A Taxonomy for Computer Software Adoption Policy

Abstract

This article proposes a taxonomy to aid decision makers in selecting computer software that is consistent with the their values and preferences for instruction. It builds on two interrelated arguments: 1) the nature of instruction and the use of information technology derive from a conceptual framework that is embedded in an explicit or implicit belief about the nature of human development and learning, and 2) due to the value nature of instruction, the instructional beliefs embedded in software should be congruent with the decision maker's beliefs underlying instruction. The taxonomy consists of three components: characteristics of patterns of instruction, properties of software, and the congruence between them. These components are interrelated in a mapping sentence [1] that maps characteristics of instruction onto properties of software. The taxonomy refers to two types of educational decision makers. Believers, whose decisions are predetermined by a belief commitment and orchestrators, whose decisions are heuristically taken. Decisions for believers are straight forward; decisions for orchestrators are more complicated and depend on contextual factors represented in the mapping sentence. Links between research findings and the taxonomy are presented and illustrate the taxonomy's use and its utility in predicting real world decisions.