Abstract
| Excellence in education can be approached or avoid-ed in a
wide variety
of systemic contexts. Big, system level solu-tions tend to keep
people
busy, divert attention and placate political constituents rather than
amounting
to real change that improves educational quality. Small, doable
solutions
that are created, endorsed, and carried out all by the same people are
an effective alternative. By avoiding frontal attacks on the
system,
and concentrating instead on small, potentially very visible areas
where
noticeable improve-ments can be made with minimal resources, reformers
can make real headway rather than merely getting credit for having
tried.
We suggest that the use of small solutions by individuals throughout our col-leges, from student to college president, is the way to actually achieve excellence in American higher education. |