Making Change Theory Work for You

This workshop will provide an opportunity to learn about the use of change theory in STEM higher educational change. This workshop will be relevant to participants who are new to change theory and those who have previously used change theory to inform their work. Project teams are encouraged to attend together. A change theory is a framework of ideas, supported by evidence, that explains some aspect of how or why change occurs. Change theory relevant to higher education comes from diverse disciplines, including K12 and higher education, organizational management, and organizational psychology, and it can be hard to know what theories might be useful for a project. The workshop will aid participants in distinguishing between a theory of change and change theories, and the role each can play in reform initiatives. Drawing on a recent review, we will consider change theories commonly used in STEM higher educational change, limitations of the existing research base, and promising avenues for the future. For example, most projects in STEM higher education have relied on change theories focused on individual change, with little attention to the system in which individuals work. Additionally, change theory can be used superficially, resulting in missed opportunities to both leverage and contribute to our collective knowledge about how to achieve change. Participants will collaborate to learn about change theories that are new to them, using the ASCN collection of change theory summaries (https://ascnhighered.org/ASCN/change_theories/index.html). Participants will have the chance to apply multiple change theories as distinct lenses to consider their own work in systemic change. Finally, participants will be invited to reflect on what resources and events could support their learning about and use of change theory in the future, as well as ways they could lead the field in leveraging change theory to advance reform in STEM higher education.