Crossing the Chasm

Due to the ongoing trend of increased higher education costs, state and federal strategies have been implemented in an effort to lower students' cost of college. One such strategy gaining nationwide attention is the implementation of open educational resources (OER) to lower the cost of textbooks. This chapter describes how a higher education institution can support and scale the diffusion of OER adoption by presenting a framework based on Everett Rogers's diffusion of innovation theory, with a focus on engaging the “early majority” in this process to sustain the innovation. The development of the framework and a case study of its implementation and evaluation within a community college district are presented to guide other higher education institutions in the scaling of OER adoption. The chapter also considers influences on the framework that constrain, accelerate, or support OER adoption, and presents implications and recommendations based on lessons learned.

Why Is Data So Hard?

Why is it always so complicated to acquire data to assist with making decisions? This chapter will provide some background as to why data is so challenging, specifically with the intent to create empathy for what those who are responsible for data go through on a regular basis. By first understanding the current issues, one can begin to work on solutions. Many books and documentations deal with all of the latest trends in data, but this chapter will attempt to explain the most relevant terms and concepts of the day. After explaining the state of data and all of the intricacies involved, this chapter will propose recommendations for how to create a data-driven culture that will increase ease and efficiency of the use of data for any institution.

“Solve the Big Problems”

Blended learning remains at the top of higher education/technology issues lists despite having been in practice on college and university campuses for 20 years. However, a review of blended learning research literature suggests that innovation in blended learning models has been lacking. This chapter positions innovation in blended learning as a leadership challenge, not merely for the niche concerns of learning technology professionals but as a strategy to fulfill the higher education mission of student success. The chapter authors assert that, while blended learning's very flexibility often curtails its systemic implementation, when undertaken as an institutional leadership challenge, new configurations of blended learning implemented through cross-institutional partnerships hold great promise.

The Use of Emerging Technology Exploration Projects to Guide Instructional Innovation

Purposing emerging technologies for instructional innovation in higher education provides a multitude of challenges for students, instructors, and administrators. Educational leaders, researchers, practitioners, and other stakeholders in higher education often struggle with implementing processes to evaluate technology-based instructional innovation. This chapter details the development, facilitation, and evaluation of projects exploring emerging technologies in order to guide instructional innovation and provide solutions to common teaching and learning challenges. The purpose of these emerging technology exploration projects (ETEPs) is to guide college instructors interested in effectively using emerging technology in their teaching. To that end, this chapter also details opportunities and challenges, as well as potential solutions to these challenges, related to exploring and evaluating instructional innovation through these ETEPs.

Technology-Enabled Innovation for Academic Transformation in Higher Education

This chapter examines the challenges facing U.S. higher education today and profiles universities that are spearheading academic transformation to address these challenges with emerging technology and media. Identifying five technology-powered innovation models (competency-based education, experiential education, student success-centered education, open education, and lifelong education), the author studies institutions that exemplify innovation, and shows how technology has enabled academic transformation that has changed the higher education landscape. These pioneering institutions provide successful models of academic transformation for the higher education industry.

Higher Education Technology Administrators as Relational Leaders

This chapter focused on the key relational leadership practices that are significant to higher education technology leaders now and in the future. The methods employed were a literature review of over 200 publications derived from peer reviewed as well as publicly accessible documents which detailed responsibilities such as job descriptions and position announcements culled from higher education institutions where the titles ranged from technology administrator to vice president of information technology. The analysis showed connections between higher education technology administrators and relational leadership and revealed five central practices. The results of this research benefit higher education technology administrators and the institutions they serve.

Innovation Through Diversity and Inclusion

IT leadership involves technology, but it is mostly about people. This chapter discusses how organizational diversity has a critical impact on innovation and the role of leaders to create an environment where everybody feels a sense of belonging and where all kinds of people can flourish through safety, awareness, hiring, mindsets, and listening. Leaders are sometimes unsure how to achieve a more inclusive culture. This chapter provides research, definitions, details, and actionable recommendations for change so that leaders can create an organization where diverse employees can thrive and innovate for the benefit of the university and its community.

In Search of Footprints of Technology Leadership for Innovation in Strategic Planning

This chapter explores how technology leadership fosters an innovative technology mindset as manifested in Turkish universities' strategic plans which all show a general focus on technology. Using MAXQDA18 for conducting content analysis of these institutions' strategic plans, the study finds significant differences between successful and unsuccessful universities in terms of technology leadership for innovation. It also demonstrates the universities' outcomes as a result of their efforts in technology leadership and innovative mindset with specific regard to the context of emerging markets. Moreover, given that universities play a significant role in economic and societal development, this study offers valuable findings for policymakers, practitioners, and researchers.

Profiling Information and Communication Technologies

Perhaps the most basic decision that educators can make in communicating with students is what communication channel to use. Innovation profiles apply the classic attributes of an innovation—relative advantage, compatibility, complexity, trialability, and observability—to new information and communication technologies to facilitate their successful implementation. Most importantly, as the author demonstrates in applying this concept to distance learning and teaching platforms, technology leaders can analyze technologies a priori to determine potential problems. Profiling the affordances offered by various communication channels will greatly facilitate the work of technology leaders as change agents charged with implementing technologies that confront the numerous challenges facing higher education: retention rates, affordability, and preparing students for the work world.

Scaling Online Education at a Small, Private University

The online education landscape is dominated in higher education by large for-profit institutions and large public universities, but how can a small, private university develop online programs and scale them in such a way as to offer students an excellent learning experience, provide exemplary student support services, and do so with limited resources? This chapter discusses the challenges faced, and solutions deployed, by one such institution as it implemented and grew its portfolio of fully online programs.