This resource is based on a presentation made by Sheila Fitzgerald between 20 – 30 September 2004. Sheila showcased EnCompass, an online tool to help organisations develop a plan to introduce online learning.

EnCompass provides a good starting point for engaging with middle and senior managers in the planning stages of implementing online learning. Particularly on themes such as

• Vision and planning
• Developing organisational capability
• Developing staff
• Connecting with learners
• Developing content.

Encompass was created to fill a gap seen in available support materials for organisations implementing elearning and to help them take a “whole of organisation” approach.  It can be customised easily and the instructions on how to do it are within the encompass resource itself.  You can order a free CD ROM version of enCompass from TAFE frontiers until June 2005 at http://www.tafefrontiers.com.au/pd/webtools.html. After that, EnCompass can be accessed via the TAFE VC at http://www.tafevc.com.au/

One participant said in their experience the most important first step is developing a vision for flexible learning (or e-learning) which includes:

• a full understanding of the needs and expectations of the learners the initiative/ strategy is going to service
• your motives for adopting flexible learning
• the strategic benefits your organisation is expecting to get from the initiative
• the scope of the products and services to be included
• a description of what success will look like with appropriate, measurable outcomes

Once these decisions have been made the organisation can then decide the organisational capability required to achieve the goals, the level of resources to be applied and the underpinning infrastructure, processes and systems required.

Q&A with Sheila:

Q: Could enCompass help with Change Management?

A:  enCompass has been used in a variety of ways. It has been used:

• as a set of resources by managers and other staff working independently
• in professional development and planning activities by managers (and other staff) working together to produce an implementation plan for flexible learning or specifically e-learning
• as a discussion starter for departmental planning (for example, at the end of each issues paper there are a series of questions which are very helpful as discussion starters)

Q:  How much can you influence by just making changes in your immediate area of leadership and how can this influence others in the organisation?

A:  No matter what our role in the organisation we can do two things:

1. we can make the learning experience and outcome better for the learners
2. we can influence the practice of others.

My strategy was to work hard with the group of people within my direct sphere by:

• supporting them
• encouraging them
• providing resources when I could
• celebrating successes
• engaging them in the process of change
• seeking and using their ideas and advice.

I tried to influence others by:

• Setting up inter-department, school, division, campus (whatever level you are at) sharing sessions. Make them practical and personal. Maybe it’s a session about the flexible learning strategies being used, delivery to 15-19 year olds etc. Something which is pressing to all parties.
• Creating opportunities for anyone to be involved making it easy for them to do so.
• Setting up cross functional teams to work on a task.
• Making sure there can be both short term and long term “wins”.
• Finding fun ways to get people to try new ideas. TAFE frontiers has used fun online activities like Wine online, the Virtual Car Rally and Flexible Games to get people to try something they have not experienced before.
• Making opportunities to talk about the changes you are making in terms of improving outcomes for learners. If you can demonstrate that what you do makes it better for learners you will often get more buy-in from VET staff.
• Focusing on the solutions rather than the problems.
• Celebrating the wins, large or small.
• Making sure the reward and recognition approaches give positive reinforcement for the principles of FISH (if that is what is being used). It is interesting to see how often we reward individuals in an environment where we are encouraged to work in teams!

This started a conversation about change management

Other Comments:

The sections of enCompass most useful for change management are Vision and Planning and Developing Organisational Capability.

See the attached document (Planning Checklist) for a checklist for implementing flexible learning. It views the process from many different perspectives and considers many aspects of change management. 

I remember reading an article from the USA about individuals who were seen as excellent Principals and Teachers. One of the common characteristics was that they were trying to make their organisation the best place it could be for students. One example they gave was about a Principal who asked staff to describe the sort of learning environments they wanted their own children to experience. The parents were very clear about what sort of place that would be. The Principal then asked them why the school they were employed in would be any less than that. The point that was made was that each person was responsible for their own actions in making it the sort of school that they would want their own children to attend.

There is a trend to leadership which is more about people, more "humanising." These approaches will become even more significant as younger people move into staff roles.

The intangible parts of our organisations (human capital, relational capital and structural capital) are not being considered in a systematic way and we are not getting the best value out of them. It's about people!

Suggested change management links
Approaches to Change Management for Flexible Learning quick guide http://flexiblelearning.net.au/guides/change.pdf

Strategic Change Management Tips to improve the Performance of Your Organisation http://www.changeperform.com.au/change_management_tips.html

Visit www.fishphilosophy.com. FISH has been gathering momentum world wide and has four basic principles to boost morale and improve results.

Suggested books
Fish! Tales: Real-Life Stories to Help You Transform Your Workplace and Your Life by Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul, John Christensen, Philip Strand.

Encouraging the Heart: A Leader's Guide to Rewarding and Recognizing Others by James M. Kouzes and Barry Z. Posner.

Sheila is the Executive Director of TAFE Frontiers in Victoria