Developing a dynamic in a learning innovation
| Pages | 90-96 |
| Published date | 01 June 1997 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/09684889710165143 |
| Date | 01 June 1997 |
| Author | Ian Roffe |
| Subject Matter | Education |
Introduction
The higher education sector throughout the
world is beset by increasing pressure on shrink-
ing resources (World Bank, 1994). Almost
everywhere the sector relies on large-scale
government funding, and widespread financial
constraints create the challenge of maintaining
the quality of higher education as education
budgets and the actual expenditure-per-stu-
dent is constrained. In the UK the sector has
been encouraged to develop greater institution-
al differentiation as a potential solution for
underfunding and also as a means of modern-
izing the university sector (King, 1995). At the
same time it has been urged to be more enter-
prising, to serve the needs of larger numbers as
well as different types of participants from
organizations and contemporary society (DES,
1987). This has often resulted in “sameness”
rather than “diversity” between institutions in
the sector according to King (1995, p. 14).
What is becoming apparent is that universi-
ties now operate in a global environment,
competing for students and funds internation-
ally, as well as in the UK, in order to maintain
or increase their share of student numbers. In
this setting, educational marketing assumes
increased importance for universities intent on
developing a distinctive profile. The search for
new student groups and new products has
meant that the term innovation, as a tool of the
educational entrepreneur, has become more
familiar. The reason is that it can serve as a
stimulus to curriculum design, provide a prac-
tical means of achieving a higher financial
return from development work, and is a way for
an institution to maintain a competitive edge in
the academic world.
In this competitive scenario, an innovative
programme enters an environment that has
other potential rivals which are able, willing
and eager to provide replica or adapted pro-
grammes. This educational milieu has four
profound influences on planning, which infer
that continuous quality improvement is an
appropriate method to manage the change
accompanying the learning innovation. First, it
means that the process of innovation has to be
pursued continually and systematically by the
instigator, in order to maintain an advantage
over potential competitors. Second, that all
strategies for exploiting an innovation should
aim to achieve leadership; otherwise they serve
to create an opportunity for the competition.
Third, the easier market entrance strategy for
competitors is to seek new student groups for
their imitation, as opposed to new content
centred development; thus the priority for the
originator should be market development.
90
Quality Assurance in Education
Volume 5 · Number 2 · 1997 · pp. 90–96
© MCB University Press · ISSN 0968-4883
Developing a dynamic
in a learning innovation
Ian Roffe
The author
Ian Roffe is Head of Continuing Education and
Information Management, University of Wales, Lampeter,
Ceredigion, UK.
Abstract
Examines the practical and theoretical issues involved in
starting and sustaining an innovatory learning programme
by analysing the case of screen translation. Considers the
strategic development of programmes as well as student
groups, and discusses the managerial needs and continu-
ous quality improvement involved in maintaining a
dynamic to the learning innovation. Finally, proposes an
adapted curriculum development model to include the
managerial impetus required to maintain innovative
momentum.
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