1. Chapter Six: The Student Journey: Taking the First Steps.
- Author
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Luck, Jo, McConachie, Jeanne, and Jones, David
- Subjects
EDUCATIONAL programs ,COLLEGE students ,LEARNING ,UNIVERSITIES & colleges - Abstract
This chapter describes the design and discusses the proposed implementation of the Student Learning Journey Project (SLJP). This innovation, initiated by senior management, aims to support tertiary students in their journey to succeed at a regional university in Australia. The vision has been created using a top-down or teleological design methodology based on the assumptions that not only can senior management set objectives in the strategic plan but also lead the University to achieve pre-determined goals. In other words, it is possible for an organisation to identify its vision and for the staff to be influenced to own that vision. Therefore managers and staff will be "purpose driven" to achieve the identified outcomes. However, this approach may not sufficiently address the social reality of people, information systems and organisational culture. To break down the barriers created by this problem, one of the SLJP's aims is to create a sense of ownership in the university community through combining strong leadership from above and from the use of bottom-up strategies that encourage ownership by staff at all levels. The focus of the chapter is to describe two of the critical success factors (CSFs) that have been identified for this innovative project. Many other initiatives at the University have not made the move from planning to being implemented. The main difference between the previous failed initiatives and the SLJP is that this project has identified and attempted to address CSFs. The initial two CSFs relevant to this study are: achieving a common vision through strong leadership; and successfully managing change by gaining ownership and commitment of staff. Therefore both factors relate to teleological and ateleological design concepts. However achieving the identified outcomes from the SLFP may not be just a question of establishing "success factors" but also whether they are contextualised appropriately within the organisational culture. The chapter is the first step in a longitudinal study of the SLIP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2006