The impact of an innovators group on the development of a culture of innovation in the use of educational technologies

Abstract

Realising the full potential for educational technologies to improve the student experience is a challenge for higher education institutions. Although academic resistance is often blamed for poor dissemination of teaching technologies, recent literature has more satisfactorily framed the issue in terms of intransigent organisational culture. Features of higher education organisational culture that are conducive to innovation include senior executive support, freedom to experiment and permission to fail and interdisciplinary and cross-institutional engagement. One approach to changing organisational culture is to establish new organisational structures embodying positive traits. This study qualitatively evaluated a technology in teaching innovators group established in 2018 in a science, health and engineering faculty of an Australian university; it provides evidence that the group improved the culture of teaching technology innovation by creating a safe space for innovation, which members then disseminated into their departmental communities. The study also found that the group created a forum for teaching technology innovators to engage with stakeholders in the university’s learning and teaching and information and communication technology units, leading to improved outcomes for the university’s learning environment.

Implications for practice or policy

• Teaching technology dissemination in higher education can be enhanced through a community of practice model.
• Higher education learning technology environments can be improved through an innovators group leading to greater cross-institutional collaboration.
• Educational technology staff may be able to overcome academic resistance to strategic projects by pursuing a community of practice approach.