The New Year inspires dreams of transformation—new habits, better routines, and fresh goals. But here’s the catch: change is hard. While 76% of Americans make New Year’s resolutions, only 6% stick with them, according to a Forbes survey. Why do so many fall short? It’s not for lack of effort or good intentions—it’s because meaningful, long-term change requires more than a simple decision; it demands a deeper understanding of why we resist change.
I see this struggle every day in education. Teachers want to improve their practice because their current approach isn’t delivering the outcomes they want for their students or themselves. Yet, even with the best intentions, making real and lasting changes in how we teach can feel daunting, if not impossible. That’s where the Immunity to Change Model, developed by Robert Kegan and Lisa Lahey, can be extremely helpful. It offers educators the tools to understand why change is hard and confront the beliefs and assumptions that may prevent meaningful change.
Technical vs. Adaptive Change
In our newest book, Elevating Educational Design with AI: Making Learning Accessible, Inclusive, and Equitable, Dr. Novak and I explore the critical difference between solving technical problems and making the deeper, more transformative shifts required for adaptive change. Technical problems or challenges have straightforward solutions that can be implemented quickly. For example, a teacher may struggle to use a new technology tool the district has purchased. The solution could involve the teachers attending a training session, working with colleagues in a PLC, or watching a series of how-to videos on YouTube.
By contrast, adaptive change is complex and often ambiguous, demanding shifts in mindset, values, and behaviors. Unlike technical fixes, the solutions to adaptive challenges require new learning, experimentation, and collaboration—and they take time to implement. For example, a teacher transitioning from a lecture-based approach to a student-centered model of lesson design must do more than adopt new instructional strategies. They must fundamentally rethink their role in the classroom and their beliefs about how students learn best.
🔧 Technical Challenges
The problem is clear.
The solution is easy to identify and can be implemented quickly.
It requires adjustments in skills, tools, resources, or processes to address.
Does not usually require a change in underlying beliefs.
🧠 Adaptive Change
The problem is complex and unclear at first.
The solution may be ambiguous or challenging to implement.
It requires an evaluation of our assumptions and a willingness to learn and grow.
It involves discomfort and challenges our existing beliefs and assumptions.
UDL, Blended Learning & Advancing AI All Require Adaptive Change
As the world beyond our classrooms evolves, so do the needs of our students. The populations of learners we serve are becoming increasingly diverse. Our teaching practices must also evolve to prepare students for a rapidly changing and interconnected world.
We cannot equip students to thrive in a dynamic future by confining them to the role of passive observers, listening to lectures and mimicking skills. Instead, students must actively engage in exploration, collaboration, critical thinking, and creation. These experiences not only develop essential life skills but also honor the diversity of learners by giving them opportunities to contribute, connect, and grow in areas that align with their individual strengths, interests, and needs.
This is why Universal Design for Learning, blended learning, and advancing AI are critical. They provide the frameworks and tools that empower educators to meet the needs of all students while cultivating the skills needed for success beyond school. However, making these shifts requires more than adopting new strategies; it requires a fundamental shift in mindset and approach, which is why adaptive change is at the heart of this work. These shifts in practice require teachers to re-evaluate their roles, relationships, values, behaviors, and approaches to this work.
Dr. Novak and I describe what these roles, relationships, values, behaviors, and approaches to this work look like before and after the adaptive change.
Before Adaptive Change
Roles: Teachers are the primary source of information and direct the learning experience.
Relationships: The teacher-student relationship is hierarchical, with the teacher possessing the power in the classroom and directing the lesson.
Values: Teaching methods are uniform, focusing on information transfer, content coverage, and standardized assessments.
Behaviors: Teachers focus on covering the curriculum and leading all parts of the learning experience to ensure students comply with expectations and complete the work assigned.
Approaches to Work: One-size-fits-all approach to lesson design and facilitation.
Necessary Shifts
Roles: Teachers are facilitators, guiding and supporting learning and fostering inquiry, exploration, meaning-making, and collaboration.
Relationships: The teacher and student are partners in the learning process, working together to set goals, make meaning, and co-create learning experiences.
Values: Teaching methods focus on individual student needs and choices, valuing flexible methods, materials, and assessments.
Behaviors: Teachers backward design learning to identify clear learning outcomes and use UDL and the strategic use of technology to provide equitable learning experiences responsive to student needs.
Approaches to Work: Focus on providing flexible learning pathways to accommodate students’ paces and learning needs.
The world has changed dramatically in the last 10 to 20 years. Information is everywhere, accessible from any device, and AI is reshaping how we find, interact with, and make sense of it. These seismic shifts in how we access and process information demand equally significant shifts in how we teach. So, the question becomes: How do we achieve adaptive change that truly lasts?
Immunity to Change Model
The Immunity to Change Model helps us understand why change is so challenging, even when the stakes are high. It reveals the hidden forces—our assumptions, fears, and unexamined beliefs—that create a kind of “psychological immune system.” This system works to protect us from discomfort, but in doing so, it can block the very changes we want to make.
For educators, these competing commitments might include deeply ingrained beliefs about what teaching should look like, fears about relinquishing control in the classroom, or assumptions about student abilities. By identifying and challenging these hidden forces, we can dismantle our internal resistance and unlock the potential for meaningful, lasting change.
5 Steps of the Immunity to Change Model
Step 1: Commit to a change goal. What would you like to change in your current approach to your work?
Step 2: Identify the behavior[s] you need to change. What are you currently doing that needs to change for you to achieve your professional goal?
Step 3: Uncover your hidden competing commitments. What is holding you back from making this change?
Step 4: Tease out your big assumptions. What do you believe about teaching and learning that may stand in the way of you making this change? Why do you hold these beliefs?
Step 5: Test your assumptions. What can you implement in your classroom to test an assumption? What data can you collect (e.g., student feedback or informal assessment data) to measure the impact of implementation?
The Immunity to Change Model doesn’t offer quick fixes. Instead, it provides a roadmap for reflective inquiry, helping us uncover the root causes of our resistance and take intentional steps toward growth. When applied to education, it has the power to transform not only how we teach but also how we view ourselves as educators in an ever-evolving world.
Putting the Immunity to Change Model into Practice
Now that you’ve explored the five steps of the Immunity to Change Model, it’s time to take action. Change isn’t easy, but by committing to this reflective process, you can uncover the hidden barriers holding you back and begin making meaningful progress.
To get started, I challenge you to set a professional goal for the year—something that will elevate your teaching practice or improve outcomes for your students. Once you’ve identified that goal, walk through each step of the model with honesty and curiosity. Here’s how:
- Identify Your Goal
Choose a goal that excites you and aligns with your vision for teaching and learning. Be specific. For example, “I want to create a more student-centered classroom where my students lead discussions and take ownership of their learning.” - Recognize Current Behaviors
Reflect on the behaviors or patterns that might be keeping you from achieving this goal. Be honest with yourself: What are you doing (or not doing) that might be working against this change? - Uncover Your Competing Commitments
Consider what might feel like a risk if you are fully committed to your goal. For example, “If I let students lead, I might lose control of the classroom.” These competing commitments often operate beneath the surface, so it takes time to uncover them. - Surface Your Big Assumptions
Dig deeper into the assumptions driving those competing commitments. What beliefs might be holding you back? For example, “If I’m not in control, students won’t learn as effectively.” Write these down—they’re key to unlocking real change. - Test and Challenge Your Assumptions
Identify small, safe ways to test these assumptions in your practice. For instance, try letting students facilitate part of a discussion and observe what happens. Reflect on the outcomes and whether your assumption still holds true.
Embracing Your Role as Lead Learning: A Commitment to Growth
As you work through these steps, remember that change takes time. The Immunity to Change Model isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress. By surfacing your hidden resistance and challenging your assumptions, you’ll develop the clarity and confidence to make lasting changes in your practice.
So, set your goal, trust the process, and give yourself grace as you navigate this journey. Your students—and your professional growth—will thank you for it.
Need Support Elevating Your Design?
If you’re ready to dive deeper into this work and explore how Universal Design for Learning, blended learning, and advancing AI can help you design accessible, inclusive, and equitable lessons, check out my newest book, Elevating Educational Design with AI: Making Learning Accessible, Inclusive, and Equitable. Co-authored with Dr. Novak, this book is packed with practical strategies, real-world examples, and the mindset shifts educators need to embrace adaptive change and thrive in today’s dynamic classrooms.
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