Title: Exploring Communication, Connection, and Culture during Technology Implementation: An Autoethnography of a Technology Champion as Higher Education Administrator

Program: Educational Technology EdD

Committee Chair: Ross Perkins

Committee: Ross Perkins, Lida Uribe-Flórez, Norm Friesen

Abstract: Numerous studies have been undertaken on technological innovation in the classroom; however there is a lack of study on innovation at the organizational level and there is also a lack of focus on experiences of individuals leading the transformation. Individuals who are spearheading change can gain and offer valuable insights into their behaviors during the change process by reflecting on and examining their interactions, inclinations, and objectives. Furthermore, it is crucial to take into account the organization's culture and structure in order to comprehend how leadership operates throughout periods of change. This analytical and evocative autoethnography documents the experiences of an administrator who is guiding a small graduate theology school in the adoption of a new technology. This study aims to examine the leadership experiences and styles of the researcher, exploring their thoughts, observations, feelings, and actions as a long-time educational technology champion and first-time higher education administrator. The researcher's approach to facilitating the implementation process is carefully examined in light of House’s path-goal leadership theory, with particular emphasis on common components of technology implementation: communication, connection, and culture.