Merged Theoretical Frameworks for Exploring Lived Experiences of Senior Faculty in Equity-Oriented Change Projects

• In Event: Increasing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in STEM Education

Abstract

Efforts to lead justice, equity, diversity, and inclusivity (JEDI) change in higher education, and in STEM departments in particular, are prone to failure. We argue that these complex efforts entail orchestration of learning, change, and power, and therefore, understanding how change teams function necessitates a combination of theories. Drawing on composited cases, we examine how senior faculty experience change projects in engineering. Using a narrative approach, we report on the experiences of two composite cases and analyze these experiences using theories of learning, change, and power. Our findings suggest that bringing these three theoretical frameworks together helps us develop a more critical and nuanced understanding of the lived experiences of faculty on institutional change leadership teams.

Authors

• Susannah Davis, University of New Mexico

• Nadia Kellam, Arizona State University

• Vanessa Svihla, University of New Mexico