There had been a new president at McMaster University two years ago who wrote to all staff about his future vision and the need to change teaching practice in response to the changing agenda. This includes students needs today, evolving technology, online education / blended and the need for research productivity. All these do mean there is some risk with change.

There are some key stages in responsible risk taking:

1. Desire the onus to change
2. Knowledge current theory and ethical issues
3. Understanding the consequences
4. Collaboration and co-operation

BUT public sector entrepreneurs face increased scrutiny.

The importance of culture is also key to change so issues around complexity, basic values and assumptions, behaviour under threat and resistance, persistence of existing culture and strategy and the need to have an evolving style of change. Change is messy but this can be good. The outcomes are often uncertain but emerge during the process.

There are helpful strategies to change such as having a critical mass of champions, linking objectives to goals, allowing others to define the path and different climates and subcultures. Resistance however is linked to striving to minimise loss and people will work harder to minimise loss rather than work for gains.

The presenters undertook a study to assess appetite for risk and change, what the perceived barriers were and enablers. This was through an anonymous online survey across a sample of faulty there were 80 in the sample and the response rate was 47 (59%).

The data showed that of this sample most taught 3-4 course a year but many (more than 50%) taught 8 courses. The class size varied from 50 – 200 students. When asked about teaching approaches most (94%) said their most used approach was lectures. However 80% had made a change to their teaching approach in the last three years and 60% had thought about making a change but had not. Most were comfortable with the idea of making the change but needed time and access to pedagogical research to undertake this. 66% said they were not encouraged to make changes and 72% felt that change had risk attached and their primary concern was so what if this did not work?

It is acknowledged this study was small but the findings were valuable to gain some insight and, alongside the literature was used to develop a series of strategies that could be used to facilitate a culture of responsible risk-taking at the institution. These include ensure the vision is clear, there are champions and junior and senior staff mentor each other.