RICHARD W, RILEYCOLLEGE OF EDUCATION

and LEADERSHIP

Ph.D. in EDUCATION

STUDENT

DIFFUSION & INTEGRATION

OF

TECHNOLOGY IN EDUCATION

(EDUC 8841)

FINAL PROJECT

MILTON B. FRANCIS

The GradeCam Innovation Presentation to the Board of Directors

by

Milton B. Francis

THE INNOVATION

GRADECAM

Defense of the Innovation Innovative technology has impacted the world ever since technology was

first launched. In this, the 21st century, that impact is constantly making a debut in different technology launches.

Innovation Technology Tools Selection

- GradeCam

- iPad

- SMART Response interactive response systems (SMART Rirs)

Of the three innovative technology tools identified, my selective innovation would be the GradeCam.

Defense of the Innovation continues

What is GradeCam?

This technology tool is a student-performance scanner that can be used in the classroom by both teachers and students to grade multiple choice tests.

The GradeCam image-recognition software works with a camera to grade tests from bubble forms and to generate statistics and reports on student performance to the teacher’s electronic gradebook, all within a second.

More Defense of the Innovation

Justification of Selection

Technology innovations are good, and they serve the purpose for which they were designed, however, not all technology innovations can be adoptable, as there are factors which hinder their acceptance.

Rejected Innovation

Reason for Rejection

iPad High cost

Inadequate

use across

subjects

SMART Rirs Not easily

accessible

Not simple

Generation of the ideas for Innovation

Pre-Diffusion of GradeCam

NEED RESEARCH DEVELOPMENT COMMERCIAL- IZATION

Teachers at my school are inundated with work:

Preparation of lesson & unit plans; grading of test, H/W, quiz; tutoring; bulletin boards; inter-visitations; student work analysis, etc.

Research idea:

Started with Tami Porter, cofounder of GradeCam Inc.

Research background:

The research on the benefits of formative assessments seems to be convincing.

GradeCam was developed over years of collaboration with technology experts experienced in designing productivity tools. In diagnosing the problem with GradeCam during its development, the developers were careful in using the camera that is compatible with the software.

The GradeCam package consists of a 300 DPI scanner with a special built in camera, GradeCam score credit labels, and GradeCam bubble sheets. In addition, the user must include a computer (desktop/laptop), and the downloaded GradeCam software.

Commercialize GradeCam Package includes the following:

OR

+

Innovation-Decision Timeline

TIMELINE 2003 2004 – 2005

2006 – 2007

2008 2008 – Present

INNOVATION-DECISION

KNOWLEDGE PERSUASION DECISION IMPLEMENTATION CONFIRMATION

COMMUNICATION

CHANNEL Technology conferences and expositions

Technology conferences and expositions

Individual (Teachers’ feedback)

Internet

Technology conferences and expositions

Individual (Teachers’ feedback)

Internet

Technology conferences and expositions

Individual (Teachers’ feedback)

Internet

Technology conferences and expositions

Individual (Teachers’ feedback)

The husband and wife team, Tami and Rick Porter, founders of Grade-Cam, has been developing educational products for

over ten years. Grade-Cam was conceived in 2003. by Tami Porter former middle school teacher. She, along with her

husband and their son, fully developed Grade-Cam over the next three to four years. The goal of Grade-Cam is to improve

education by reducing the stress of everyday teaching. This has been the organization’s theme, as it developed Grade-Cam

as can be seen in the timeline below.

Grade-Cam S-Curve

S-Curve GradeCam Adoption

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Years

Inno

vati

on (%

)

In the process of diffusion, the innovation adoption experience a phase that relates to the statistical shaped bell-curve,

except that, emphasis is not placed on the latter part of this curve. Rogers (2003) said ‘the time element of the

diffusion process allows us to classify adopter categories, and to draw diffusion curves’. He further said of these

curves, ‘when plotted over time on a frequency basis, the cumulative numbers of adopters plotted, results in an S-

shaped curve’.

The Perceived Attributes/Rate of Adoption of GradeCam The GradeCam innovation was targeted at the education

sector, particularly the classroom environment. As the inventors of the product said ‘GradeCam is a student-performance scanner for the classroom’. (GradeCam website). The innovators and early adopters of this innovation were, indeed, the classroom teachers. Rogers (2003) identified five perceived attributes/strategies of innovation: Relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability. He associated each of these attributes with the rate of adoption of an innovation by the social system. The GradeCam inventors use some of these attributes in diffusing the innovation. The strategies that are most persuasive in convincing the adoption of the GradeCam are trialability and compatibility.

GradeCam’s Critical Mass and Change Agents

As I continue my proposal to the Board of

Directors in considering the adoption of the

GradeCam Innovation , the focus will now be

on the ‘point’ of critical mass and on some of

the key personnel in the organization.

GradeCam’s Critical Mass and Change Agents

MORE A change agent is who Rogers (2003)

called ‘an individual who influences clients’ innovation-decisions in a direction deemed desirable by a change agency’. This agency, ladies and gentlemen of the Board, is our organization, or better yet, our school. In addition to myself, as the technical expert on this innovation, I would include the principal the main leadership of the institution. Both of us will lead the way in this adoption as we aimed at fulfilling the duties of a change agent.

Rogers also identified the roles of

this agent, and listed them as

follows:

1) The need to change clientele

2) Establishing an information exchange relationship

3) Diagnose problems

4) Create intent to change in the client

5) Translate intent into action

6) Stabilize adoption and prevent discontinuance

7) Achieve a terminal relationship

But, how can these seven roles effect positive social change within this school? (See

notes)

This occurred between

the years 2005 and 2006,

at 10%, when a steep

rise in the curve began.

At this phase of the

Innovation over 10%

of the ‘early majority’

of classroom teachers

exposed to the

Innovation started

to adopt it.

Members of the Board

as you have seen on the

Sigmoid function ,

or the S-curve,

the GradeCam has

already achieved its

point of critical mass

within the social strata of

the education system.

The Organizational Adoption

of the

GradeCam

Innovation-Decision Types Adopting the GradeCam as an individual would be

more than welcoming, but I am not the only one who will be utilizing this software, so it would be better if the organization adopts it.

Organization innovation-decisions are two-fold; it may be done collectively or authoritatively

Rogers said ‘collective innovation-decisions are choices to adopt/reject an innovation that is made by a consensus among the members of a system, and authority innovation-decisions are choices to adopt/reject an innovation that are made by a relatively few individuals in a system who possess power, high social status, or technical expertise’

Innovation Champion The GradeCam innovation is expected to be adopted by

the authority of the organization, the Board of Directors, who is being advised by me, the instructional technologist of the organization, who is also their technology expert.

As the individual with the highest technology position in the organization, I am automatically the innovation champion.

An innovation champion, according to Rogers, is an individual who throws his/her weight behind the innovation, thus overcoming indifference or resistance that the new idea may provoke in an organization.

PC

Inventor

Reasons for Adoption Increase the speed with which the teachers grade tests.

Maintain accurate record of students’ scores

Do immediate analyses of student-work

Give immediate feedback to students on their performance

Plan lessons in a timely manner as soon as feedback is given

Plan differentiated lessons that will meet the needs of different students, effectively

Use the time spent on grading test as tutoring hours

Improve and enhance the teachers’ skills in the use of technology

A Win-Win Situation It behooves you that the adoption of the

GradeCam innovation by this organization will be worthwhile for its continued improvement.

All stakeholders will reap the benefits and success that this innovation will bring to us.

LADIES AND GENTLEMAN OF THE BOARD

THANK YOU

REFERENCE GradeCam corporation announces new version of GradeCam online. (2010, January).

Retrieved December 19, 2010, from Multimedia and Internet @ schools. http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/News/Breaking-News/GradeCam- Corporation-Announces-New-Version-of-GradeCam-Online-60668.aspx

Measuring the iPad’s potential for education. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from The

Journal: Transforming education through technology. http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/01/27/measuring-the-ipads-potential-for- education.aspx

New version of GradeCam is first online assessment solution to use a document camera to grade paper-based quizzes and tests (2010, January). Retrieved December 19, 2010, from EdNET Insight. http://www.ednetinsight.com/news-alerts/technology-headlines/new-version-of- gradecam-is-first-online-assessment-solution-to-use-a-document-camera-to- grade-paper-based-quizzes-and-tests.htm

Rivero, V. (2010, January). Extra credit: Gradecam. Tools for learning: Assessment tools. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from Multimedia and Internet @ schools. http://www.mmischools.com/Articles/Editorial/Features/TOOLS-FOR- LEARNING-Assessment-Tools-60442.aspx

SMART Response interactive response systems. Retrieved December 19, 2010, from SMART Technologies. http://smarttech.com/us/Solutions/Education+Solutions/Products+for+education/Complementary+hardware+products/SMART+Response

REFERENCE Rogers, E. (2003). Diffusion of innovations (5th ed.). New York, NY: Free Press.

United States Trademark application http://xrint.com/trademarks/us/78780001

Nagel, D. GradeCam takes test scanning online. The Journal.

http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/01/13/gradecam-takes-test-scanning-online.aspx 2011 NSBA Annual Conference

Exhibit guide at the Phoenix Convention Center

GradeCam Resources Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

GradeCam Scan

GradeCam Wiki

GradeCam Company Background

GradeCam Flyer

GradeCam Manual

GradeCam Software (Download)

GradeCam Web site

GradeCam in the News 1

GradeCam in the News 2

GradeCam in the News 3

THANKS to

Dr. Almasude (Class Instructor)

Learning Community MembersDeborah Forrest

Elaine GagneNicholas JarrellShannon Gray

andthe other members

of EDUC 8841/7101Diffusion

and Integration

ofTechnology

inEducation

AMilton B. Francis

Production

2011 Copyright