Disruption, destruction, construction or transformation? The challenges of implementing a university wide strategic approach to connecting in an open world

The University of Greenwich embarked on an innovative and ambitious strategic process to implement an institution-wide vision for learning innovation. At the heart of this vision was an aspiration to enhance the connectedness of learners at a curricula and teaching and learning level. Critical to its success was the use of learner generated and produced content, shared openly through social media. This paper seeks to explore and understand the resistances and challenges of implementing the openness agenda of Greenwich Connect in the first year, and reflect more widely on the issues that impacted on the success of the initiative in achieving its goals. We argue that whilst many of the activities and projects that were part of the implementation of Greenwich Connect change were perceived as disruptors and destructors, the development of these digital age practices and skills resulted in transformative and constructive enhancements in teaching, learning and assessment.