Analyzing the Influence of Diffusion of Innovation Attributes on Lecturers’ Attitude Towards Information and Communication Technologies

Abstract

This study investigated the influence of the five attributes of diffusion of innovation theory—relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, trialability, and observability—on lecturers’ use of information and communication technologies. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 213 lecturers across the seven faculties and one institute at the National University of Lesotho (NUL). Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient was used to determine the internal consistency of the instrument; the reliability of the multiple item scales ranged between 0.71 and 0.97. Collected data were first structured into grouped frequency distributions, and stepwise multiple regressions were used to test the five hypotheses formulated. At 0.05 level of significance, the attributes relative advantage, complexity, and observability were found to have a positive influence on attitude of lecturers toward using ICTs, with observability having the highest influence. To enhance widespread use of ICTs, it is recommended that NUL’s administration organize relevant training and deploy user-friendly ICTs.