changing the culture: getting faculty buy-in for hybrid education

Changing the Culture:Getting Faculty Buy-In

for Hybrid Education

Gonzalo Freixes and George IngersollApril, 2012

Those Stubborn Faculty…

Introductions and Background

Q: How do you eat an elephant?A: One bite at a time.

Personnel1) Champion(s)2) Project Manager3) IT Support (only a little)IT4) Course Management System5) Live Meeting Software6) Media Creation Tools

Online Ed Essential Ingredients:

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

The Key Steps

Goal 1: Utilize hybrid learning to accommodate diverse student schedules and free up classroom space

Goal 2: Bring in more applicants by offering a hybrid scheduling option for the part-time MBA program.

Note: Neither of these goals requires the buy-in of 100% of the faculty.

Step 1: Define Your Goals

1) Define Your Goals2)Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

Make choices about basic implementationExamples: Asynchronous vs. synchronous Use of media/ technology Who will support What courses will be offered Faculty compensation Content ownership and IP issuesAdvice: keep it very simple (don’t change much)More Advice: make it official by documenting

Step 2: Decide On The Setup

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3)Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

Course Management System Live Meeting Software Media Creation Tools Student Portal Survey Software Phone ConferencingAdvice: Try to select one tool per functionAsk: What is doable? What will be adopted?

Step 3: Select Your Tools

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4)Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

But don’t ask for anything (yet) Present information Clear up misunderstandings Provide resources and optional training Demonstrate available tools and technology Keep a lookout for early adopters

Advice: try to avoid faculty forums

Step 4: Start Education Faculty

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5)Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

Don’t forget that they are not only participants in your pilot program but also your future ambassadors

Provide a framework for content design Make it a great experience all around

◦ Support these faculty like crazy◦ Support the students too

Step 5: Work With Early Adopters

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6)Document Success/Gain

Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

Survey the students Highlight accomplishments and best

practices among the faculty◦Make sure that your early adopters are part

of every discussion Self-promote: give examples of success

◦http://capture.anderson.ucla.edu/Anderson/Play/e3dc922cee4741df85ebe9e2134ee1d71d

Step 6: Document Success

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7)Pitch to Faculty Leadership8) Present to All Faculty

Bring all your evidence and documentation

Reemphasize your goals Anticipate possible objections

Step 7: Pitch to Faculty Leadership

1) Define Your Goals2) Decide On The Setup3) Select Your Tools4) Start Educating Faculty5) Work With Early Adopters6) Document Success/Gain Exposure7) Pitch to Faculty Leadership8)Present to All Faculty

Make sure that all of your supporters attend!

Step 8: Present to All Faculty

1) Keep It Simple2) Start Small/ Gain Supporters3) Active Support and Guidance is

Key4) Get Ready for the Objections!

Conclusions