title: Factors for increasing adoption of e-courses among dental and dental hygiene faculty members.
abstract: The incorporation of web-based learning into the dental curriculum has been consistently recommended in the literature on reform in dental education. There has been growing support for web-based learning in dental and dental hygiene education as demonstrated by deans' identifying this as a planned curricular innovation. The purpose of our study was to explore characteristics of e-courses that may serve to increase adoption among dental and dental hygiene faculty members. Eight ninety-minute focus groups (three dental; five dental hygiene) were conducted with dental (n=27) and dental hygiene (n=23) faculty members from six academic institutions. The resulting data were analyzed to identify two overarching themes and associated subthemes with regard to benefits and barriers influencing adoption of e-courses. A working conceptual framework, based on the Diffusion of Innovations, was developed from these themes to understand the characteristics that may influence the rate of adoption of e-courses among dental and dental hygiene faculty members. Analysis of the data revealed four main adoption barriers: 1) low perceived relative advantage to faculty members; 2) low compatibility with current curriculum; 3) high perceived time commitment; and 4) complexity of e-course development. This exploratory assessment identifies leverage points for facilitating the adoption and sustainability of e-courses in dental and dental hygiene education.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Health, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, 13201 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., Tampa, FL 33612, USA. rdebate@health.usf.edu
authors.forename: Rita D
authors.initials: RD
authors.lastname: DeBate
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cragun
authors.forename: Herbert H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Severson
authors.forename: Tracy
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Shaw
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Christiansen
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Koerber
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tomar
authors.forename: Kelli McCormack
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.forename: Lisa A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Tedesco
authors.forename: William
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Hendricson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003144:Communication Barriers; D003194:Computer-Assisted Instruction; D003479:Curriculum; D003756:Dental Hygienists / Q000193:education; D004059:Diffusion of Innovation; D004497:Education, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D020375:Education, Distance; D018961:Educational Technology; D005179:Faculty, Dental; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D036301:Qualitative Research; D014481:United States