Digital engagement in higher education: A case study of educator experiences and responses to change in science

Abstract

Rapid advancement of e-learning technology, driven by the expansion of the Internet, has redefined expectations about how teaching should be conducted. Higher education organisations have been quick to recognise the learning potential of e-learning, particularly for students, and have become increasingly interested in broadening the uptake in e-learning approaches amongst teaching academics. However, the capacity of teaching academics to respond to these expectations has not been explored. The influences of their beliefs and their identity, within the cultural context of the university, warrant deeper investigation in order to illuminate the factors that drive behaviour within this context of change. This thesis focuses on teaching at a higher education institution, the Australian National University in Canberra Australia, focussing on science. The results of research focus on effective communication of visions of change within a highly developed academic culture. It establishes some of the evidence base for how an institution such as the ANU can transfer and develop teaching practices towards technology enhanced learning to the benefit of all aspects of the institution: executives, discipline leadership, academics staff and students. If educational use of technology is to be taken more seriously within this context, this research suggests attention to academic culture. For example, how institutions define academic excellence, and how education fits into the broader institutional vision are pertinent considerations for understanding academic's positive or negative responses to change. This thesis identifies that, in a context of change represented by educational technologies, top-down interventions to change university and academic cultures, are likely to lead to mixed results. Failure to consult or involve staff, can be a problem, particularly where the driver of change comes into conflict with academic culture, and academic's values and beliefs. This thesis argues that part of the solution could be organisation change, involving a wider appeal to wisdom among leadership, with a particular focus on the longer-term cultural change. This might include carefully considering the kinds of appointments to important educational leadership positions, and other leaderships positions who might have sound pedagogical or educational technology skills and judgement to navigate the institutional changes taking place. Show more