Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM)

Introduction

Technologies have a lot to offer in today's classrooms, and yet many teachers have not made any attempts to use them. Why not? Others are using technologies, but they seem stuck—they make some progress but then just stay at that level. Why did they stop making progress? What will it take to get them going? Good questions! As the technology leader, "The Concerns-Based Adoption Model" (CBAM) is a way for you to begin to find the answers.

Your Objectives

By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:

Describe the Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM).
Develop a CBAM model to plan a strategy for getting teachers to integrate learning technologies into their classrooms.

Your Task(s)

To demonstrate this competency, you need to complete the following tasks:

Read the Web site, "The Concerns-Based Adoption Model (CBAM): A Model for Change in Individuals" to understand the CBAM Model.
Read the Web site "The Stages of Concern" to learn how CBAM is used to diagnose and as a basis for developing effective programming. The second link will give you a more detailed description of the levels of concern. Your chart will probably resemble this one when finished.
Read the case study "Using computers in education: a concerns–based approach to professional development for teachers" to get a good idea about how the CBAM model can be used.
Have a look at "The CBAM: A Model of the People Development Process" to get a later update of the process. This page is copyrighted 2003 and its sponsor requires that credit be given if you use or distribute material.
Develop a CBAM model of teachers in your district, placing them at the various stages of "change." Attach that model to an e-mail and submit it to your instructor via the course e-mail.
Go to the CBAM discussion forum and create a posting that estimates where the faculty you work with are in the CBAM levels, and how you might move forward based on that information.
Read the postings of several other students in the CBAM discussion forum, and respond to at least two. Choose to respond to postings that have only one or no responses so that everyone gets feedback.

Lesson Wrap-up

Now that you have completed this lesson, you should have a better understanding of why some teachers make rapid progress with technologies, while others make none. More importantly, you should be ready to develop plans and activities that move teachers from one level to the next, increasing their technology use in the process.

Related Resources

Here are some resources that you may wish to draw upon as you complete your tasks:

A Definition of CBAM and several related publications
- Type of resource: Web site
- Source: http://www.centerforcsri.org/files/CenterIssueBriefOct07.pdf
- Description: How to apply the CBAM when you introduce a new program.
CBAM Brings Order to the Tornado of Change.

Type of Resource: Web site
Source: http://www.nsdc.org/library/publications/jsd/horsley194.cfm

Description: Here's a more recent offering from the National Staff Development Council dated 1998 but still recommended by the council in 2003.

Taking Charge of Change. Hord, S. et. al. (1987).
- Type of resource: Book (hard copy)
- Source: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, Alexandria, Virginia.
- Description: One of the best resources on CBAM and its uses.
A Developmental Conceptualization of the Adoption Process with Educational Institutions. Hall, G. E., Wallace, R. C. & Dosset, W. A. (1973)
- Type of resource: Book (hard copy)
- Source: The University of Texas, Austin, Texas.
- Description: This book introduces CBAM and the issues that lead to its development.