Leadership Team concerns/strategies….. ‘Community College Teaching’ – YouTube Channel

  1. Must have buy-in from entire leadership team. The key is how the initiative is presented. It helps to start with a list of issues/problems that prevent success rates from being higher. Once the list is comprised, start back at top and ask what is being done in each item on the list. From this discussion, come up with possible solutions to each thing that is preventing students from completing the course. Already knowing the best strategies makes it easier to direct these discussions to the desired outcome.
  1. Use the financial benefits of increased retention/ completion to obtain buy-in from CFO and President.
  1. Seek buy-in from key faculty; ones committed to student learningand the mission of the CC.
  1. Simplicity of requirement (constant improvement based on data) eliminates any logical opposition, as this is the basic requirement of a ‘professional’ in any field.
  1. One non-negotiable aspect is to ‘do nothing’ in response to issues affecting student success. This would be a major breach of academic integrity, as it effects the ability of students to successfully complete their academic goals. 100% participation is required.
  1. Let data do majority of work for you. Too many folks put too much emphasis on talking and convincing.
  1. Resistance is a part of change. Let folks know that although this phase may be part of change, the objective is to shorten this phase as much as possible. This will require a committed effort of the entire leadership team at the College to continuously reinforce this is something that is here to stay!
  1. Momentum built w/ holistic approach (multiple best strategies…’dynamic dozen’) implemented at-scale (100% participation). Buy-in is not required for participation; much of this will come later as faculty see increases in student learning, satisfaction, and persistence. Should have buy-in from entire leadership team and top faculty, many of which are already utilizing high-impact active-learning strategies and are always looking for ways to inspire and facilitate learning with a diverse group of students….which is why they are the top faculty.
  1. Highlight those top faculty already using active, student-centered instructional strategies that support deep learning, critical thinking, problem solving, and communication skills. Buy-in from this group will be immediate, while others will buy-in once they realize the significant increases in student learning/success do not require the lowering of standards. For those faculty, participation is crucial to eventual buy-in.
  1. Must have a system to address the most resistant of faculty. The most effective strategy is to make the training requirement contingent upon how far they are from the standards set (increased number of implemented strategies, class observations, and submission of action plan further up the chain, etc). Travel limited to faculty implementing strategies in the classroom.
  1. “Say what you mean and mean what you say, without being mean saying it!” First objective is for faculty to DO something in response to data. Once they make any improvement at all, provide enthusiastic encouragement which acknowledges effort, not results.
  1. Action plans must be submitted by all faculty, with more extensive plans for those needing the most improvement based on data. There must be evidence of implementation of these plans at the end of the year. “Scorecards” and action plans are attached to their annual performance evaluations. Faculty are NOT evaluated on results of course evaluations or success rates; they evaluate themselves by developing an action plan for improvement.
  1. Must provide transparent data. Divisional members are given data from everyone in their division, along with divisional and college averages. Each division can access the overall divisional data from other divisions. Rankings are provided for all top ten enrollment courses and for all faculty on course eval response rates.