Change Management in the Introduction of Sakai atCharles Sturt University

Dr Philip Uys

Charles Sturt University, AustraliaManager, Educational Design and Educational Technology,

Centre for Enhancing Learning and Teaching puys@csu.edu.au

5th November 2007

Available for consulting on institutional and educational change – see http://www.globe-online.com/philip.uys

IntroductionSakai = CSU Interact

Engagement & interactivity

IntroductionCSU is a complex organisation when considering change management:

• DE (70%) and Internal• 5 campuses and additional sites• Partner organisations• International campuses in Canada, Malaysia, China

etc• Full-time and casual academic staff• Movers and shaker academics and more traditional• Strong print history

IntroductionSakai = CSU Interact

Fullan: first order and second order changes

Ramsden: academics and change

Daft: bottom up in isolation fails

Drucker: leadership

Engagement & interactivity!

Yet typically governance is top-down and change management instruments lack an educational base and do not reward collaboration

Trust needs to be built

Gunn: using top down and bottom-up changeapproaches in tandem

Top down

Bottom-up

Middle out Inside out

Case studies: Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand (95 – 99)

governance… Principal: resources

not related to a specific strategic goal

action research project: plan, observe, act and reflect

not transformative through creating learning communities

diagnostic action research limited effect

Case studies: Cape Technikon, South Africa (2000)

governance… resources

strategic plan

task group

development team

faculty level work groups

community of practice

Case studies: University of Botswana (2001 – 2004)

mission and vision

VC and DVC support

inside-out strategies

UBeL Club

UBeL Certificate, UBeL List, and eTeams

UBeL such as UBel Committee

development teams

central leadership from a learning and teaching group

Three additional key bottom-up strategies emerged over the last 12 years:

1. building learning communities 2. applied research

3. sharing of best practice

The key is to constantly consider the people dimension

Regardless of plans, strategies and technology, it is worth remembering that

it is people who do the work

Colin Powell

Charles Sturt University, Australia Process started in January 2007; December 700+ academics; January 35 000 students

1. Various communities of practice/learning

Charles Sturt University, Australia

2. Institute for Innovation in Flexible Learning and Teaching-applied research framework and a “Teaching Scholar”scheme

1. Various communities of practice

Charles Sturt University, Australia

2. Institute for Innovation in Flexible Learning and Teaching- action research framework

1. Various communities of practice

3. Showcase of good practice: Learning Designs Showcase & Stories

Charles Sturt University, Australia

2. Institute for Innovation in Flexible Learning and Teaching- action research framework

4. Bromage:

1. Various communities of practice

i. Mutual educationii. Collegiate approachiii. High quality evidenceiv. Spirit of open debate

3. Showcase of good practice: Learning Designs Showcase & Stories

Top down – CSU plan; SC; PT; HOS

Bottom-up- pilots; PD;comms; Students; EDs

5. LASO

Charles Sturt University, Australia6. Kotter and Cohen promote the use of eight steps and focus on the affective domain (similar to Wilber, 2001)

1. Create a sense of urgency2. Build the guiding team3. Get vision right 4. Communicate for buy-in5. Empower and remove barriers6. Achieve short-term wins7. Don’t let up8. Embed change within the organisation culture

1. Caring for people – continually think about where groups and individuals are at

2. Create and maintain a sense of urgency – 10th and 17th December; university wide implementation

3. Collaboratively guide the change process - OLE SC; In Divisions; In schools4. Create alignment - “By 2011: Leader in flexible provision of quality learning

and teaching”; extensive communication plan; school-based plans; divisional plans eg within CELT; CD

5. Empower and remove barriers – extensive PD and Support plan; procedural changes; policy issues

6. Achieve short-term wins – pilots and in 20087. Consolidate performance improvements – two PD phases; 2008; – takes time!

The Seven Dimensional “Diamond” Framework for Change

Tsoukas and Chia (2002) - “to properly understand organizational change one must allow

for emergence and surprise”

more than one dimension need to be addressed at the same time

change leaders must expect the unexpected

Pascale et al (2000) - changing organisations are operating on the edge of chaos

LASO model: technological transformation has a ragged implementation contour

It is no recipe!

In summary: the BIG FIVE!

For change to be sustainable,it needs to be collaborative

Change management is about people

No trust, no change

Use a multi-pronged approach

It is an art to manage change

The biggest temptation is to settle for too little

Thomas Merton

Thank You

Dr Philip Uys <puys@csu.edu.au>Manager, Educational Design and Educational Technology,

Centre for Enhancing Learning and Teaching http://www.csu.edu.au/division/celt/exec_staff/philip.uys

Available for consulting on institutional and educational change – see http://www.globe-online.com/philip.uys