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¢ INNOVATION ABSTRACTS x02

C Published by the National Institute for Staff and Organizational Development
With support from the W. K. Kellogg Foundation and Sid W. Richardson Foundation

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DO SWEAT THE SMALL STUFF

We all are facing megaproblems: declining enrollments, increasing rates of curriculum change, changing

character of our students, competition from four-year institutions, uncertain financing--to name only a few. This
note is a relief from all that. Offered in the belief that details can make a difference, the following is just “small
stuff,” generally easy to implement and sometimes even fun. Also--a bonus-all are cheap, and some cost no
money at all.

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Make sure a faculty member knows the reading level of the texts used in class. To ensure that each
instructor knows that level(s), grade-level equivalent scores and/or readability indices can be required on
textbook order forms (without these scores the bookstore will not place the textbook(s) order). To facilitate
faculty completing the readability tests on present or prospective texts, the means should be handy. The
Fry, for example, can use both a small slide rule-like device (about $5) which can be given to every depart-
ment and an easy-to-use piece of software (about $35) which can be made available where microcomputers
are housed. Note that this does not tread on anyone’s prerogative to choose a text; it asks only that a
faculty member know the reading level of the text being ordered.

Incidentally, what texts required in your college’s classes are likely to have the highest reading level?
Answer at the bottom of the reverse side of this page. ;

Work with secretaries to make them more aware of the importance of being nice to students. Secretaries
talk to more students individually in one week than do deans, maybe even more than do some faculty.
Especially at the beginning of a term--when students need information, directions, and reassurance--
student contacts are plentiful. If you’ve ever had a good meal ruined by a surly waitress, you know how a
student can have a day ruined by a sarcastic secretary. To a secretary, students are generally interruptions,
and treating interruptions as welcome is hard. None the less, some of a student's feelings toward a college
can be formed by the response of someone from whom he/she seeks help. To sensitize secretaries to the
needs of students and to the wishes of the college that they be treated well, a short in-service session can
be held prior to the beginning of the academic year. Helpful tips and college support for meeting student
needs can be discussed. For example, one-page campus maps might be provided to the secretaries. They
can use them to draw directions in response to student questions about building and classroom locations;
and the student will have received a fast, accurate, and rather painless response to a problem.

Determine what percentage of your degree-earning graduates complete their programs in two consecutive
years and measure that against the wording in your catalog. If the figure is around 20%--quite normal
these days--does your catalog still refer to two-year programs, two-year degrees? If so, why do you word
your catalog to reflect a time frame appropriate to only a small minority of your students?

Send more memos. Reserve the format of one side of one-half sheet of paper of a pre-determined, particu-
lar color to be used exclusively for ideas about improving instruction. The contents should be pragmatic,
thought-provoking, or both--and short, of course. These mini-memos could be prepared and distributed by
any dean or faculty member.

Conduct mini-in-service workshops at the departmental or divisional level about easily-overlooked teach-
ing techniques. Some examples of workshop topics are:

(a) How to ask questions—Asking questions is a skill. It can be improved by working with such concepts as
the distinction between “coaching” questions, Socratic questions, and rote-answer questions; waiting long
enough for student responses (3-5 seconds, no longer than 7) is also a good short subject. (b) Being more
sensitive to unconscious “put-downs“--When a teacher says, “I’m sure you've read . . .,” what will be the

 

Ao) Program in Community College Education, The University of Texas at Austin, EDB 348, Austin, Texas 78712