Title: Implementing ICT for flexible learning: a change process
1Implementing ICT for flexible learninga change
process?
- Presentation at the Flexible Learning Conference
- University of Oslo
- 15 November 2007
- Petra Fisser
- University of Twente
- Curriculum Development Educational Innovation
2Flexible learning
- Your experiences 2002-2007
3Flexible learning
- My experiences
- Research 1997-2001
- Work-related activities (2001-2004)
- Head department ICT in Education, University of
Amsterdam - Programme Manager, Digital University
- Research and teaching (2004-)
- Educational innovation and implementation
- Projects Courses
- Example course Pedagogies for Flexible Learning
supported by Technology
4Pedagogies for Flexible Learning supported by
Technology
- Course in the Master Programme of Educational
Science and Technology - Book by prof. Betty Collis prof. Jef Moonen
- First chapter Flexible Learning its notjust
about distance
5Pedagogies for Flexible Learning supported by
Technology
- Example of a discussion
- What kinds of flexibility options are there in
this course? - What kinds of flexibility options are there in a
master program? - What kinds of flexibility options are there in a
University? - What kinds of flexibility options are there in
the (educational) world?
6Flexible learning
- It's not just about distance (Collis Moonen)
- Flexible learning is not just distance learning,
there is more than distance that can vary - For example options in course resources, in types
of learning activities, in media to support
learning - Key idea of flexible learning the learners
choice in different aspects of the learning
experience
7Flexible learning
- Flexible learning is a movement away from
- a situation in which key decisions about learning
dimensions are made in advance by the instructor
or institution, - toward a situation where the learner has a range
of options from which to choose with respect to
key dimensions - Key dimensions time, content, entry
requirements, instructional approach,delivery
and logistics
8Challenges flexible learning
- From the perspective of the instructor
- choose from more approaches, material, etc.
- alter own times of working, responding to
students late in the evening, at their homes,
with a cup of tea in hand instead of at a fixed
time in the day - different pedagogical patterns
- /- increasingly required to respond and
individualise - -- the time burden on the instructor will become
larger - -- more-tailored training is more time and effort
consuming than standardised approaches for the
instructor - -- the more choices the learner has, the more
demands and thus challenges there are for the
instructor
9Challenges flexible learning
- From the perspective of the learner
- new choices but also new responsibilities
- instead of being told what to do, the learner
becomes more like a client in a supermarket - not all students want to make their own choices
or be responsible for the quality of their
choices - more flexibility brings with it more independence
but also the need for more self-direction and
more self-motivation - these traits are not automatic in many learners
- own choice of time, content, method, media,
route, and pace will mean less chance of group
interaction and peer-to-peer communication
10Challenges flexible learning
- From the perspective of educational institutions
- flexibility options will have significant
organisational impact on the institution - if students are to be promised time flexibility,
for example, at what times is a lecture
scheduled? how can time-tabling of rooms occur?
when are extra sittings of final examinations to
be held, where, and with who supervising? - logistical aspects can quickly become
unmanageable - complaints from instructors
- complaints from students
11Who wants flexible learning?
- So many challenges and barriers!
- Why continue?
- Who is it that wants flexible learning?
- Main answer
- educational institutions and their competitors
- technology specialists
- but especially students
- If higher-education institutions do not respond
to this changing demand from students, other
service providers will
12Flexibility scenarios
Where local and face-to-face transactions are
highly valued
Where global and network-mediated transactions
are the norm
The institution offers a program and ensures its
quality
Scenario A Quality control of a cohesive
curriculum, experienced in the local setting
(current situation) Back to the basics
Scenario B Quality control of a cohesive local
curriculum, available globally The Global Campus
The learner chooses what he wants and takes more
responsibility for quality assurance
Scenario D Individualization and
globalization The New Economy
Scenario C Individualization in the local
institution Stretching the Mold
13Support for flexible learning
- How to support this demand?
- Changing education
- Changing the way we use technology
- Changing beliefs
- Implementing ICT in education,a process of
change!
14Implementing ICT in HE
- Implementation is a change process
- Change processes are dynamic
- Change processes are complex
- Change processes take several years
- Change processes cause concerns
- But someones got to do it!
15My focus
- The process of implementation
- The actors involved
- The role of the academic middle manager
- Combining implementation, actors and roles
16Theoretical perspectives
- Many theoretical perspectives in relation to the
implementation of innovations - Rogers diffusion of innovations
- Trowlers academics responding to change
- Halls concerns-based adoption model
- Bacsishs cost of networked learning
- Trigwells conceptions of teaching
Will it happen?
How will it happen?
How will it happen?
How will it happen?
Will it happen?
17The implementation process
18The implementation process
- Stages of change
- Incidental and isolated use of ICT (pilot)
- Increasing awareness of ICT relevance for
education (scaling-up) - Coordinated and supported activities
(implementation) - ICT integrated in teaching and learning
(integration)
19Example
- Incidental and isolated use of ICT for flexible
learning (a pilot)-gt a try-out in one course - Increasing awareness of ICT relevance for
flexible learning (scaling-up) -gt more
instructors use a flexible learning approach
supported by ICT - Coordinated and supported activities
(implementation) -gt the whole department uses
a flexible learning approach supported by ICT - ICT integrated in teaching and learning
(integration) -gt the whole university uses a
flexible learning approach supported by ICT
20Who is involved?
21Who is involved?
- The list gives an indication about which actors
could or should be considered during the
implementation process - This does not mean that all actors are always and
all the time involved in the whole process
22Combining the findings
- A combination of
- the steps in the implementation process
initiation, piloting, advising, decision-making,
implementing, and integrating (based on Fullan
(1998), Collis and Moonen (2001) and the figure
with the simplified overview of the
implementation process) - the categories of actors
- the roles and activities of the actors
- Leads to a descriptive model
23Descriptive model
24The academic middle manager
- The academic middle management is involved in all
the stages of the implementation process - Leadership is an important role and activity in
the implementation process - It is assumed that these two are connected to
each other
25Descriptive model
26Leadership
- Leadership is needed in all stages of the
implementation process - Tasks
- Creating commitment
- Creating a shared vision
- Support of the implementation process
27The academic middle manager
- The middle manager plays a key role in the
implementation process, this should be accounted
for in the whole implementation process - This can be done by not only assuming that the
middle manager plays a crucial role, but by
involving him or her in all steps of the process
28The academic middle manager
- So, now we know who is responsible!
- How many of you are academic middle managers??? ?
- The middle manager is the key factor
- This puts a great burden on this person
- He/she will be held responsible for all stages in
the implementation process - He/she may not be aware of this role...
29The academic middle manager
- He/she influences the innovation process in the
organisation both up and down - He/she has several strategic roles
- understanding the need for change (synthesizing)
- preparing for it (facilitating)
- stimulating it (championing)
- and ultimately, managing the process
(implementing)(Kallenberg, 2004)
30Are we expecting too much?
- Many expectations from the middle manager
- Vision
- Strategy
- Leadership
- Projectmanagement
- Educational background
- Background related to content of study
- ..
- How does he/she do it?
31Strategies
- Top-down or bottom-up?
- Top-down the management decides
- Bottom-up initiative from the teacher
32Top-down and bottom-up!
Board
That is nice!
All of the university should do this!
Look what my teacher did!
I will give you support and money
Oh no.. I have to puzzle
That is nice
Manager
I want this too!
Maybe you like?
Show!
Look at colleague!
Oh no.. Now I have to show everybody
This is nice!
I will use it
Idea!
Teacher
Me too
Me too
Me too
Me too
Me too
Me too
33Other strategies
- Concerns-based Adoption Model
- The Colour Theory
34Concerns-based Adoption Model
- Stage of Concern Expression of Concern
- Awareness What is it? or.. I am not concerned
about it. - Informational I would like to know more about it.
- Personal How will using it affect me?
- Management I seem to be spending all my time
getting materials ready. - Consequence How is my use affecting learners? How
can I refine it to have more impact? - Collaboration How can I relate what I am doing to
what others are doing? - Refocusing I have some ideas about something that
would work even better. - Stages of concern and typical expressions of
concern about an innovation (CBAM) (Hord,
Rutherford, Huling-Austin, Hall, 1987)
35Concerns-based Adoption Model
- This model applies to anyone experiencing change
(policy makers, teachers, parents, students) - The model holds that people considering and
experiencing change evolve in the kinds of
questions they ask and in their use of whatever
the change is
36Concerns-based Adoption Model
- In general, early questions are more
self-oriented - What is it? and How will it affect me?
- When these questions are resolved, questions
emerge that are more task-oriented - How do I do it? How can I organize myself? and
Why is it taking so much time? - Finally, when self- and task concerns are largely
resolved, the individual can focus on impact. - Is this change working for students? and Is there
something that will work even better?
37Concerns are real
- Identify where people are and answer the
questions they are asking when they are asking
them - It will take at least three years for early
concerns to be resolved and later ones to
emerge... - Everyone has concerns and acknowledging these
concerns and addressing them is critical to
progress in a change process
38The Colour Theory
- Based on change theories
- 5 strategies with different colours
- Yellow
- Blue
- Red
- Green
- White
39The Colour Theory Yellow
- Yellow power!
- Discover collective interests
- Play a power game
- Reach a win-win situation
- Goal change beliefs and policy
40The Colour Theory Blue
- Blue blueprint
- Thinking and planning
- Rational / logical process
- Knowing the outcome
- Result guaranteed success!
41The Colour Theory Red
- Red passion and temptation
- Bring together organisational individual goals
- Give people a stimulus and motivate them
- Human resource management important
42The Colour Theory Green
- Green growing and nature
- Bring people in a learning situation
- Stimulate the learning process
- Find the solution together
- Keyword the learning organisation
43The Colour Theory White
- White the colour of light and openness
- Offer freedom for spontaneous revolution
- Breaking through existing patterns
- Dynamic and self-regulated process
- Outcome unpredictable!
44The Colour Theory
- Always yellow (commitment) and red (combination
of people and organisation) - Choice Blue, Green or White
- Recommendation
- Blue (result-based) routine problems
- Green (project-based) non-routine problems
- White (creativity-based) vague problems
45Strategies for academic managers
- Strategies
- Top-down / bottom-up
- Concerns-based adoption model
- Colour theory
- Important
- now your own style..
- ..and the concerns and styles of the others!
46Support for the academic manager
- Projects in the Netherlands
- Train the manager ?
- Do projects with the manager ? -gt ?
- Support the manager ????
47Support the manager
- Find the learning technologist / educational
support person - Support him or her to support the academic manager
48Supporting the manager
- Briefcase with instruments, or actually.
49Supporting the manager
- A DVD with instruments, such as
- How to develop a vision on learning with
technology - Workshop to involve others
- List of stakeholders
- Strategies (Trojan horse Temptation)
- Case studies on video with comments from people
involved
50The result?
- The DVD is ready (in Dutch unfortunately)
- First reactions are positive
- Will it work in practice?
- We think so..
51Questions or comments?
- Petra Fisser
- p.h.g.fisser_at_utwente.nl
- http//users.gw.utwente.nl/fisser
- http//users.gw.utwente.nl/fisser/Dissertation