Factors that affect the adoption and use of electronic mail by K-12 foreign language educators

Abstract

This article reports the results of workshop electronic-mail (e-mail) instruction designed to address Rogers' five characteristics that influence adoption of an innovation: relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. K-12 foreign language teachers who received e-mail instruction during four foreign language workshops were found to use e-mail significantly more than comparable foreign language teachers who did not receive instruction. Several factors found to influence workshop participants' adoption of e-mail were: e-mail training, need to keep up with the latest educational technology trends, desire to contact teachers and students around the world, availability of a relatively easy-to-use system, hands-on e-mail experience, school support, and individual computer anxiety level.