Chapter 12 – General Readings
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restraint (Johnson, Lee, & Green, 2000); as well as between creativity and criticism
(Fraser & Mathews, 1999). The role of the academic coordinator is undoubtedly
complex. As Robertson (2005) argued, college teachers, like academic coordinators,
need to be able to integrate these paradoxical behaviours so that they are not disabled
by the roles conflicting demands. Academic coordinators need to integrate these
paradoxical behaviours productively (Robertson, 2005). They need to experience
generative paradoxes as opposed to exhausting conflicts if they are to be effective
academic coordinators.
There is a sixth role under the ICVF, the Integrator. This role previously has been
described as the behavioural control room for the other five operational roles (Vilkinas &
Cartan, 2001). The Integrator role has two parts: critical observer and reflective learner.
The purpose of the former is to decipher which of the operational roles is required at any
particular time in response to any environmental stimuli. In this way it assists in the
appropriate execution of the chosen role. It ensures a ‘fit’ between context and
behaviour (Vilkinas & Cartan, 2001).
The purpose of the second part, the ‘reflective learner’, is to reflect on past and
current usage of the operational roles and to learn from those experiences. Rogers
(2001) reported that the most common definition of reflection was one that allowed
individuals to ‘integrate the understanding gained into one's experience in order to
enable better choices or action in the future as well as enhance one's overall
effectiveness’ (p. 41). Booth and Anderberg (2005) argued that reflection underpins an
individual's development. Here the academic coordinator would demonstrate a
heightened and accurate self-awareness. This introspection and self-awareness
provides an academic coordinator with opportunities to learn from their previous
experiences and to inform future behaviours. They need to be able to critically assess
their own performance, reflect on their assessment and learn from it (Ash & Clayton,
2004), thus constantly improving their academic leadership capability.
This process is similar to the action learning cycle (Kolb, 1984) and is consistent with
the work of Argyris and Schön (1996). That is, a well developed integrator will enable
behavioural complexity which is needed if academic coordinators are to deliver on the
competing demands they face. Behavioural complexity is the ability to move between
the five roles with ease and to be able to deliver any of the five roles depending on which
is most appropriate (Denison, Hooijberg, & Quinn, 1995; Hooijberg, 1992; Hooijberg &
Quinn, 1992). The Integrator is the linchpin that allows academic coordinators to move
easily between the five operational roles (Vilkinas & Cartan, 2001), which hypothetically
will allow them to deal with the contradictory demands of program directions as a
generative paradox rather than paralysing conflict.
Dividends
Hendry and Dean (2002) stressed the importance of leadership for academic
coordinators, and Martin, Trigwell, Prosser, and Ramsden (2003) reported that teachers’
experience of academic leadership did have an impact on the quality of students’
learning. They found that there was an empirical relationship between the way subject
coordinators conceived of leadership of teaching, how their subject teachers perceive
that leadership and how these teachers approach their teaching (p. 247).
It is also important that the leadership capability of academic coordinators be
developed as these are the Heads of School/Department and the Pro Vice-Chancellors