Balancing a change management process: A case study of how to approach curriculum change in higher education

As part of a research project on possible future directions for problem-based learning (PBL) in a digital age, experiments are made to develop a flipped and integrated semester at a BSc engineering programme in Media Technology. The aim of the experimental research is to create a curriculum structure that integrates courses, student projects, and digital resources. This paper investigates how to approach the development of a new semester design with an active involvement of the teachers in the process. In the specific experiment, a planned organizational change management process, based on action research was established to develop a new semester concept and facilitate the teachers’ development process, in co-creation with the research team. This process, however, was too far from the existing collaboration culture, and too time demanding for the teacher team. A change in the managing approach was made; a bricolage approach 'doing things with what is at hand' was integrated in the change management process. To illustrate this management process, the data is gathered during the development process, as well as during the first parts of the 2019 spring semester. The empirical data body is consolidated through summaries from development meetings, interviews with teachers, and surveys with student participants. The balance between a planned management approach and an emergent ad hoc management approach, showed to become essential for working with the project goals of creating a flipped and integrated semester.