecting its adoption was presented for academic purpose among other purposes and was also shared among other scholars. The reporting of the study findings wads done through written and printed copies which were presented for examination purpose and was made available for reference and this was to enhance scholarly publications. 5.0 DISCUSSION, CONCLUSION & RECOMDENDATIONS Introduction This section presents information on the discussion of the major findings in the study making of final conclusion and making recommendations basing on the study. 5.1 Discussions According to the findings of the study ICT is still a challenging process to adopt but somehow there is indication that almost 50% of the people comprising of students and teachers acknowledge that there is improved academic performance in institutions integrating ICT in their class instructions and the method has proved to help some students adjust well to their academic work. In addition, it was found out that majority of the respondents attributed success in their academics with introduction of ICT in their learning and instructional environments. This clearly shows that though adoption of ICT is slow its gaining momentum when more people develop interests in using computers to do assignments and promote learning by accessing the required information form internet and other web pages. Similarly the use of ICT has helped students to produce quality research projects and this is seen as aiding in developmental aspects of learning among students. 5.2 Conclusions There are numerous conditions to be met before ICT innovations can be introduced, adopted and diffused through an institution. By investigating a range of theories devised to describe and understand attitudes towards, and uptake of, ITC innovations, a number of key factors in a framework for early adoption have been identified. These key considerations are associated with early adopter characteristics, communication channels, features associated with the innovation, scale and source of the initiative, the time-scale for introduction of the new product, and a range of institutional characteristics and processes. Institutional factors include cultural values (management and personnel), communication and social networks, provision of suitable support, a safe environment for the exploration of new technologies and for creativity, as well as recognition and reward. Mapping specific and individual factors that may have a potential impact on an innovation can assist with the process of identification and targeting of key early adopters. Broad theories and frameworks are evident, and these can be used as a starting point for individual projects. No one theory provided the solution to devising a generic framework for the adoption of an innovation. Additionally, the number of variables that can affect such a framework make it difficult to provide sufficient a degree of detail to be useful to individual projects. What is clear is that the approach of identifying and targeting early adoption appears to be a sensible one to take. In addition, mass media channels should be used for a more comprehensive approach to potential early ICT adoption trends. Utilizing both of these means might ensure that potential enthusiasts are made aware of the innovation at an early stage. Furthermore, the presence of a suitable sustainable environment for the exploration of initiatives can play a crucial role in the acceptance of innovation. Influences from outside the institution also have an impact on adoption of an innovation. External influences, such as the political climate and the aims of funding bodies, are broader in scope but no less important in setting the scene for new initiatives. 5.3 Recommendations This study exploited the adoption of ICT and its elative use in higher institution of learning has been found to be a challenge and from the studies carried the journey is long as the factors that affect individuals and systems of institutions is not addressed. This study however was looking at adoption of ICT in general but it did not explore individual characters that may play a key role in determining the factors that can affect for instance students or teachers as it pertains to how it is for the two categories to adopt ICT as a method of learning and as an instructional method. The researcher therefore encourages other researcher who may want to explore this study to consider more specific factors in order to improve the quality of the studies. It’s also important to address the issues of gender as an important element to understand whether men and women are affected in the same way or one of the two genders are more affected. Lastly given that it’s one the vision Kenya as a country is exploiting the possibility of making its citizens achieve high degree of development in use of ICT to achieve its Goals. Its therefore important for the stakeholders to consider utilizing the available finding in making decisions that affect the improvement of education as an important sector that contridbutes to human development. 6.0 APPENDIX 6.2 References PROPER REFERENCING IS REQUIRED. USE APA SYSTEM 1. Newell, S., & Turner, M. (2006) Innovation. Encyclopedia of Management. Ed. Marilyn Helms, D.B.A. 5th ed. Detroit: Gale, 2006. 374-376. 2. Perry, R. (2006) Diffusion theories. Encyclopedia of Sociology. Eds. Edgar F. Borgatta and Rhonda J.V. Montgomery. Vol. 1. 2nd ed. New York: Macmillan Reference USA, 2001. 674-681. 3. Rogers, E. (2003) Diffusion of innovations, (5th ed.). New York: Free Press. 4. Ankem, K. (2004) Adoption of Internet resource-based value-added processes by faculty in LIS education. Library and Information Science Research, 26(4), 482-500. 5. Bagozzi, R., Davis, F., & Warshaw, P. (1992) Development and test of a theory of technological learning and usage. Human Relations, 45(7), 659-686. 6. Chau, P., & Hui, K. (1998) Identifying early adopters of new IT products: a case of Windows 95. Information & Management, 33 (1998), 225-230. 7. White, M. (1994) Creativity and the Learning Culture. The Learning Organization, 1(1), 4-5. 8. Martins, E., & Terblanche, F. (2003) Building organisational culture that stimulates creativity and innovation. European Journal of Innovation Management, 6(1), 64-74. 9. Bushby N(1978)TECHNOLOGY BASED LEARNING 10. Kogan Page Ltd,London:1st ed. 11. Gagne’’M. Robert et.al (2005) principles of instructional design Wardsworth,USA: 5th ed SITES' Don’t copy paste your references. Some have not even been quoted in the works!!!!! NOTE: * This ought be a research PROPOSAL for an award of masters degree and NOT a research project * The problem statement should answer the question, what is the problem' And should preferably be a single paragraph if not a single sentence * Where is the abstract' * List of figures and list of abbreviations should be included in the table of contents * Literature review should be in congruent with the research to be done * In chapter 3’s research methodology, you should define methodology, research design e.t.c and give the required citations * In research methodology you should also give your philosophical stand * In data analysis give the method that will be used for the same. Preferably chi square * I thought references should be arranged in alphabetical order!!!! * For Preliminary pages use roman numbers * Supervisors are two Sisimwo Joshua S Moi University roposal