Paradigmatic Struggles in Academia

Emerging Difficulties with Delivering Learning Online

Kelly Edmonds

University of Calgary

Main topics

1. Trends in Online Learning 1. Trends in Online Learning

2. Fundamental Issues2. Fundamental Issues

3. Organizational Implications 3. Organizational Implications

2a. Economic Forces2a. Economic Forces

2b. Philosophical Resistance2b. Philosophical Resistance

2c. Political Tensions2c. Political Tensions

Context: Mainstream North American universities

Higher Education Pressures

• Knowledge-driven economies

• Emerging technologies

• Mobility of people

• Growing student enrolment

• Changing student demographics

• Lifelong learning needs

• Globalization – broader markets

• Offering distance education in online, internet-based environments fulfills a need, and emerges as a favoured method by allowing for more diversified and flexible education through multimedia and advanced communication technologies

Trends in Online Learning

Third Generation of DE

Third Generation of DE

Forces ofChange

Forces ofChange

Impact onAcademia

Impact onAcademia

•1990s

•Info age

•Internet; e-resources

•Design specialist

•Individualized learning; dynamic interactions

•Training and performance

•Second order change

•External driving forces

•Internal forces

•Norms and values challenged

•Paradigmatic shifts

•Entrenched culture

•Institutionalization

•Old and resilient establishments

•Set structures and regulations

•Protective interests

External driving forces from the demand for online learning are outnumbering internal restraining forces from established norms and perceptions

EconomicForces

PhilosophicalResistance

PoliticalChallenges

Tensions in academiaTensions in academia

Fundamental Issues

Online learning is a contested area of practice (Webber, 2006)

Economic Forces

• Global democratic ideals of education – access for all (UN)

• Education as a tradable service (WTO/GTA)• Less government support• Competition• Resulting concerns:

– Entrepreneurial culture; market share focus– University branding– Consumerism of students– Commodifying education; online learning

Philosophical Resistance

• Faculty resistance to online learning– Questions of quality

• Commodification of education• Poor application of technology• Loss connection to students & traditional role

– Prefer conventional methods• Invested interest• Western epistemology of education: development

of knowers and transmission of knowledge

– Job security• Lack of development skills and control of curricular• Erosion of academic freedom

Political Challenges of Leaders

• Macro level– Global competition; for-profit institutions– Competing budgets

• Institutional level– Academic structure, governance, policies

restrictive– Lack of e-learning policies

• Micro level– Academic freedom; faculty member

resistanceRole as change agent

If online learning as a delivery method is deemed worthwhile, a change in institutional culture on all levels will be necessary.

Moore (2004)

Organizational Implications

Change

CulturalChange

Approaches to Change

Unfreezing Stage

LearningOrganization

Cultural Changes

• Changing existing culture

• Protection of norms and values

• Second order change– Deliberate– Drastic– Disequilibrium– Threatening

• Difficult to implement

Transformative Change

• 3 phases of transformative change (Levy, 1986)

– Unfreezing, changing, refreezing

• Higher educational institutes (Parchoma, 2006)

– Experiencing unfreezing stage– Reacting and responding– Status quo destabilized– Beliefs are questioned– Next move unknown

Approaches to Change

• Trice & Beyer (1993)– Revolution– Changed subcultures– Gradually over time

• Levy (1986)– Planned change– Patience: takes time, resources and energy

• Schein (2005)– work with existing culture; create compatibility

with values and norms

Learning Organization

• acquiring knowledge and changing behaviour as a whole group

• sharing knowledge, respecting others, learning together, and taking risks

Academia culture:

•Autonomy

•Intellectual skepticism

•Competition

•Bureaucratic

Learning org culture:

•Cooperation

•Compassion

•Concern for the whole

•Open to change

Learning Organization

• To create:– Commitment; and from the top– Decrease competition; trust– Inclusiveness; bottom up and top down– Double loop learning

• Continuous practice of examining assumptions• Act on learning

– Challenges • Implementing• Sustaining change

Conclusion

Change OrgModel

Rapidtechnological

changes

Onlineminimallydeveloped

Higher EducationInstitutions

Higher EducationInstitutions

Current Landscape

New Players

Higher ed

lagging