Helen Burnhburn@highline.edu

How/Why do Departments Organize Around Innovation

Janet Ray, Professor Emeritus, Seattle Central Conmunity College

Helen Burn, Highline Community College

Think-Share

How do innovative ideas move from idea to reality in your department?

For example, think of a past experience where a department member(s) wanted to try something new. Describe how things progressed.

Helpful Theory

Things that are institutionalized provide frameworks or constraints for organizational activity

Examples in our context:   

 

Tenure

Organizing the curriculum by disciplines

Prestige hierarchy of the disciplines

Faculty control over curriculum

Concern for diversity

Use of textbooks in math courses

The algebra curriculum

General education

Departmental culture

Reframing Organizations: Artistry, Choice, and

Leadership, 3rd Ed., Bolman & Deal, 2003

Use multiple lenses (frames) to get a sense of your departmental or college culture and what you’re up against and what you might do.

Structural –Rational, bureaucratic. Emphasizes goals, formal roles rules, and relationships.

Human Resource – Department as extended family. Emphasizes collegiality, individual needs, feelings.

Political – Coalitions form around interests. Conflict is normal and typical. Department members negotiate, compete for power or resources.

Symbolic- Propelled by image, rituals, ceremonies, stories, heroes, and inspiration, less by rules, policies, and managerial authority.

Effects of Different Departmental Culture of Faculty Reasoning about Course Transfer of Reform College

Algebra

Three cases:

• Real World College – Structural/Human Resource

• City Center Campus of Urban Community College-Political/Symbolic

• Metropolitan Community College – Structural/Political

27 semi-structured interviews with mathematics faculty in three different community college mathematics department

Reframing for Change

StructuralLoss of clarity and stability; confusion, chaos

Communicating, realigning, and renegotiating formal patterns and policies

Human ResourceAnxiety, uncertainty; people feel incompetent and needy

Training to develop new skills; participation and involvement; psychological support

PoliticalDisempowerment; conflict between winners and losers

Create arenas where issues can be renegotiated and new coalitions formed

Frame Barriers to Change Essential Strategies

SymbolicLoss of meaning and purpose; clinging to the past

Create transition rituals; mourn the past, celebrate the future

Janet Ray

Helen Burnhburn@highline.edu