Contextual Factors Affecting Large-Scale Educational Technology Implementation: Policy Intention Versus Practice

Abstract

Education policy implementation is a highly complex process involving multiple stakeholders, including policymakers, administrators, teachers, students, parents, and community members. The interactions and ongoing decision-making process by the different stakeholders can immensely affect the policy outcomes. The process being highly contextual, varying with culture, politics, and socio- economic conditions, it is crucial to study the role of different factors/determinants influencing the design and implementation of policies in different settings. The present study is a preliminary attempt to categorize and analyze some of the perceived realities of different stakeholders involved in the implementation of an education policy. Two determinant types extensively used in implementation research were used to analyze the data. When passed through multiple levels, the policy guidelines get shaped and reshaped by the local agenda and respective modus operandi of each stakeholder involved in the implementation process. The results emphasize the need to develop strategies to better understand the role of different contextual factors — how and why they influence the implementation of education policies involving technology.