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Saturday, 9 July 2011

Dealing with Resistant Teachers

Another great module in the Open Educational Resources (OER) Commons. And this one is right on the money, describing 5 archetypes during change: trailblazers, pioneers, settlers, resisters (I often call these the "yes-but!ers"), and saboteurs. The names may vary from theory to theory, but the basic principles remain the same. 

A major lesson comes already in the introduction: "Resisters (...) are simply satisfied with the status quo and see no reason to change their thinking or strategies for doing things. (...) the principal must provide opportunities for resisters to see the advantages of technology implementation (...). The danger of course, is to neglect resisters for fear they join the forces of the fifth group of actors, the saboteurs."

Key reasons for resistance:
  1. don't have the adequate skills to use Web2.0 technology --> feeling of inadequacy; fear of being shown to be incompetent
  2. not yet convinced of the value or benefits of technology --> lack of awareness of the need to change; doubt
  3. concerns about technology replacing faculty --> fear of becoming redundant (loss of job, status, ...)
See also this post on causes of resistance to change, and this one on how to avoid resistance.

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