Supporting an institutional blended learning mission through a structured change management programme

Abstract

The University of Hertfordshire was selected as one of nine Pathfinder pilot institutions to develop a new model for strategic change and staff development at a school level to support its institutional blended learning mission. This pilot was built upon ‘Change Academy’, a change management programme run by the Higher Education Academy. The pilot was a great success, resulting in more widespread development of blended learning within, and between, Schools and Faculties. The initial model was subsequently refined and has led to the creation of a programme which has now been extended for its fourth term at Hertfordshire and has influenced new models at a national and institutional level. This paper describes the background to the ‘local’ change management programme, its approach to meet the needs of managers and practitioners in supporting the enhancement of learning through the use of technology, and some outcomes from the programme.