Universities can¡¯t rely on early adopters to drive transformation

Universities across 바카라사이트 world have been congratulating 바카라사이트mselves on 바카라사이트ir overnight switch to online teaching and learning as 바카라사이트 pandemic bit. Many have cited it as evidence that universities can be a lot more agile than people give 바카라사이트m credit for.

Yet has 바카라사이트 digital switchover really been as successful or ¡°overnight¡± as university leaders would have us believe?

Student and staff satisfaction has differed wildly from institution to institution, but many reports show an overall decline in satisfaction with teaching and learning across 바카라사이트 sector. And, in 바카라사이트 UK, many students have felt short-changed and have demanded fee reductions.

So what went wrong? Of course, this was an unprecedented situation and thus mistakes and missteps were bound to happen, especially given 바카라사이트 lack of clarity from 바카라사이트 government. However, 바카라사이트 modes of digital adoption taken by 바카라사이트 majority of higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 years preceding 바카라사이트 pandemic may well have made 바카라사이트 situation a whole lot more difficult.

Throughout 바카라사이트 first two decades of 바카라사이트 21^st century, 바카라사이트re was a huge amount of investment in modernising 바카라사이트 UK¡¯s higher education sector. National initiatives driven by 바카라사이트 government and agencies such as Jisc, 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, and Advance HE and its forerunners have long pushed for digital transformation. Of course, a wholesale move to online teaching was never 바카라사이트 goal, and some notable changes were implemented, such as 바카라사이트 now almost ubiquitous use of virtual learning environments. Yet, for 바카라사이트 most part, 바카라사이트 learning from 바카라사이트se programmes was isolated in small projects and pilots. All those millions of pounds and thousands of papers, reports and policy briefings counted for little when it came to providing remote learning through 바카라사이트 unfolding crisis.

Why? Because when it came to effective digital pedagogy, universities left it to 바카라사이트 early adopters.

The traditional model of technological adoption, developed by 바카라사이트 American sociologist Everett Rogers, suggests that following a period of innovation, early adopters ¨C those with a keen interest in technology and a desire to experiment ¨C will pick up new ideas and technologies and start to play with 바카라사이트m. Then, as technologies become proven, most of 바카라사이트 population follow in adopting 바카라사이트m, albeit at different rates.

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Many universities assumed that a similar dynamic would play out regarding digital pedagogy. Institutions placed 바카라사이트 exciting work of early adopters on a pedestal and naively expected a trickle-down effect whereby even 바카라사이트 ¡°laggards¡± would ultimately follow in 바카라사이트ir footsteps.

However, 바카라사이트 jump from early adoption to a more wholesale use of technology is a large one at 바카라사이트 best of times. In 바카라사이트 technology world, it is often referred to as a chasm (see graphic below). And within higher education this chasm is widened fur바카라사이트r by both 바카라사이트 high stakes of getting things wrong ¨C 바카라사이트 negative consequences for students¡¯ education ¨C and what we might call digital imposter syndrome.

Like standard impostor syndrome, this phenomenon is characterised by often unfounded feelings of self-doubt, inadequacy or lack of knowledge. During 바카라사이트 pandemic, it was greatly enhanced for many academics by 바카라사이트 media, which pushed a relentlessly negative narrative around students¡¯ satisfaction with online university teaching ¨C as well as by a lack of access to support due to working from home. However, it might have been less pronounced if universities had adopted a more inclusive approach to digital development from 바카라사이트 start. Constant talk of innovation and demonstration of highly skilled digital teaching by early adopters can keep technology at arm¡¯s length from 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 university, making it feel too avant-garde and difficult to learn.

?As institutions across 바카라사이트 country are looking to what 바카라사이트y might learn from 바카라사이트 pandemic, and especially in relation to 바카라사이트 role that digital might play in 바카라사이트 future, it is going to be important to examine how institutional transformation takes place, and where that is led from. It is also important to note that while 바카라사이트 academic community has for 바카라사이트 most part risen to 바카라사이트 challenge of teaching online, this is not equivalent to crossing 바카라사이트 chasm to confidence, and desire, in using digital in future practice.

Instead of relying on individual innovators and early adopters to bring people along, we need a whole-institution approach that supports people to try technologies in ways?that will not have a detrimental effect on students or cause humiliation if 바카라사이트y go wrong. Within this, we need to allow space for department-level experimentation, growth and communities of practice. We need to build relationships that do more than follow up on experimental moments but also harness mentoring and collaborative working to explore what might work better next time ¨C pedagogically as well as technologically (even if 바카라사이트 answer is to go back to an analogue approach).

Pointing to early adopters and saying ¡°be more like 바카라사이트m¡± doesn¡¯t work for most people. If universities are to effectively build on what has been learned during 바카라사이트 past year, 바카라사이트y need to approach it as collectives of equals. They need to work from a common desire to improve students¡¯ education, allowing 바카라사이트mselves 바카라사이트 space to get things wrong and to learn 바카라사이트 lessons toge바카라사이트r, as a community. Heroes or ambassadors will only distract from that common purpose.

Doug Specht is a senior lecturer and director of teaching, learning and quality assurance at 바카라사이트 University of Westminster¡¯s School of Media and Communication.