The effect of interpretive schemes on videoteleducation's conception, implementation and use

Abstract

Often, new technologies are seen as artifacts whose use is obvious. This study, which builds on Weick's notion that all technologies are equivocal, challenges that assumption. Using a case approach, this research examines how various groups at Far West, a professional school, interpret the implementation of a two-way radio and audio videoteleducation (VTE) distance learning system and analyzes why different groups interprested the technology in fundamentally different ways. From this case data, a model is created that examines the effects that dominant organizational group' intepretation and thus conceptualization of VTE have on its system design, support, training and rewards; measures of effectiveness; and rule generation.