Diffusion Assignment

• this is a group project with your chapter small group
• choose a relatively new technology from within your chapter (this can serve as preliminary work for your small group chapter presentation)
• do some background work--see if you can find sales figures or diffusion trends online
• collect data.  Go out and find out how this product (or forms of the product) is being diffused on campus, at work or at home. You may want to compare and contrast two pieces of technology or two audiences (i.e. how many women use snapchat vs men; how many people use instagram vs how many use snapchat; how many freshmen use Facebook regularly vs how many seniors etc.)
• create at least two graphs to summarize your collected data
• look at Rogers' Diffusion of Innovation theory and apply it to your findings

So, the final project should have at least one graph using data found online and one graph using data collected from Bethel students. These graphs should then be analyzed using Diffusion theory to help explain what you found. The project can be submitted electronically or in hard copy form.

Examples of Possible Survey Questions

1. How do usage rates of e-readers differ between freshmen and seniors?

• About how many minutes a day do you use an e-reader such as Kindle or Nook?
• What year are you?

2. How do usage rates of e-readers differ between men and women?

• are you a frequent user of e-readers?
• record if the person if male or female.

3.  What is the preferred way to read a text?

• if you had a choice would you rather read a print version of a text or an electronic version?
• would you rather use a Nook or a Kindle?

4.  Who uses e-readers?

• do you use e-readers?
• if yes, how often do you use an e-reader?
• what year are you?
• note whether respondent is male or female

5. Is there a difference between men and women as to e-reader use?

• About how many hours a week do you read using an e-reader?
• record whether man or woman

6.  Is there a difference in how seniors and freshmen use e-readers?

• About how many hours a week do you use an e-reader?
• What year are you?

7. How does e-reader use change over time at Bethel?

• ask just seniors: 
• About how many hours per week did you use an e-reader when you were a freshman?
• About how many hours per week do you use an e-reader now that you are a senior?

8. When did Bethel students begin using te-readers?

• how old were you when you got your e-reader?

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