Early Adopters as Advocates

Faculty champions are the early adopters who embrace new tools, experiment with teaching methods, and share their experiences with colleagues. Their influence is powerful. When peers see technology working in real classrooms, delivered by trusted colleagues rather than IT staff, barriers come down.

One panellist described piloting interactive screens with a handful of willing lecturers before rolling them out across campus: “Word spread that it wasn’t scary, it was easy to use, and genuinely useful. By the time the screens went into every classroom, people were already familiar with them.”

Overcoming Resistance

Resistance often stems less from dislike of technology than from fear of change. Faculty with years of teaching materials prepared in a certain format may feel overwhelmed at the prospect of adapting everything for a new system. Champions help ease that transition by showing how new tools can slot into existing practices — or even make them easier.

As one speaker explained: “People don’t fear tech, they fear looking like an idiot in front of students. Champions reassure them that won’t happen.”

Building a Culture of Adoption

Champions cannot work alone. Universities must support them with training, demo spaces, and opportunities to showcase best practice. By embedding faculty voices in technology decisions, institutions ensure tools are not just technically impressive but genuinely useful in teaching.

In the end, adoption isn’t about the technology itself. It’s about people — and champions are the bridge between innovation and everyday use.