Abstract
Outside pressures, largely governmental, are increasingly forcing universities to change, in line with social changes in the environment in which they are embedded. This paper argues how such changes can be achieved in the particular case of the teaching function of universities, and why such changes so frequently fail to be achieved. The argument is based firmly on well established sociological theory, and it is illustrated by a largely successful change, the Enterprise in Higher Education Initiative. The change strategy which is derived from the theory leads to a number of maxims, and it is argued that while obeying these maxims is not a guarantee of success, disobeying them is an almost certain prescription for failure.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REferences
Ashby, E. (1963). Decision Making in the Academic World. In P. Halmos (ed.), Sociological Studies in British University Education. University of Keele.
Ashby, E. (1964). The Scientist as a University President, Interdisciplinary Science Review 9, 205-212.
Ashby, E. (1984). Foreword in Brewer, I M. Learning More and Teaching Less. Guildford: SRHE.
Benne, K.D. & Chin, R. (1969). General Strategies for Effecting Changes in Human Systems. In W.G. Bennis, K.D. Benne & R. Chin (eds.), The Planning of Change, 2nd edn. New York: Holt Rinehart.
Berg, B. & Östergren (1977). Innovations and Innovation Processes in Higher Education. Stockholm: UHE.
Berg, B. & Östergren (1978). Innovation Processes in Higher Education, Studies in Higher Education 4, 261-268.
Biggs, C. et al. (1994). Thematic Evaluation of EHEI. Sheffield: Employment Department, Research Series No 38.
Birnbaum, R. (1988). How Colleges Work: The Cybernetics of Academic Organisation and Leadership. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Birnbaum, R. (1989). The Cybernetic Institution: Toward an Integration of Governance Theories, Higher Education 18, 239-253.
Boud, D. (1986). Learning from Workshop Activities: Extending the Theoretical Base. In P. Cryer (ed.), Training Activities for Teachers in Higher Education. Guildford: SRHE.
Clark, B.R. (1983). The Higher Education System. Berkeley: University of California Press.
Cohen, M.D. & Marsh, J.G. (1986). Leadership and Ambiguity: The American College President, 2nd edn. New York: McGraw Hill.
Coldstream, P. (1998). Innovation Must not Be Sacrificed, Times Higher Education Supplement, 20 February, p. 16.
Cryer, P. (1983). Materials for Academic Staff Development: A Study of an Innovation. PhD thesis, University of Surrey, unpublished.
Cryer, P. & Elton, L. (1990). Catastrophe Theory: A Unified Model for Educational Change, Studies in Higher Education 15, 75-86.
Elton, L. (1981). Can Universities Change? Studies in Higher Education 6, 23-33.
Elton, L. (1984). Workshop Training: Is There a Theoretical Basis? In P. Cryer (ed.), Training Activities for Teachers in Higher Education. Guildford: SRHE.
Elton, L. (1987). UGC Resource Allocation and the Assessment of Teaching Quality, Higher Education Review 19, 9-17.
Elton, L. (1996). Task Differentiation in Universities: Towards a New Collegiality, Tertiary Education and Management 2, 138-145.
Elton, L. & Cryer, P. (1994). Quality and Change in Higher Education, Innovative Higher Education 18, 205-220.
Fullan, M.G. & Stiegelbauer, S. (1991). The New Meaning of Educational Change. London: Cassell.
Handy, C. (1984). Education for Management Outside Business. In S. Goodlad (ed.), Education for the Professions. Guildford: SRHE & NFER-Nelson.
Jarrett Committee (1985). Report of the Steering Committee for Efficiency Studies in Universities. London: CVCP.
Jones, P. & Lewis, J. (1991). Implementing a Strategy of Change in Higher Education, Studies in Higher Education 16, 51-61.
Laurillard, D. (1993). Rethinking University Teaching. London: Routledge.
Lewin, K. (1952). Field Theory in Social Science. London: Tavistock.
Lewin, K. (1961). Quasi-stationary Social Equilibria and the Problem of Permanent Change. In W.G. Bennis, K.D. Benne & R. Chin (eds.), The Planning of Change, 1st edn. New York: Holt Rinehart.
Lockwood, G. (1987). The Management of Universities. In T. Becher (ed.), British Higher Education. London: Allen & Unwin.
McNay, I. (1997). The Impact of the Research Assessment Exercise on Institutional and Individual Behaviour in English Higher Education. Bristol: HEFCE, M 5/97.
Middlehurst, R. and Elton, L. (1992). Leadership and Management in Higher Education, Studies in Higher Education 17, 251-264.
Pollitt, C. (1987). The Politics of Performance Assessment: Lessons for Higher Education, Studies in Higher Education 12, 87-98.
Rogers, E. (1967). Diffusion of Innovations. New York: Free Press.
Schein, E.H. (1972). Professional Education. The Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, New York: McGraw Hill.
Senge, P.M. (1990). The Fifth Dimension. London: Random House.
Thorpe, D. (1983). De-institutionalisation and Justice. In A. Morris and H. Giles (eds.), Providing Criminal Justice for Children. London: Arnold.
Tutt, N. (1985). The Unintended Consequences of Integration, Educational and Child Psychology 2, 30-38.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Elton, L. New Ways of Learning in Higher Education: Managing the Change. Tertiary Education and Management 5, 207–225 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018773506442
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1018773506442