Leading Academic Change Survey 2.0 - Early Findings

Concurrent Session 8
Leadership

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

It’s no longer a question of do universities need to innovate. It’s about how institutions are reconstituting themselves through academic innovation in support of teaching excellence and student success. 

In 2015, we co-led an initiative and survey with University of Maryland System’s William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to understand and analyze the landscape of leading academic change. A deep environmental scan of U.S. universities and colleges illuminated the vital role of teaching and learning centers as well as well centers for academic innovation in accelerating teaching excellence and student success.

Quantum Thinking in partnership with OLC, POD Network, Class Technologies and other sponsors has launched The Leading Academic Change 2.0 Survey and in this session we will share some early findings.

 

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Anne Keehn, Quantum Thinking

Education and Industry Growth Leader I founded Quantum Thinking to advise higher education leaders globally. My passion and track record is in improving student success, teaching and learning, faculty support, research and administration so more students can reach their dreams. Over the course of my 30+ year career, I've been recognized as visionary and accomplished executive in scaling technology initiatives, programs, and businesses. My cross-sector experience spans across education technology, teaching and learning innovation, and research for higher education, K-12 and corporate learning. Throughout my career, I've held several leadership positions. Most recently, I undertook the role of Global Education Lead for Zoom where I helped design the Zoom Summer Academy, which reached thousands of educators during the pandemic. I also served as an Entrepreneur-in-Residence and Senior Fellow for Technology & Innovation for the Postsecondary Success Team for the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Previously, I held positions as the as President, Global Solutions, Americas for Kaplan Ventures; SVP of Pearson Learning Solutions; and was the early stage Executive VP of Global Sales and Client Relations at Blackboard. I have led sales, marketing, and business development teams for PeopleSoft (Oracle), Datatel and SCT (Ellucian). I share my expertise globally as a published writer and speaker on education technology, design thinking, and academic innovation and change.

Co-presenter: Suzanne Dove, Bentley University

Co-presenter: Jennifer Mathes, Online Learning Consortium

Jennifer Mathes, Ph.D serves as the Chief Executive Officer at the Online Learning Consortium. In this role, she provides the strategic direction for the organization and supports the development of key projects and programs to support OLC members. Dr. Mathes has 25 years of experience in both public and private education where she has continuously supported digital learning initiatives. In addition, Dr. Mathes is the author of the ICDE Report Global Quality in Online, Open, Flexible and Technology Enhanced Education: An Analysis of Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (2019) and co-editor of the OLC Quality Scorecard Handbook: Criteria for Excellence in Blended Learning Programs (2017). She continues to write and present on key topics in online, blended and digital learning.

Extended Abstract

It’s no longer a question of do universities need to innovate. It’s about how institutions are reconstituting themselves through academic innovation in support of teaching excellence and student success. Post-pandemic institutions are evaluating existing and new organizational structures to support the future of learning. Very little data exists to guide leaders in how to best align their institutional resources to address this future and the diverse needs of learners - especially in the age of AI.

In 2015, we co-led an initiative and survey with University of Maryland System’s William E. Kirwan Center for Academic Innovation, through a grant from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to understand and analyze the landscape of leading academic change. A deep environmental scan of U.S. universities and colleges illuminated the vital role of teaching and learning centers as well as well centers for academic innovation in accelerating teaching excellence and student success.

No study of its kind has been conducted since. Meanwhile, the world as we know it has changed. The global pandemic brought significant changes in how institutions support their constituents, with many universities and their faculty springing up entirely new modalities overnight to accommodate learning. Interdisciplinary academic innovation leaders catapulted from the fringes to the forefront of institutional leadership and direction.

As we navigate the future of learning, which institutions will be successful and which ones will struggle? 

To advance the field, there is a sense of urgency to understand critical pedagogical student success factors – and to help all institutions meaningfully engage their faculty in innovating teaching practices. The time is ripe to help institutions level up their catalyzing leadership, organizations and practices.

Quantum Thinking in partnership with OLC, POD Network and Class Technologies has launched The Leading Academic Change 2.0 Survey and in this session we will share some early findings.

LAC 2.0 Survey Outcomes:

  • Identifying the centers - Where and what the centers are that support academic innovation, teaching excellence, and/or digital learning.
  • Evidence-based practices - How these centers are constituted, with a better understanding of the roles of these centers in supporting learning innovation, faculty, and student success.
  • Selections of Edtech - How they choose and use edtech in support of academic innovation, teaching, and learning
  • Use of Edtech - How they leverage edtech to foster scalable and sustainable academic innovation programs and support multiple learning environments