Join us for an interesting and engaging conversation on leveraging the ADKAR change management model to build and sustain an engaging online faculty culture. Using the Center for Faculty Excellence team as a change management hub, the university institutionalizes the change management mindset and strategically employs the method to drive faculty behavior change. Members from Capella University will share examples and lessons learned from their strategies and the steps of engaging and motivating faculty through communication, professional development, and recognition programs. The examples include a major statistics tool and a learning management system migration. The discussion will include how the change management model impacted institutional culture and faculty behaviors with intentional implementation.
Change is constant. Higher education is not exempt from this. Many institutions have faced significant pressure to change their practice to keep up with the political, social, technical, and economic environments. Most changes require group members, such as faculty and staff, to adapt their behaviors. According to Vlachopoulos (2021), “A key success factor for all leaders to be successful during this change process is the development of a strategy for successful change”.
Higher education has its unique challenges for change (Coley, 2023). Capella University recognizes that a change management methodology and its intentional implementation within its own context are crucial for successful changes. The ADKAR change management model was introduced by Jeff Hiatt in 1999. ADKAR is an acronym for Awareness, Desire, Knowledge, Ability, and Reinforcement. These five terms comprise the five elements or the building blocks of the ADKAR model. Capella Center for Faculty Excellence (CFE) leverages the model to lead and manage numerous small and big changes via communication, training, and professional development. In the process, the team actively engages with faculty and staff and builds trust and resilience, which becomes the organizational muscle for future changes. The session will introduce the ADKAR model and discuss its implementation by CFE in two changes that enhance faculty and learner experience and success.
References:
Coley, T. (2023). Change leadership: What makes higher ed different? https://www.ellucian.com/blog/change-leadership-what-makes-higher-ed-different
Vlachopoulos, D. (2021). Organizational Change Management in Higher Education through the Lens of Executive Coaches.Educ.Sci.2021, 11,269. https://doi.org/10.3390/ educsci11060269
The interactivities for this session include:
- Ask the audience to share their observations on how changes are managed in their communities (faculty, students, and staff) and what factors impact the change implementation. It can be done by polls and chat functions.
- Ask the audience to share their reaction on the ADKAR model and discuss what they want to try or use in their situation. Depending on the size of the participants, they may be organized into small groups.
- Encourage questions along the way.
- Participants will begin building an action plan for their institutions.
Takeaways for the audience
- Understand the ADKAR change management model in the higher education environment.
- Learn and share ways to lead changes to support students and faculty in a virtual environment.
- Discuss and plan for actions that are relevant to their institutions.