Systemic Change Management in Education

Before we adapt e-learning in our education system, one must analyze the systemic change process of the transition from the traditional face-to-face teaching to interactive learner-based e-learning.

In order to develop supportive education systems, all stakeholders must feel that they have some sort of ownership of the shared new education system, so that everyone feels part of this new vision. In order to do this, everyone must achieve this vision and be able to initiate the change the members’ desire. Decisions about the changing beliefs and values about schools and the new system are now to be taking as a group in a wider interconnected global society. Systemic change considers the impact of change on the whole system of both the personal psychological learning (inner) and the social psychological learning (outer). Thus reconnecting the stakeholders and the educational systems involved, system design becomes creative and generative learning process for everyone involved in the process.

In 1977, Ross (as cited in Menchaca, Bischoff, & Dara-Abrams, n.d.) demonstrated a structure for models with inputs going into the central activity box, constraints coming down into the central activity box, and the output coming out of the central activity box. The central activity is the e-learning event, while taking as input the stakeholders as change agents of the e-learning process i.e. administrative management, strategic plans, technology, organizational infrastructure, professional development. In the systemic change in schools; students and staff will also be included as inputs.

The constraints that may limit the process are economic issues, leadership of the system, monitoring of the system etc. Finally, this whole part will form the outputs such as successful students, collaborative work between staff and students etc. This whole process is cyclic i.e. the outputs will be the inputs for the next e-learning cycle.

References:
Menchaca, M., Bischoff, M., & Dara Abrams, B. (n.d.). A Model for Systemic Change Management in Education. Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics, 2(1), 1-6.