In
order to gain cooperation during the development of online collaborative teams
and learning communities, instructors need to incrementally address change with
students by reinforcing and supporting learning activities (Dirkx et al.,
2004). Incremental integration of
desired changes improves learners' acceptance of change. Accepting change is critical to completely
integrating new knowledge/information.
"Refreezing"
(Dirkx et al., 2004, p. 43) learners' new behaviors brought about by the
desired changes then invokes a new culture that can support such learning
processes as seen in collaborative learning teams. Such teams fall short of embracing change
because of the "lack of instructor or management support for change;
internal conflict for resources; recognition and rewards, organizational overconfidence,
lack of critical reflection skills, and the lack of commitment to change"
(Dirkx et al., 2004, p. 45).
AIPPG.com (2011) also reported on Lewin's Change Theory: "one’s
behavior is related both to one’s personal characteristics and to the social
situation in which one finds oneself" (par. 1). Lewin's concepts included: (1)
driving forces, which push
in a direction that causes change to occur, facilitate change because they push the person in the
desired direction, and cause a shift in the equilibrium towards change, (2) restraining
forces, which counter driving forces, hinder change because they push the person in the
opposite direction, and cause a shift in the equilibrium
which opposes change, and (3) an equilibrium,
which is a state of being where
driving forces equal restraining forces and no change occurs, and can be raised
or lowered by changes that occur
between the driving and restraining forces.
(par. 2)
AIPPG.com (2004) Lewin's
change theory includes three stages: the first stage is unfreezing, which is the process which involves finding a method of
making it possible for people to
let go of an old pattern that was counterproductive in some way, is necessary to overcome the strains of Individual
resistance and group conformity,
and can be achieved by the use of three methods
(increase the driving forces that
direct behavior away from the existing situation or status quo, decrease the restraining forces that negatively affect the
movement from the existing equilibrium, and finding
a combination of the two methods listed above).
The second stage is moving to a new level or changing…involving a
process of change in thoughts, feeling, behavior, or all three, that is in some way more liberating or more
productive. The third stage is refreezing,
which establishes the change as a new habit, so that it now becomes the 'standard operating procedure'; without this
stage of refreezing, it is easy to go back to the old ways. (par. 2)
Successfully applying Lewin's
change theory requires analyzing the driving and restraining forces before a
planned change is implemented. The implication
of Lewin's Change Theory for teaching adults online could include a school's
preadmission department assessing an online student's technical and writing
skills. Online learners must have the
prerequisite skills required for working within a school's online platform. New learners successfully meeting the skills
criteria can begin an online class, and incrementally be given assignments to
increase the number of technical and writing skills required for the current
and future classes. By carefully
monitoring issues new online students are having, and giving them additional
tools if needed, the restraining forces decrease, and the SOP becomes the norm.
Kritsonis (2004) presents additional change
theories: Lippitt’s Phases of Change Theory,
which posits that "changes are more likely to be stable if they
spread to neighboring systems or to sub-parts of the system immediately
affected, and changes are better rooted" (p. 1). For example, online students frequently have
to join in an online class forum. Being
given an assignment that provides students with an opportunity to discuss
problems occurring with web searches, all students can learn from each other
and the instructor about how to solve those problems. The new skills learned in how to solve those
problems then become the normal and accepted manner.
Prochaska and DiClemente’s Change Theory
posits that "people pass through a series of stages when
change occurs, and the stages discussed in their change theory are: precontemplation,
contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance" (Kritsonis, 2004, p.
2). Because progressing through these phases is cyclical, not linear, learners
relapse during their efforts to change, and must cycle through the process
sometimes repeatedly (Kritsonis, 2004). Online students who are assigned work teams
all have different skillsets for working collaboratively. A team leader typically emerges, and others
begin to follow new processes required of the team as assignments are designed
and submitted. A good team (as monitored
by the instructor) assists each other through trouble spots such as with
writing, researching, or technical issues.
Some members will achieve completing assignments due to the new
advice/processes, and others will not.
Those who do not can be assisted further, patiently, and be given
different advice or tools to work through until success is achieved.
The Social Cognitive Theory presents that "individuals
can learn by direct experiences, human dialogue and interaction, and
observation. This theory proposes that behavior
change is affected by environmental influences, personal factors, and
attributes of the behavior itself" (Kritsonis, 2004, p. 4). Since learners must exhibit a degree of self-efficacy,
be confident in their ability to exhibit the required behavior, and know there
is an applicable incentive to perform, such theory can be used by an instructor
when an online team must use an online social software program to complete an
assignment. Such a program could be a
wiki or blog. As the team works on
developing and using such a program to complete an assignment, all team members
observe, interact, and discuss within the program how the project is
progressing.
The Theory of Reasoned Action and Planned Behavior,
which posits that a learner's performance of an assigned behavior is ruled
by the learner's positive intention to carry out the behavior (Kritsonis, 2004). This theory also includes the influence from
the learner's social environment. The
change theories often make rational sense but can side-track learning progress
if learners' feelings,
attitudes, past input, and experiences are not considered (Kritsonis, 2004). Disregarding such elements causes resistance. Instructors and learners must continue to
strive together as technology and cultural issues emerge if change is to be
recognized as a much needed part of online learning.
References:
AIPPG.com (2011). Change theory: Kurt Lewin. Retrieved from http://currentnursing.com/nursing_theory/change_theory.html
Dirkx, J., Gilley, J., & Gilley, M.A. (2004). Change theory in CPE and HRD:
Toward
a holistic view of learning and change in work. Advances in Developing Human
Resources, 6(1), 35-51.
Retrieved from ProQuest Education Journals.
Kritsonis, A. (2004-2005). Comparison of change theories. International Journal Of Scholarly Academic Intellectual Diversity, 8(1), 1-7. Retrieved from http://www.nationalforum.com/
Electronic%20Journal%20Volumes/Kritsonis%2C%20Alicia%20Comparison%20of%20Change%20Theories.pdf
