Creating a Culture Where Innovation Thrives

Getting people to try new things can be hard, especially when you’re working with faculty who are often time poor, have varying levels of digital literacy and, in some cases, are averse to change. 

To succeed in getting faculty to experiment with new technology or pedagogy, first the campus culture must support it, according to two teaching and learning experts. Group problem-solving, shared values, bottom-up leadership and empowering faculty to fail are all part of an environment where innovation can thrive, they said. 

The most recent episode of The Key, Inside Higher Ed’s news and analysis podcast, features a discussion with Maricel Lawrence, the innovation catalyst at Purdue Global, and Kevin Yee, special assistant to the provost for AI and director of the teaching center at the University of Central Florida, about how they work with faculty to use AI and experiment with new teaching environments. 

Moderated by Inside Higher Ed’s Colleen Flaherty, senior editor for special content, the conversation was recorded in June at Digital Universities in Salt Lake City.