Before the study delves into describing the two case studies, the authors make sure to explain the theory of disruptive innovation (and how it differs from sustaining innovation), as well as provide a thorough description of work-focused learning. For more information, read the full report here.
A Tale of Two Case Studies
Name: The Ultraversity Project
Began: 2003
Aim for work-focused learning model: To fully implement as part of a new degree program; to develop university staff teaching and working practices toward the new model; to diffuse successful practices across the host institution’s teaching strategies.
Implementation strategy: Set up as a semi-autonomous unit that developed an undergrad degree program with its own marketing, recruitment and enrollment processes, significantly reduced fee structure, and a dedicated staff wholly focused on supporting students online. Included a multidisciplinary team of 24, including tutors, software and technical support staff, and administrators. The staff worked on: assessment portfolio software and customizable, proprietary learning environments; online recruitment and admissions processes; online pedagogical innovations such as ‘hotseat’ experts; an alignment of module requirements, work activities and assessment; development of the role of academic as learning facilitator; and organization of the teaching teams working practices to support the work-focused learning.
Results: At first, the model had success, as measured by student graduation rates; however, graduation rates declined over time, as well as recruitment. Ultraversity attributes this pattern of decline to an institutional reorganization when, from 2006, “Ultraversity was drawn into the main body of its institution where it had to move toward the norm in terms of fees, rules and regulations, and the organization of the teaching team…marketing of the course was [also] absorbed into the existing university marketing, which was targeted at its traditional students recruitment and no longer the unserved customers” suited for the approach, says the study.
Name: The IDIBL (Interdisciplinary Inquiry Based Learning) Project
Began: 2007
Aim for work-focused learning model: To be an institution-wide reform initiative based on taking the work-focused learning approach and creating courses centered on it, to be delivered by faculty of the institution.
Implementation strategy: “The project first developed and validated the IDIBL framework against university quality regulations,” explains the report. “The framework consisted of a generic set of course documentation including a description of the pedagogical approach and a complete set of module descriptions…based on the Ultraversity modules. From this, specific courses could be rapidly developed and validated to meet changing employment demands.” Using this framework, the team then spent four years working collaboratively with self-selected faculty to develop and run pilot courses of their own.
Results: According to the study, IDIBL had little impact in terms of number of faculty choosing to use the model, as well as number of students recruited to the pilot courses (20-30s, rather than 100s). The framework, says IDIBL, was never embraced by the majority of staff as an internal model, the “reaction ranging from interest but uncertainty as to how to engage, to outright hostility,” say the study’s authors. Currently, while the framework’s individual modules have been revalidated, the actual pilot courses derived from it have not (due to the demand for full fees and no marketing budget).
(Next page: 3 reasons why autonomy equals success)
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