Academic Leadership: Fundamental Building Blocks
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Stage 2: Changing: Embedded within this second stage is another cycle of action,
namely, Kolb's (1984) Experiential Learning Model which adds 4 more components (see
Figure 12) to the process of change.
Figure 12: Experiential Learning Model (adapted from Kolb’s Learning Theory)
Where changes to the program are likely to involve academic staff making personal
changes to the way they teach or what they teach, they will need practice and
experience in the new way of working. For example, in moving to online delivery of a
course, the concrete experience part of the cycle above may be the development and
delivery of a course or part of a course, with appropriate support, for online delivery for
the first time. After the first couple of weeks they should be given the opportunity to
debrief (reflective observation) on some of the observations they have made about the
utility of the online learning experience, on student engagement and learning. From this
reflection, they will draw some conclusions (abstract conceptualisations) and form
theories about online learning. This may be grounded further by discussing their ideas
with peers who are also engaged in online learning. These conclusions will inform future
adaptation and application (active experimentation) of online learning and may lead to
more active experimentation as the cycle is repeated.
Stage 3: Relearning: In this stage people are engaged in the change process and
actively working towards implementing the new systems or processes. They may be in
the third or fourth rotation of Kolb’s cycle. ‘Practice makes perfect’ is an excellent cliché
to describe this stage. Over time, people are using daily and weekly challenges resulting
in significant relearning and movement along the change continuum.
Stage 4: Institutionalisation: At this stage, the change process is essentially complete
and is now part of the course's ongoing practice. It becomes ‘the way things are done in
this program’. The cycle may of course begin again if the program review process
identifies the need for further changes.
Change and Academic Leadership
Coakley and Randall (2006) note that current models of academic leadership focus on
managing the balance of relationships between academic staff. While this is an
important aspect of introducing and managing change, it is advisable not to put too much
emphasis on managing peer relationships and desires. Otherwise. changes required by
