discussion -higher education

Reflective Essay

Tangela Jones

Week 8 assignment

Reflective Essay

The course has been of help in preparing for the capstone in different ways. The first way is associated with the materials that have been provided. Readings have played an essential role in adding to my knowledge. The capstone has focused on matters that are associated with changes and leadership within the higher education sector. The readings have also provided the same knowledge, and that has played a paramount role. At the same time, the capstone also focused on some of the issues that affect change in education when it comes to the process of ushering in change as well as implementing it (Verhulst & Lambrechts, 2015). The course materials have touched on some of the issues that are faced by people who want to implement change. In this respect, it is evident that the course materials have been of great help in preparing and completing the capstone.

The course has not only provided materials, but it has also provided support from the professors. The course has supported three components that have been essential, and they are lecturers, readings, and resources. The completion of the capstone depended on each of the components, and that is why the course has been of great help in general (Ramos et al. 2015). The assistance of the lecturers and the professors have been evident from the perspective of support advice. They have all been influential in making sure that I follow the right steps, and I get the best support. Preparing for the capstone needs some requirements. Some of the requirements are hard to meet, especially if a person is preparing for the type of capstone in the first time. The input of professors, in this case, has been paramount. The reason why the credit goes to the course is that the professors have been part and parcel of the course.

The two problems that have been evident in the process of preparing for the capstone are the identification of the exact change that needs to be implemented and the identification of the specific strategies that must be utilized in implementing the change. Different problems are facing students in higher education, and selecting the most important problem can be an issue. Change is paramount in any institution that needs transformation but making the best decision in identifying the area that affects most of the students can be a challenge. At times, a problem that is affecting many people might not have the publicity that it deserves. Therefore, one might not know that the students are facing the problem until a good test or investigation is done. The best method of implementing change was also a challenge. The change that was advocated for affected many people, and therefore, there was the essentiality of identifying the most suitable strategy of implementation (Verhulst & Lambrechts, 2015). The capstone focused on a change that would affect the management, and the management has more powers than the students. The influence of the administration affects the process of implementing change, and that means that the implementers of change must be strategic and calculative.

References

Ramos, T. B., Caeiro, S., Van Hoof, B., Lozano, R., Huisingh, D., & Ceulemans, K. (2015). Experiences from the implementation of sustainable development in higher education institutions: Environmental Management for Sustainable Universities. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 3-10.

Verhulst, E., & Lambrechts, W. (2015). Fostering the incorporation of sustainable development `in higher education. Lessons learned from a change management perspective. Journal of Cleaner Production, 106, 189-204.