Variations In Experiences Of An Educational Change Initiative: Reflections On A Phenomenographic Study

Author(s):

Patrick Baughan(presenting / submitting)

Conference:

ECER 2011

Network:

22. Research in Higher Education

Format:

Paper

Session Information

22 SES 11 B, Teaching, Learning and Assessment in Higher Education

Paper Session

Time:

2011-09-15

16:45-18:15

Room:

L 202,1 FL., 37

Chair:

Christine Teelken

Contribution

The purpose of this paper is to discuss a recent phenomenographic project, which considered the experiences of a set of eight change agents in their implementation of an organisation-wide, plagiarism prevention initiative, at a UK-based university. The initiative was designed and implemented with the overall aim of promoting better understanding of a range of academic practice and academic conduct issues amongst students and staff of the university, and generate an institution wide ‘culture change’. Planning was guided by literature on plagiarism prevention (Blum, 2009; Carroll, 2007; Stefani & Carroll, 2001) and good assessment practice (Pickford & Brown, 2006). The present study examined the experiences of the change agents who implemented the initiative, focusing on their conceptions of the intended culture change, the central research question being: ‘What variation in experiences of culture change occurred amongst a group of change agents, as a result of their implementation of an organisation-wide initiative?’.

The theoretical framework for the study comprised two existing theories. First, it draws on Trowler’s (2005, 2008) theory of educational change. Trowler argues that much of our knowledge of teaching and learning is derived from research at the micro or macro levels, such that there is a need to focus more at the meso level - understanding teaching and learning schemes in more local contexts. Second, the study was informed by Alvesson’s (1993, 2002) approach to culture change, which advocates that we should view organisations as being made up of ‘multiple cultural configurations’. Drawing on these two theoretical models, it is suggested that in educational change initiatives, greater account needs to be taken of the meso level - cultures and practices in smaller-scale contexts.

Topics of organisational and educational change, as well as theories of, and approaches to change, are relevant to the higher education sector throughout Europe: all of us work are working in a continually changing higher education landscape. It is therefore hoped that this paper will be of relevance to a broad, international audience. During the paper, I would like to discuss the research project itself, but also, more briefly, offer some reflective comments, based on my experiences of using the phenomenographic approach. I am aware of time constraints, and will account for this in giving my paper, should this proposal be accepted. I should also emphasise that broader implications of the research which will be explicitly referred to, and the research will not be considered only in its immediate institutional context.

Method

The change agents were interviewed using the phenomenographic research approach. It is argued that such an approach was appropriate, as it enables the researcher to identify variation in experience of a phenomenon amongst a sample of a given population. Phenomenography assumes that experiences may be depicted by a limited number of qualitatively distinct categories of description (Marton, 1981), whilst the researcher seeks to develop an understanding of the meanings of those categories and how they relate to one another (Entwistle, 1997). Phenomenography is a research approach, as opposed to a method: the study was actually undertaken by a series of interviews, though the construction of those interviews was guided by the phenomenographic approach. My use of phenomenography was informed by a variety of sources, including Marton (1981), Åkerlind (2005) and Cousin (2009). In addition, a published phenomenographic researcher was asked to comment on my draft interview schedule, following which a small number of the questions were amended.

Expected Outcomes

The analysis of data led to the development of four ‘conceptions’ of the initiative. These conceptions show that a full culture change has not yet occurred, but that instances of localised changes have taken place. This initiative, like many others, was designed predominantly through application of a technical rationalist approach, yet whilst it has yielded positive instances of change, no conception reports that full culture change has taken place. Indeed, conceptions reveal that change agents encountered a range of localised issues in undertaking their work. The results raise questions about the suitability of technical rationalist approaches as the dominant informant for educational change initiatives as such approaches provide limited consideration of the different workgroups who are involved in change. Instead, the findings provide support for Trowler’s (2005, 2008) theory, as it invites those who lead these initiatives to account for diversity in local practices and needs. It will be suggested that approaches which acknowledge ground-level diversity in practices (Trowler, 2005, 2008) and cultures (Alvesson, 1993, 2002) are more helpful and meaningful in guiding contemporary change. Additional conclusions will be made about ‘costs and benefits’ of using phenomenography, from the perspective of a first time user of the approach.

References

Åkerlind, G. (2005a) Learning about Phenomenography: Interviewing, data analysis and the qualitative research paradigm. Chapter 6 in: Bowden, J. & Green, P. (eds.) (2005) Doing Developmental Phenomenography, Melbourne, RMIT University Press. Alvesson, M. (1993) Cultural Perspectives on Organisations, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. Alvesson, M. (2002) Understanding Organisational Culture. London, Sage. Blum, S. (2009) My Word! Plagiarism and College Culture, Ithaca/London, Cornell University Press. Carroll, J. (2007) A Handbook for Deterring Plagiarism in Higher Education. Oxford, The Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, second edition. Cousin, G. (2009) Researching Learning in Higher Education: An Introduction to Contemporary Methods and Approaches, London, SEDA & Routledge. Entwistle, N. (1997) Introduction: phenomenography in higher education, Higher Education Research & Development, 16, 127-134. Marton, F. (1981) Phenomenography – describing conceptions of the world around us, Instructional Science, 10, 177-200. Pickford, R., & Brown, S. (2006) Assessing Skills and Practice. London, Routlege. Stefani, L. & Carroll, J. (2001) A Briefing on Plagiarism (Assessment Series No. 10), Learning and Teaching Support Network Generic Guidance. Trowler, P. (2005) A Sociology of Teaching, Learning and Enhancement: improving practices in higher education. Revista de Sociologia, 76, 13-32. Trowler, P. (2008) Cultures and Change in Higher Education: Theories and Practices (Universities into the 21st Century) , USA, Palgrave Macmillan.

Author Information

Patrick Baughan (presenting / submitting)

City University London

Learning Development Centre

London

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