Pedagogy without Borders: New Frontiers of Teaching and Technology

Digital transformation (DT) is often perceived as a technological challenge, but what it is really about is effective leadership and change management. Successful DT requires empowering people to adapt, thrive, and lead while riding the post-secondary merry-go-round of digital uncertainty. This talk reframes digital transformation as a fundamentally human endeavour, focusing on the pivotal role of culture, leadership, and care for individuals while undertaking institutionally necessary DT.

Post-secondary institutions are traditionally heavy investors in technology, believing that tools and platforms can deliver transformation. However, many initiatives falter not due to technological shortcomings but because they fail to address human stakeholder needs. Education stakeholders are many and can include staff, faculty, students, administrators, and external partners who must learn and re-learn the use of new technologies. Concerns about change, lack of alignment with strategic goals, and insufficient communication can be tremendous barriers to the success of DT initiatives. This presentation explores strategies for overcoming these barriers and consultative, collaborative methods for putting people first.

The importance of ongoing support, clear communication, and iterative feedback loops to ensure long-term success for DT initiatives will be explored. Participants will leave with actionable frameworks for embedding change management principles into their DT work, ensuring these efforts resonate deeply with teaching and learning stakeholders. By shifting the narrative from technology-first to humans-first, this session highlights the power of supporting people to be technology transformers.