Faculty are not opposed to technology; they are inundated by its rapid introduction. Instructors today face numerous digital changes, including new learning platforms, AI policies, assessment tools, cloud systems, security protocols, and various communication channels. From my perspective in campus IT, these changes are constant. I’ve learned that each new tool demands time and energy that many instructors lack. When technology outpaces people’s ability to adapt, frustration increases, confidence diminishes, and everyone—from IT staff to faculty and students—feels the effects.
This article provides insights from observing hundreds of student and faculty transitions, offering strategies for faculty to maintain composure and confidence amidst these changes. In IT, we focus on systems and processes, planning deployments, timelines, and support documentation. Faculty, however, experience a different reality. When a learning platform updates or a new grading system launches, instructors aren’t just updating software; they must also rewrite assignments, redesign courses, relearn interfaces, troubleshoot student issues, and teach simultaneously. Faculty resistance is often due to exhaustion, not change aversion.
Human capacity has limits, and when transitions pile up—whether LMS, video tools, messaging platforms, or new policies—stress builds and confidence wanes. This is known as change fatigue, a significant hurdle in higher education’s evolving landscape. From a campus technology viewpoint, modernization is vital, aiming for tools that are secure, reliable, and accessible. However, prioritizing implementation speed can lead to unintended consequences: faculty revert to familiar tools, workarounds arise before training materials, students face mismatched expectations, and confusion hinders teaching and learning.
Faculty primarily need support that reduces uncertainty and allows them to focus on teaching, not detailed manuals for every step. Successful faculty share five common supports: clear communication, acknowledgment of their expertise, individualized support, safe learning environments, and early successes. Faculty want to know what is changing and what remains the same, when changes occur, their impact on classes and students, and the time required to learn new processes.
Practical strategies for faculty include limiting scope by focusing on one or two new features initially, requesting student view demos, connecting with early adopters, scheduling tech-learning time, using cheat sheets, collaborating with peers, gradually adapting after go-live, monitoring student feedback for workflow issues, and reflecting with colleagues on what works.
Partnerships with IT are crucial. Contrary to perceptions, IT is not on the opposing side; rather, they are close to the systems and can make technology usable faster by understanding faculty needs. Successful transitions occur when faculty and IT maintain communication throughout the process. Faculty should utilize existing support, communicate challenges, share priorities, and view IT as partners, not vendors. Engaging with IT helps tailor resources, focus training, stabilize systems, inform administrators, and smooth future changes.
Original Source: facultyfocus.com
