The framework behind both books
The Fusion Model
Change is inevitable, yet change is often painful. The Fusion Model helps schools and organizations look at where they are and what needs to happen to adopt an innovation successfully, so decisions rest on a full understanding of the adoption process rather than short-term impressions.
Developed through Micah’s doctoral research, introduced in WanderlustEDU, and expanded in 2059: The Future of Education, the model fuses two research traditions: the five stages of organizational innovation adoption, and the critical lens of an Activity Theory system applied at every stage.
Why “fusion”?
The name honors two theories developed on opposite sides of the Cold War: Everett Rogers’ research on how organizations adopt innovations, and Activity Theory, rooted in Vygotsky’s work and expanded by Engeström. Developed independently, they are brought together here to support the disruption that meaningful change always brings.
Explore the model
Choose a stage to move the lens. Then choose a part of the activity system to see the questions it raises at that stage.
Through the activity system lens
The five stages
Organizational adoption moves left to right, from initiation to implementation. Once the criteria for a stage are satisfied, the organization advances to the next.
- Agenda-setting (Initiation): describing the need for change.
- Matching (Initiation): exploring innovations, tools or strategies, that match our needs, leading to a decision.
- Redefining / restructuring (Implementation): reshaping the innovation to fit our structure, and preparing for our structure to change as well.
- Clarifying (Implementation): clarifying how the innovation is perceived and defined by our school culture.
- Routinizing (Implementation): the innovation is no longer separate from our identity. It is simply part of what we do.
The activity system lens
At each stage, the activity system is a snapshot of where we are, where we have been, and where we want to be. When one part changes, the rest must adjust so the goal stays within reach. Examining how the parts interact reveals the contradictions that threaten an organization’s goals.
| Component | What it is | Questions to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | The individuals and work groups who carry out the activity. | How do you understand your organizational culture? Who are the innovators and early adopters who can help? |
| Object | Good practice, changing to meet the needs of learners. | What types of interventions might help organizational adoption? |
| Tools | The tools that amplify good practice. | What technology-based solutions are available? |
| Rules | The accepted guides to action, and the methods used to mediate the process. | What means, financial and otherwise, are accessible? What departments support adoption? |
| Community | The people of the entire educational setting who share a set of social meanings. | How would you describe your organizational community, locally and regionally? |
| Division of labor | The task specializations held by individuals and groups. | What does the organizational hierarchy look like? What tasks need to be achieved? |
| Goal | What the activity is ultimately meant to produce. | What will be produced? |
Bring the Fusion Model to your team
In a hands-on workshop, teams apply the Fusion Model to a real initiative of their own. Read the full framework and a case study in 2059: The Future of Education.