HE Understanding academic resistance to the adoption of new learning technologies. Bond University
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Transcript of HE Understanding academic resistance to the adoption of new learning technologies. Bond University
Understanding Academic Resistance to the Adoption of New Learning
Technologies
Nick JamesBond University
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
TEACHINGREGULATORY ENVIRONMENT
ACCREDITATION
STAKEHOLDERS
T&L SCHOLARSHIP
TEACHING TOOLS
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
ENTHUSIASTIC
PRAGMATIC
RESISTANT
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Gender Founding year of school
Total no of students
Location
ADTL1 Male 1970 – 1990 Approx. 3000 City centralADTL2 Female 1970 – 1990 Approx. 2500 City centralADTL3 Male 1950 – 1970 Approx. 3500 City suburbanADTL4 Female 1970 – 1990 Approx. 1800 City suburbanADTL5 Male 1990 – 2010 Approx. 400 RemoteADTL6 Male Pre-1950 Approx. 2000 City - suburban
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
knowledge power
discourse
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Educationalism
A higher education discourse characterised by an emphasis upon the importance of student learning and upon teaching by academics in a manner informed by orthodox educational scholarship.
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
A student-centred approach to teaching is
more appropriate than a teacher-centred or
content-centred approach
Student engagement, formative feedback, authentic and fair
assessment, transparency in learning objectives, and the alignment of
objectives, teaching and assessment are of
fundamental importance
Reflective, evidenced-based approaches to
teaching are preferable to approaches based on tradition or common
practice or the demands of employers
Student wellbeing and the transitions into and out of higher education are at least partly the
responsibility of academics rather than
solely the responsibility of students
Teaching should be defined as the facilitation
of learning rather than the transmission of
knowledge
Propagation of educationalism
Initially the propagation of educationalist ideas within higher education depends largely upon the voluntary adoption by academics.
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Propagation of educationalism
But these ideas are often ‘co-opted’ by managers and administrators.
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
POWER RESISTANCE
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Academic resistance
Trained in analytical thinking and inured to critique, academics are unlikely to passively accept changes they regard as
detrimental. Academics are also intrinsically motivated by the nature of academic work. They identify – often passionately –
with the tasks and goals that comprise the academic endeavour, and are therefore likely to resist erosion of valued
aspects of their work.Gina Anderson, ‘Mapping Academic Resistance in the Managerial University’ (2008) 15(2) Organization
251, 252
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Academic resistance
[T]here are members of staff in my experience who believe quite passionately that once they are employed as a law
teacher, even if it’s at level A, but certainly if they are employed at level C, D or E, that nobody should be
questioning anything that they do or don’t do within their own courses. That it’s like a private domain and ‘How dare you tell me what I should teach or how I should teach or how I should assess. And by the way don’t ask me to teach all those skills
because there’s so much other stuff going on in this curriculum or in this course, and they’re all so terribly
important that I can’t possibly do anything else.’ [ADTL5]
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Academic resistance
Active forms of resistance include:• Public resistance • Direct resistance • Refusal
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Academic resistance
Passive forms of resistance include:• Avoidance• Qualified compliance
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Ignorance
Uninformed anti-
educationalism
Academic workloads
Academic identity
Academic freedom
Fatigue
Neophobia Insecurity
Informed anti-educationalism
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Reasons for resistance
I think … lots of academics don’t like being told what to do. They’d much prefer just to be able to do what they want to do.
They believe and they probably do have the students’ best interests at heart. I don’t have any worries [that] any of the academics aren’t concerned about students’ wellbeing and
making sure they get a good subject delivered. But I just think they’d prefer to do it on their own terms, how and when they
want to do it. [ADTL2]
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Reasons for resistance
People are very conscious that there is this division of their time between teaching and learning and research, and
then community contribution. So there is this tension, ‘If I have to spend more time on my subject and in my
teaching preparation and preparing new exams every semester, then that’s less time that I have to be finishing
an article or doing some further research.’ [ADTL2]
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Reasons for resistance
[V]ery often in legal academia we have colleagues who really have no idea about quality practice in learning and teaching
and yet they believe that they know it all. … ‘What can an educationalist tell me for heavens sake? I’m a lawyer. I know my work. I know how to teach students. I’ll stand in the class
and give them stories and anecdotes and that’s good teaching.’ They just seem to be trapped into a mindset which
precludes them from recognising that their own teaching practice is often severely limited. [ADTL5]
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Persuasion rather than compulsion
Transparency of motives: Why
Education about educationalism
Sensitivity about academic realities
Emphasis upon the benefits
Engagement of the heart
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
A NEW (OLD) REGIME OF TRUTH
REGULATION OF TEACHERS
GOOD TEACHING
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
We are scholars and professionals.We discover truths and disseminate understanding.
We aspire to be exceptional.We seek opportunities to improve.
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
ARTEXCELLENCEASPIRATION
REGULATIONCORPORATISM
VOCATIONALISMANTI-EDUCATIONALISM
SELF INTERESTINSECURITYIGNORANCE
FEAR
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014
Thank you
Blackboard Learning and Teaching Conference | Bond University, Gold Coast| 26 – 28 August 2014