6: Finding Key Faculty to Influence Change

Abstract

To succeed in getting faculty to accept new teaching approaches, academic support professionals can benefit from the literature on planned change. By understanding the different rates at which faculty accept change, we can also identify the faculty most likely to lead their colleagues to accepting new approaches. Opinion leaders can offer insight into faculty reactions to new approaches; their involvement in project planning can influence acceptance. Innovators, when selected carefully, can demonstrate and test new teaching approaches. Knowledge of when and how to involve these two kinds of faculty can reduce frustration and enhance efforts to spread new ideas about teaching and learning.

Scholarly development of clinician faculty using evidence-based medicine as an organizing theme

“…The selection of key faculty opinion leaders as teachers in this faculty development program component was an important strategy (Rogers, 1995;Middendorf, 2000). Our teaching team included a professional medical educator experienced in faculty development and adult learning strategies (LMR), a family physician/researcher committed to an evidencedbased approach to clinical practice (KLS), and a research methodologist experienced in teaching critical appraisal (AVN).…”

Table of Contents

“…Change agents can analyze their faculty groups according to the rate of acceptance for change and assign priorities and allocate resources most effectively (Middendorf, 2000). Innovators and early acceptors are open to change and will experiment with new ideas.…”

“…Latecomers are a difficult group to reach despite the investment of resources to work with them. By examining innovators and early acceptors more carefully, however, change agents can identify opinion leaders and acceptable innovators, two subgroups who can influence the willingness of the majority to accept change (Middendorf, 2000).…”

“…These faculty can provide a vital network to facilitate change. They may be viewed as making careful judgments and good decisions as they observe the work of the innovators to identify strengths and then observe latecomers to learn about an idea's limitations (Middendorf, 2000). Once the opinion leaders are identified, it is critical to involve them in planning and implementing the new or revised curriculum.…”

“…Opinion leaders also are important sources of information, because they fully understand and know the needs of their peers. Their reactions and responses to change can help identify the information that is needed to provide to others as well as the main concerns that should be addressed (Middendorf, 2000).…”