Accession Number:

ADA109200

Title:

An Investigation of the Adoption Process in Training Technology Transfer

Descriptive Note:

Technical rept.

Corporate Author:

ARMY RESEARCH INST FOR THE BEHAVIORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCES ALEXANDRIA VA

Personal Author(s):

• Freda, Jon S.
• Shields, Joyce L.

Report Date:

1980-06-01

Pagination or Media Count:

54.0

Abstract:

This study focused on the adoption process in the transfer of Army training technology from the researcher to the user. The training product chosen for this investigation was the Training Extension Course TEC program. A two- part survey questionnaire was completed by 111 Army participants attending TRADOCFORSCOM Training and Evaluation Workshops. The questionnaire requested attitudinal and usage information relating to the adoption of the Training Extension Course TEC program by unit training managers. Sources of TEC-related information were matched with the awareness, acceptance, and utilization stages of the adoption process to help understand the dissemination activity within training technology transfer. The attitudinal responses were factor analyzed and, with selected biographic information, were entered in a regression analysis to assess the utility of these measures as predictor variables of TEC utilization. Two major findings emerged. First, the acceptance PERSUADE stage of the TEC program is influenced predominantly by internal sources of information e.g., work environment, while the initial awareness INFORM stage and later utilization of TEC are influenced by internal and external sources support groups, briefings, etc.. Second, prior familiarity with TEC is a better predictor of TEC usage than are attitudinal measures taken from the innovation literature for this particular sample.

Descriptors:

• *MANAGEMENT
• *TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER
• *ARMY TRAINING
• DECISION MAKING
• INFORMATION TRANSFER
• ATTITUDES(PSYCHOLOGY)
• MULTIVARIATE ANALYSIS
• TEACHING METHODS
• USER NEEDS
• TRAINEES
• QUESTIONNAIRES
• ACCEPTABILITY
• TRANSFER OF TRAINING

Subject Categories:

• Administration and Management
• Humanities and History

Distribution Statement:

APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE