| Innovations, faddism, and research impact on classroom practice are educator concerns addressed in this exploratory study. The recent popularity of brain laterality research implications for education was examined as a case study of such issues.;Journals as information sources on these innovations and fads were investigated. Diffusion research served as the conceptual framework. The diffusion model traces: "(1) the innovation. . . (2) which is communicated through certain channels (3) over time (4) through members of a social system" (Rogers, 1976, p. 207).;Journals were differentiated into practitioner and research types. An ERIC computer search provided journal article citations for the survey's top-ranked innovations and fads. Except for the case of computers in education, significant correlations were obtained for each development between the number of titles in the two journal types defined.;Resulting publication diffusion patterns were discussed, but no empirical basis for innovation-fad distinction was found. Rather, survey responses on the fine line between an innovation and fad in education were supported.;To assess how educators distinguish innovations from fads and rate recent developments in their field, a survey was developed and mailed to the Education faculties at three Oregon universities. Respondents cited time duration as the major innovation-fad distinguisher. Named as top-ranked innovations of the past decade were: computers in education, direct instruction, and mainstreaming the handicapped. Foremost identified fads were: right/left brain-based instruction, computers in education, and open-plan schools.;Other considerations discussed included: innovation types, possible innovation diffusion prediction models, and how such information on educational trends might be useful in the understanding and planning of curriculum change. |
