Presentation for the online, open and flexible higher education conference Oct 2018 hosted by EADTU #OOFHEC2018

1. Implementing a module of strategic
intent to lead change in online learning
in higher education
Dr Margaret Korosec
10th October 2018
The Online, Open and Flexible Higher Education Conference
OOFHEC2018

2. Objectives
Identify online learning portfolio in one
institution
Relate example of online design and
development to your own institution
Assess strategic intent as approach to
leading change in online learning
Design how strategic intent might shift your
leadership approach

3. University of
Derby Online
Learning
Performance
Student number growth
+98% increase
1,798 2011-12
3,567 Feb 2018
Non-UK student growth
+86% increase
2012 to 2017
Employability
96.4% 2015-16
Annual Retention
95.8% 2018
TEF
All UDOL programmes
Gold or Silver ranking
Conversion ratio
80% 2016-17 to
87% 2017-18
Good Honours
62% 2017
Student engagement
in formal feedback
3% 2013 to 24% 2017
Graduate Employability
82.9% 2015-16

4. Industry
Relevant
Recognition

5. Online
Learning
Portfolio
MOOCs
Course
Tasters
Short
Courses
Apprenticeships
UG Study
PG Study
derby.ac.uk/online
Institutional
strategy

6. Strategic
Framework
https://www.derby.ac.uk/about/strategic-framework/

7. Strategic
Intent
Boisot (1995b) described strategic intent as an optimal
approach to strategy within a context of environmental
turbulence. His model “operationalizes the concept of
learning at the strategic level” (Boisot, 1995a:42).
Hamel & Prahalad (1989) describe successful organisations
as having an obsessive approach to winning that “invariably
began with ambitions that were out of all proportion to
their resources and capabilities…We term this obsession
‘strategic intent’.”

8. Strategic
Intent
A basic illustration of how gimbals work (Source: LucasVB / Wikipedia)

9. Lead change
through
collaborative
design and
development

10. Build
alliances with
change
facilitators

11. Managers
• Looking for highly efficient
courses meeting learning
objectives to solve business
needs
• B2B opportunities
Life-long learners
• Often older and not very tech
savvy, so in need of support and
clear navigation
• Want more freedom to explore
Part-time students
• Need flexible options
• Are often already employed and
therefore have a lot of
experience to share
Global
• Use case studies that appeal to a
wide audience
• Awareness of cultural
differences and communication
styles
Align
strategy with
design
principles

12. Managers
• Looking for highly efficient
courses meeting learning
objectives to solve business
needs
• B2B opportunities
Life-long learners
• Often older and not very tech
savvy, so in need of support and
clear navigation
• Want more freedom to explore
Part-time students
• Need flexible options
• Are often already employed and
therefore have a lot of
experience to share
Global
• Use case studies that appeal to a
wide audience
• Awareness of cultural
differences and communication
styles
Personas
for online
learning

13. Strategic
Framework
https://www.derby.ac.uk/about/strategic-framework/

14. Objectives
in review
Identify online learning portfolio in one
institution
Relate example of online design and
development to your own institution
Assess strategic intent as approach to
leading change in online learning
Design how strategic intent might shift your
leadership approach

15. References
Boisot, M. (1995a) Information Space: A framework for learning in
organizations, institutions and culture. London: Routledge.
Boisot, M. (1995b) Preparing for turbulence: the changing relationship between
strategy and management development in the learning organization, in Barratt,
B. (ed), Developing Strategic Thought: Rediscovering the art of direction-giving.
London: McGraw Hill International (UK).
Hamel, G. & Prahalad, C. K. (1989) Strategic Intent (cover story). Harvard
Business Review, 67(3), 63-78.
Korosec, M. (2017) A case study of change facilitators for technology-enhanced
learning in relation to one university’s strategic intent. PhD Thesis, University of
Hull.

16. Thank you
Contact:
Dr Margaret Korosec
Head of Digital & Enterprise Learning Solutions
University of Derby Online Learning
@mdkorosec
m.korosec@derby.ac.uk
https://www.derby.ac.uk/online/