Institutional Barriers to the Adaptation of Innovations

NSF CCLI 2008 PI ConferenceWashington, DC August 14, 2008

Norman L. Fortenberry, Sc.D.Center for the Advancement of Scholarship on Engineering Education

National Academy of Engineering

Jeanne L. NarumProject Kaleidoscope &

Independent Colleges Office

Our Charge TodayOur Charge Today

Identify common institutional barriersIdentify common institutional barriers

Identify strategies to overcome barriersIdentify strategies to overcome barriers

Link overcoming barriers to Link overcoming barriers to institutional transformation of STEMinstitutional transformation of STEM

Our Approach TodayOur Approach TodayPresent an overview of change processes Present an overview of change processes and impedimentsand impediments

Gather expertise resident in this groupGather expertise resident in this group

Develop Develop take hometake home list of approaches list of approaches for surmounting common barriersfor surmounting common barriers

How is Change Effected?How is Change Effected?Analysis, Objective Setting, and Leadership Analysis, Objective Setting, and Leadership CommitmentCommitment

Set the BarSet the BarMotivate ChangeMotivate Change

Introduction and Integration of New Introduction and Integration of New SystemSystemSustain the Change and Scale UPSustain the Change and Scale UPEvaluation, Renewal, ExtensionEvaluation, Renewal, Extension

What are Common Barriers?What are Common Barriers?

Confused or competing vision for new regime Confused or competing vision for new regime and/or weak motivation and commitmentand/or weak motivation and commitment

Poor integration (keeping fallback systems in Poor integration (keeping fallback systems in place)place)

Backsliding , inertia, and conservatismBacksliding , inertia, and conservatism

Weak or nonWeak or non--existent evaluationexistent evaluation

Why are there Barriers?Why are there Barriers?

There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, There is nothing more difficult to take in hand, more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in more perilous to conduct, or more uncertain in its success, than to take the lead in the its success, than to take the lead in the introduction of a new order of things. introduction of a new order of things.

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Why are there Barriers?Why are there Barriers?

For the reformer has enemies in all those who For the reformer has enemies in all those who profit by the old order, and only lukewarm profit by the old order, and only lukewarm defenders in all those who would profit by the defenders in all those who would profit by the new order, this new order, this lukewarmnesslukewarmness arising partly from arising partly from fear of their adversaries fear of their adversaries and partly from the and partly from the incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe incredulity of mankind, who do not truly believe in anything new until they have had actual in anything new until they have had actual experience of it.experience of it.

NiccoloNiccolo Machiavelli Machiavelli

The Status Quo Resists ChangeThe Status Quo Resists Change

Moving Forward to Moving Forward to Overcome the Barriers?Overcome the Barriers?

Identify 10 current challengesIdentify 10 current challenges

Cull to 5 Cull to 5 corecore challengeschallenges

Break into groups with one challenge eachBreak into groups with one challenge each

Identify Steps for OvercomingIdentify Steps for Overcoming

ShareShare

Barriers Barriers Faculty IssuesFaculty Issues

Faculty desire for complete autonomy in Faculty desire for complete autonomy in theirtheir classesclassesChauvinism against nonChauvinism against non--majors and their needsmajors and their needsFaculty isolationism within their research group, Faculty isolationism within their research group, specialty area, field, department, college, etc.specialty area, field, department, college, etc.Assumptions about what Assumptions about what teachingteaching should look likeshould look likeDepartment cultures and moresDepartment cultures and moresLack of personal relevance to individual faculty Lack of personal relevance to individual faculty membersmembersAssumptions about students (mine are Assumptions about students (mine are different/unique, so research/test results do not apply)different/unique, so research/test results do not apply)Perceptions of accreditation limitationsPerceptions of accreditation limitations

Barriers Barriers -- ResourcesResources

Cost ($, time, etc.) of transition.Cost ($, time, etc.) of transition.Structure and content of textbooksStructure and content of textbooksLack of longLack of long--term evaluationterm evaluation

Barriers Barriers Institutional IssuesInstitutional Issues

One size does not fit all. Beware of scaleOne size does not fit all. Beware of scale--ups that attempt to ups that attempt to apply surface features only.apply surface features only.Risk of failureRisk of failureBalancing topBalancing top--down and bottomdown and bottom--upupInflexibly faculty governance structuresInflexibly faculty governance structuresLack of institutional infrastructure forLack of institutional infrastructure for

Education researchEducation researchEvaluationEvaluation

Research institutionsResearch institutions reluctance to publicize instructional reluctance to publicize instructional innovations (sends wrong message about focus)innovations (sends wrong message about focus)Structure of curricular, facilities, and instructional support sStructure of curricular, facilities, and instructional support staffs.taffs.Diffuse responsibility for courses Diffuse responsibility for courses no ownership results in now no ownership results in now accountabilityaccountability

Your Solution StrategiesYour Solution Strategies

Link to Others:Link to Others:Position new regime as solution to Position new regime as solution to acknowledged problem acknowledged problem answer answer WhatWhats in it s in it for me?for me?

Retention, accreditation, more time to do what I Retention, accreditation, more time to do what I want to do, new generation of helpers (embed want to do, new generation of helpers (embed people throughout), etc.people throughout), etc.

Develop a shared sense of identity/mission Develop a shared sense of identity/mission wewe not s/he (the leader)not s/he (the leader)

Your Solution StrategiesYour Solution Strategies

Link to Others (cont):Link to Others (cont):Find a supportive cohort/mentorFind a supportive cohort/mentorEngage a high level administrator as cheerleaderEngage a high level administrator as cheerleader

But maintain a broad base of support so that your But maintain a broad base of support so that your initiative doesninitiative doesnt die if they leave t die if they leave

Tie in to otherTie in to others interestss interestsSeek input at professional meetingsSeek input at professional meetingsSeek input at organizations of college administratorsSeek input at organizations of college administrators

Your Solution StrategiesYour Solution Strategies

Leverage Existing Avenues:Leverage Existing Avenues:Tie in to existing reward systemTie in to existing reward system

RecognitionRecognitionPYIsPYIs CAREER (mandates attention to education)CAREER (mandates attention to education)NSF Broader Impacts criterionNSF Broader Impacts criterionNOTE: THIS ALSO IMPLIES EFFORT TO CREATE NOTE: THIS ALSO IMPLIES EFFORT TO CREATE CAREER, BROADER IMPACTS CRITERION, ETC.CAREER, BROADER IMPACTS CRITERION, ETC.

LUCK = LUCK = preparation preparation + opportunity (have to be + opportunity (have to be prepared so can leverage unforeseen opportunities)prepared so can leverage unforeseen opportunities)

Your Solution StrategiesYour Solution Strategies

Manage your initiative:Manage your initiative:Sandbox or Sandbox or pilotpilotPursue multiple strategies simultaneously (or Pursue multiple strategies simultaneously (or decompose a big project into smaller pieces that decompose a big project into smaller pieces that can be recognized) to reduce any risk of total, can be recognized) to reduce any risk of total, abject failureabject failureProvision of Provision of resourcesresources to college/dept/faculty to college/dept/faculty provides provides permissionpermission through $, recognition, through $, recognition, or other resourcesor other resources

Success StoriesSuccess Stories

Adapt or Die!Adapt or Die!

Institutional Barriers to the Adaptation of InnovationsOur Charge TodayOur Approach TodayHow is Change Effected?What are Common Barriers?Why are there Barriers?Why are there Barriers?The Status Quo Resists ChangeMoving Forward to Overcome the Barriers?Barriers Faculty IssuesBarriers - ResourcesBarriers Institutional IssuesYour Solution StrategiesYour Solution StrategiesYour Solution StrategiesYour Solution StrategiesSuccess StoriesAdapt or Die!