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DEPARTMENT HEADS AS CHANGE FACILITATORS IN NEBRASKAN TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Abstract
The study explores aspects of the change facilitator role of heads of departments in Nebraskan technical community colleges. The theory is presented in terms of the change process, the communication of innovations, and the stages of concern about an innovation. The computer was used as the example of an innovation to be implemented because of its far reaching consequences in the vocationally orientated technical community colleges. Five research questions were asked. (1) What "structures" existed to assist heads of departments to respond to computer technology? (2) What "interventions" did the heads of departments use to ensure that their departments incorporated computer innovations into curriculum, educational practices, and administration? (3) What were the "levels of concern" of heads of departments about computers? (4) What were the differences and similarities between heads of department in two community colleges on the three dimensions given above? (5) What were the differences between heads of major departments on the three dimensions? Two survey instruments were used to obtain data: the Innovations and Community College Questionnaire (ICCQ) and the Change Facilitators Stages of Concern Questionnaire (CFSoCQ) which were satisfactorily returned by 37 (74%) of the population. A case study based on one community college is included. The study revealed that heads of departments saw advisory committees as key "structures" influencing the introduction of innovations. The initiative of individual instructors was most often listed as the most important "intervention" in the introduction of the innovation, although inservice was seen to be very important. An analysis of "stages of concern" revealed that only 23% of heads of departments were likely to be ready to act as change facilitators with this innovation. Comparisons between colleges and between departments revealed major differences on the three dimensions studied. Suggestions for further study are included in the report.
Subject Area
Community colleges
Recommended Citation
FARY, NORMAN GEORGE, "DEPARTMENT HEADS AS CHANGE FACILITATORS IN NEBRASKAN TECHNICAL COMMUNITY COLLEGES" (1986). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI8620805.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI8620805