Leveraging a Change Management method to drive faculty engagement and behavior change

Streamed Session Leadership

Session Materials

Brief Abstract

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.

Presenters

Lead Presenter: Ying Iverson, Capella University

Dr. Iverson currently serves as Associate Provost and VP of the Academic and Faculty Affairs department at Capella University. She leads multiple teams with broad responsibilities and critical portfolios in driving learner experience, faculty performance, academic program quality, and outcomes. Dr. Iverson regularly drives enterprise-level initiatives and partners with internal and external stakeholders in a highly matrixed environment. She has a diverse background in corporations, city and state government, healthcare, and higher education, with extensive experience and expertise in organizational effectiveness, leadership development, and change management. Originally from China, Dr. Iverson received her MA in Comparative and International Development Education and a Ph.D. in Human Resource Development from the University of Minnesota.

Co-presenter: Curtis Brant, Capella University

Dr. Curtis Brant is the Dean of the Research & Scholarship and oversees Capella’s doctoral programs. Dr. Brant has served as a core faculty member, faculty chair, associate dean, and Dean. His professional background is in organizational consulting, decision-making, strategic planning, research, and assessment. Dr. Brant earned his B.A. in Psychology from Kent State University and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Bowling Green State University. His concentration while at Bowling Green was in Decision-Making and Quantitative Analyses.

Co-presenter: Laura Sankovich, Capella University

Extended Abstract

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:

  1. 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.
  2. 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.
  3. Encourage questions along the way.
  4. Participants will begin building an action plan for their institutions.

Takeaways for the audience

  1. Understand the ADKAR change management model in the higher education environment.
  2. Learn and share ways to lead changes to support students and faculty in a virtual environment.
  3. Discuss and plan for actions that are relevant to their institutions.