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[1st Used Online: Members Only & FridayLive
April 11 & 18, 2008 2pm Eastern
Steven W. Gilbert, Lisa
Star, Stephen C. Ehrmann, Sally Gilbert, The TLT
Group & MANY MORE!]
10?
Principles
Examples
Definition (brief)
"Small
Steps" are low-risk actions or initiatives that require few resources and can be done
quickly by a few people. [Low-risk both for the leader/presenters AND
for the participants.] Initially, Small Steps have impact only on a few
offices, departments or other institutional units. However, the long-term cumulative
impact of many small steps - and occasionally of just one
small step - can be huge. Context
matters: a small step for one person can be a big step for another. ...More...
(Definition, Rationale, Intro)
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Options - Structural
a. Just this once...
Small step intended only to begin something; not necessary to commit
to further steps
b. Sequence
Part of a series of small increments that requires participating in
several steps in order within the sequence to gain something
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Options - Purpose
a. Why? - Motivation
b. Why? - Raising awareness of topic, issue, resource, ...
c. How? - To do something that requires only a few steps
d. How to get started: Introducing resources
Purpose
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Understand
and clarify benefits and weaknesses of the "Small Steps" strategies
a. Small Steps that can be justified by small benefits that result
almost immediately.
b. Small Steps that can be justified by long-term, large-scale, or
cumulative benefits.
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Collect, exchange examples
and opinions.
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Help
develop, improve 10 (approx.) principles/recommendations for successful "Small Steps."
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Engage
participants in continuing this work in subsequent online events and
elsewhere.
Intended
Audience: faculty development, IT,
other academic support professionals;
faculty members
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Plans 1 & 2, A & B*
for FridayLive! Sessions
Session 2
4/18/2008 2pm ET
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Review
Definition, Rationale
including
the role of Context (SteveG, SallyG)
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Examples:
Demonstrating the advantages (and sometimes
the necessity) of Small Steps: Two
Successful(?) Examples of Student Technology
Assistant Programs
A. Began with no funding, VERY small steps
(Dakota Wesleyan U.);
B. Began with substantial planning and
funding (So. Dakota State U.)
(Lisa Star - who has been directly
responsible for launching two successful STA
programs)
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"See one,
do one, teach one." Well-known
principle from/for medical education.
(Joanne Clemente, Dominican College)
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Rationale
for Chief Academic Officers (VP Academic
Affairs, Provosts, Other Top Administrators):
"Why Our Institution Should Invest
Substantial Resources in Support of Small
Steps" (SteveE)
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"How to Build Consensus Regarding Technology
Implementation on a University Campus: Start
Small" (Charles Ansorge, U. Neb.-Lincoln)
Selecting a course management system at a
major Research I university was successfully
achieved by identifying a small group of
faculty members who shared a common interest
and watched their dream turn into a
reality. Starting small works. Really!
Confirming counter-example:
top-down effort to implement Lotus Notes
Discussion/Interaction: Have you ever
been directly involved in an initiative that
was important to YOU that began with Small
Steps and that grew much bigger within a few
years?
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Yes and I'd enjoy describing this
example
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Yes but I don't have time to describe it
now
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No
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Explain/discuss a few
more
Examples
of "Small Steps"
(SteveE & Individual Members who "volunteer";
e.g., Mike Dabney, Kim Conley, Chuck
Ansorge, Phil Long,
...)
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Review
available resources
(SteveG)
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Discuss
Principles, Recommendations - solicit more
of each. Focus
discussion on a few of the Principles that
seem most in need of clarifying, changing,
eliminating, or adding (based on survey
results). (SteveG, et al.)
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Update on
related activities. Discuss
(invent?) how
participants can continue this focus
on Small Steps ( E.G., volunteer to describe
a meaningful and/or provocative example in
future online session - FRLV May 2! (SteveG &
ensemble)
AFTERTHOUGHTS
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Begin with
this eClip:
"Baby
Steps" -
YouTube audio clip from movie "What About
Bob?";
http://youtube.com/watch?v=WsUaQUW-Az0
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"Many
Swords, Many Stones - Why I Believe in Small
Steps," - helping more people
more publicly advocate what they really know
really works - and give it more legitimacy (SteveG)
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[Plan B -
Vote on "10?
Principles for Successful "Small
Steps" and use
a few of the
Interaction-Discussion Questions
(SteveG)]
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Session 1
4/11/2008 2pm ET
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Interaction -
Discussion Questions
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What is "big" and what is "small"? How
can we easily recognize and agree on the
differences?
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What are some examples of "big" projects or
programs that
need to be "big"? What are some
examples of "small steps" that need to be
small?
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Can we respect grand projects while adapting
their ideas to work on a small scale?
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Can we respectfully ask: "How small a portion
of a course could be converted to reflect
and honor your 'big' approach and still
achieve some of the benefits you advocate
and seek?" [Can
"traditional" courses be converted to
hybrid or online courses in small steps?
How?]
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What would result from institutional leaders
embracing a "small steps" strategy?\
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Where is this "Small Step" approach already
being used, encouraged, supported? How?
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In what ways is "Small Steps" closely
related to the medical education model of
"See one, do one, teach one"? "See one" (a
demonstration), "Do one" (practice it), and
then "Teach one" (show another colleague)?
[Extra credit: Find the original
source of this sentence: "See one, do
one, teach one."]
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How is this approach now being discouraged,
ignored, undermined, opposed?
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What are key elements needed and missing for
supporting or advancing this approach?
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What are 10(?) principles for effective
"Small Step" strategies?
From Charles
Ansorge, 4/9/2008:
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Thinking big versus thinking small; where do
you stand?
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What strategy is most likely to affect
change on a college campus?
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How many big projects on campuses have made
a difference and how many have resulted in a
report on a shelf or in a file cabinet that
have been ignored because the promoter of
the project no longer is employed by the
college or university?
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Does career experience affect strategy for
implementing change?
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eClip(s) and Other Resources
Digital Archive of TLTG "Members Only"
Preparatory Conversation about Small Steps
4/9/2008
Rationale for
Small Steps Strategy
Examples of
"Small Steps"
What Helps, Hinders Successful Small Steps
(incl.
10 principles for successful "Small
Steps")
A quick sample of "Think Small" activities
selected from the
Website "Innovation Ideas from POD Participants
- Formerly the Bright Idea Award"
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Todd Zakrajsek's "The 5-minute Workshop"
(2003)
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Susan Marnell Weaver's "Just In Time
Bookmarks" (2006)
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Phyllis Blumberg's "Weekly Teaching Tip"
(2000)
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Donna M. Qualters' "Chalk Talk: Dear Jonas"
(2001)
Compassionate Pioneers & Compassionate
Pioneering
Micro-Credit: See, for example, "Nobel
Peace Prize Goes to Micro-Loan Pioneers," by
Stefan Lovgren for National Geographic News,
October 13, 2006
"Small
Steps: Improving the health, safety,
and well-being of America," U.S. Department of
Health & Human Services; HHS.gov
Survey results so far (must have Flashlight
Online account and appropriate permission to
open this Web page)
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