This document summarizes a case study on the University of Derby's expansion of online degree programs from 2001 to 2019. It discusses how the university initially offered some online courses in 2001 and kept online development in-house in 2011. By 2018, the university made a bold investment to significantly expand its online degree portfolio. It is now working to shift academic practices to include more online teaching and develop processes to support future online learning. The expansion has led to positive impacts, with over 500 students and 64 academics involved. The presentation examines how the changes facilitated sense-making within the organization as academics adapted to new experiences and collaborated in online course design.

1. Sensitivity:Internal
Tenacious Transformation:
An Institutional Case Study
of Sense-making in Online
Development
Dr Margaret Korosec
Head of Digital & Enterprise Learning
#WCOL2019 Dublin

2. Sensitivity:Internal
University of Derby Online Learning
2001
University of
Derby began
online, distance
programmes.
2011
Decision to keep
online
development in
house as
specialist unit
rather than
outsource.
2018
Bold investment
to expand degree
portfolio to
include campus-
owned online
programmes.
2019
Coaching to shift
campus
academic
practice to online
and co-creating
organisational
process for the
future.

3. Sensitivity:Internal

4. Sensitivity:Internal
Tenacious - adjective
1. Tending to keep a firm hold of something;
clinging or adhering closely
1.1 Not readily relinquishing a position,
principle, or course of action,
determined.
1.2 Persisting in existence not easily
dispelled.
Source: https://www.lexico.com/en/definition/tenacious

5. Sensitivity:Internal
Why expand our online portfolio?
University strategic framework + Investment bid
Serve students who would not otherwise consider HE
Intentional learning design for student engagement
Pedagogic research and continuous improvement model
Lead change through collaborative design and development
Threshold concepts leads to ambassadors

6. Sensitivity:Internal
Impact of expansion
1
5
18
64
97
500+
Vice Chancellor
Colleges
Programmes
Academics
Online Modules
# Student
impacted both
online and on
campus as result
of online design
and development

7. Sensitivity:Internal
Sense-making

8. Sensitivity:Internal
“Online is out of the comfort zone of many …
Whilst it is a challenge, it is also exciting and I
feel I am more inclusive in the classroom as a
consequence.”
Programme Leader Master of Public Health
College of Health and Social Care
Making sense through new experiences

9. Sensitivity:Internal
“After induction into learning design and after
authoring several units in a module, I feel I have
found my online voice.”
Lecturer in Pre-Qualifying Health Care
College of Health and Social Care
Making sense through collaboration

10. Sensitivity:Internal
This Photo by Unknow n Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

11. Sensitivity:Internal
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.
Mantere, S. (2005) Strategic practices as enablers and disablers of
championing activity. Strategic Organization, 3(2), 157-184.
Weick, K. E. (1995) Sensemaking in organizations. Thousand Oaks: SAGE
Publications.
Weick, K. E. (2009a) Making sense of the organization. Chichester: Wiley.
Weick, K. E. & Sutcliffe, K. M. (2015) Managing the unexpected: Sustained
performance in a complex world, 3rd edition [eBook]. San Francisco: Jossey-
Bass Inc.
References