Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Systemic Change in a Higher Education Institution: Inquiring into Organizational and Instructional Transformation

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Systemic Practice and Action Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Changes often occur in organizational systems due to the technology, new methods, new understandings and emerging needs. This study examined the reasons, components, roles of the people involved and results of the systemic change process at a university preparatory department by using a self-initiated, prescriptive, and planned systemic change process. The aim of the study is to investigate how the planned systemic change initiative was processed and implemented. Data were collected over a two-year period. Data sources included documents, field notes based on observations, focus group interviews with alumni, and semi-structured interviews with stakeholders within the institution. Systems and systemic change conceptual frameworks guided the interpretative analysis of data. Findings showed that the system requires powerful reasons for change and there needs to be change in the components of the system such as organization, curriculum, communication and assessment. The analysis also highlighted the crucial role individuals play in the systemic change process. In this systemic change inquiry, a transformational pattern within the organizational and instructional domains emerged. The five main themes that relate to this process were: motivation, standards, structural change, whole school involvement and leadership.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

Notes

  1. We developed this article based on the research we conducted for the doctoral dissertation submitted to the Graduate School of Social Sciences at the Middle East Technical University (İpek 2017).

References

  • Adams KM, Hester PT (2012) Errors in systems approaches. International Journal of System of Systems Engineering 3(3–4):233–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akpur U, Alcı B, Karataş H (2016) Evaluation of the curriculum of English preparatory classes at Yildiz Technical University using CIPP model. Educational Research and Reviews 11(7):466–473

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Akşit N (2007) Educational reform in Turkey. International Journal of Educational Development 27(2):129–137

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Albrecht DL (2015) An exploratory model of ESL program leadership. INTESOL Journal 12(2): 86-107

  • Angrosino M (2007) Doing ethnographic and observational research. Sage, London

  • Banathy BH (1991) Systems design of education: a journey to create the future. Educational Technology Publications. New Jersey, USA

  • Banathy BH (1995) Developing a systems view of education. Educational Technology 35(3):53–57

    Google Scholar 

  • Banathy BH, Jenlink PM (2013) Systems inquiry and its application in education. In: Jonassen DH, Harris P (eds) Handbook of research on educational communications and technology. Erlbaum, Mahwah, 37–57

  • Berends H, Boersma K, Weggeman M (2003) The structuration of organizational learning. Human Relations 56(9):1035–1056

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • British Council (2015) Türkiyede yüksek öğretim kurumlarındaki ingilizce eğitimi. TEPAV. Ankara

  • Cao G, McHugh M (2005) A systemic view of change management and its conceptual underpinnings. Systemic Practice and Action Research 18(5):475-490

  • Creswell JW (2014) Research design: qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods approaches. Sage, USA

  • deSegovia LP, Hardison DM (2009) Implementing education reform: EFL teachers’ perspectives. ELT Journal 63(2):154–162

    Google Scholar 

  • Duffy FM, Chance PL, Reigeluth CM, Watson SL, Adcock A (2010) 2009 AECT international convention committee, division and society reports. TechTrends 54(2):28-39

  • Flood RL (2010) The relationship of ‘systems thinking’ to action research. Systemic Practice and Action Research 23(4):269–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Frick TW, Reigeluth CM (1999) Formative research: A methodology for improving design theories. In C. M. Reigeluth (Ed.), Instructional-Design Theories and Models: A New Paradigm of Instructional Theory (Volume II). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 633–652

  • Fullan M (2000) The return of large-scale reform. Journal of Educational Change 1(1):5–27

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fullan M (2009) Large-scale reform comes of age. Journal of Educatioanal Change 10(2-3):101–113

  • Gergen KJ (1999) An invitation to social construction. Sage, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Gudz NA (2004) Implementing the sustainable development policy at the University of British Columbia: an analysis of the implications for organizational learning. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 5(2):156–168

  • Hall GE, Hord SM (2015) Implementing change: patterns, principles, and polothes. Pearson/Allyn Bacon, Boston

    Google Scholar 

  • Harris A (2010) Leading system transformation. School Leaders Management 30(3):197–207

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hines EM, Moore III J L, Mayes RD, Harris P C, Vega D, Robinson DV, Jackson CE (2017) Making student achievement a priority: the role of school counselors in turnaround schools. Urban Education 55(2):216-237

  • Holmes K, Clement J, Albright J (2013) The complex task of leading educational change in schools. School Leaders Management 33(3):270–283

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • İpek ÖF (2017) Investigation of systemic change at a university preparatory language department: The northview case. (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Ankara, Turkey: Middle East Technical University

  • James M, Card K (2012) Factors contributing to institutions achieving environmental sustainability. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education 13(2):166–176

  • Jenkins B (2009) What it takes to be an instructional leader. Principal 88(3):34–37

  • Jenlink PM, Reigeluth CM, Carr AA, Nelson LM (1996) An expedition for change: facilitating the systemic change process in school districts. TechTrends 41(1):21–30

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Joseph R (2003) Formative research on a design theory to facilitate systemic change in public school districts. (Dissertation). Indiana State University, Missouri, USA

  • Joseph R, Reigeluth CM (2010) The systemic change process in education: a conceptual framework. Contemporary Educational Technology 1(2):97–117

    Google Scholar 

  • Jun L, Liangrong X (2011) A new model in English language teaching in China: the case of Shantou University. Chinese Journal of Applied Linguistiscs 34(3):39–53

    Google Scholar 

  • Karaman AC (2010) Systems thinking for studying international professional program participants’ thoughts. Syst Pract Action Res 23(3):203–220

  • Karip E, Köksal K (1996) Etkili eğitim sistemlerinin geliştirilmesi. Kuram ve Uygulamada Egitim Yönetimi Dergisi 2(2): 245–257

  • Kasa B, Ersöz Y (2016) Pros and cons: compulsory 12 year education reform in Turkey. South African Journal of Education 36(2):1-10

  • Laing K, Todd L (eds) (2015) Theory-based methodology: using theories of change in educational development, research and evaluation. Research Centre for Learning and Teaching, Newcastle University, Newcastle

  • Lincoln YS, Guba EG (1985) Naturalistic inquiry (Vol. 75). Sage, London

  • McKeown J (2016) From “sage on the stage to guide on the side”: a case study of a transition to flipped English language learning in a higher education setting in Turkey. ELT Research Journal 5(2):145-154

  • Mink OG, Mink BP, Downes EA, Owen KQ (1994) Open organizations: A model for effectiveness,renewal, and intelligent change. Jossey-Bass, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  • Mirici IH, Saka FO (2004) Dissemination of a proposed English prepartory class model for the Black Sea region countries through internet. Turkish Online Journal of Distant Education 5(2):33-39

  • Morrison K (1998) Management theories for educational change. Sage, London

  • Naicker SR, Mestry R (2016) Leadership development: a lever for system-wide educational change. South African Journal of Education 36(4):1–12

    Google Scholar 

  • Noriko S (2010) Black ships- the management of change in English language education in a Tokyo elementary school. (Dissertation) International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan

  • Öztürk M (2015) Modular EFL curriculum in higher education: The case of Hacettepe University. IJCIS 4(8):113-128

  • Reigeluth CM (2016) Instructional theory and technology for the new paradigm of education. Revista de Educación a Distancia 50(1):1-17

  • Reigeluth CM, Garfinkle RJ (1994) Systemic Change in Education. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Educational Technology Publications. 

  • Reigeluth C, Watson SL, Watson W (2008) Roles for technology in the information-age paradigm of education: Learning management systems. Educational Technology 48(6):32–39

  • Saldana J (2009) An introduction to codes and coding. The Coding Manual For Qualitative Researchers. Thousands Oaks, CA: Sage

  • Schwandt T (1994) Constructivist, Interpretivist approaches to human inquiry. In: Denzin NK, Lincoln YS (eds) Handbook of qualitative research. Sage, London, 118–137

  • Tanner A (2004) Early implementation of state-level special education systemic change: an exploratory journey into unmapped terrain. (Dissertation). University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

  • Watson SL, Reigeluth C (2008) Learner-centered paradigm of education. Educational Technology 48(5): 42-48

  • Watson WR, Watson SL (2013) Exploding the ivory tower: systemic change for higher education. TechTrends 57(5):42–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webster N, McKechnie JL (1973) Webster's new twentieth century dictionary of the English language. New York, NY: World Publishing Co.

  • Yin RK (2011) Case study research: design and methods. Sage, California 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bolu Abant İzzet Baysal University, Bolu, Turkey

    Ömer Faruk İpek

  2. Middle East Technical University, Ankara, Turkey

    A. Cendel Karaman

Authors
  1. Ömer Faruk İpek
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Cendel Karaman
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ömer Faruk İpek.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

İpek, Ö.F., Karaman, A.C. Systemic Change in a Higher Education Institution: Inquiring into Organizational and Instructional Transformation. Syst Pract Action Res 34, 109–125 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-019-09516-6

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11213-019-09516-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation