Videos to teach Counseling

Universities 21 is published by the University Professionals of Illinois

Mitch Vogel,
President

Mary Ann Schwartz
Editor

Technological change in higher education is a popular topic in academe today. Issues for faculty are at the forefront of the discussion while an area less focused on is the effect the changes have on the support staff faculty have relied on for decades. The traditional role of a faculty secretary requires modification as emerging technology permeate the world of support staff.

Faculty members are moving swiftly in to interactive classrooms, requiring a change in the preparation of instructional materials. The simple task of typing an exam has moved from typing and mimeograph reproduction to personal computers on every desk, laser printers and digital network connected photocopiers in each office. Courses are being delivered in multimedia classrooms and electronic communication between faculty and student is increasingly prevalent.

The speed at which these changes are being implemented is cause for concern among support staff and the unions who represent classified employees. Due to swift advancements in the equipment and programming, individuals cannot jump into cyberspace without a vehicle for transportation. Therefore, training for skill development and advancement must be implemented.

The goals of the employee, the employer and the union representative must be one - to provide the most efficient, effective support for faculty - to provide the best service to the customer, the student. This lofty but essential task, must bring the three entities together to find options and solutions to provide simple, effective access to trainin g for staff. All three entities must assume responsibility in assisting the faculty in the cr eation of their classroom materials when converting from the traditional chalkboard and over head projector to the multimedia and online interaction with students.

Employers must be open to change and skill acquisition; employers must accept the responsibility of training staff and providing necessary tools; and the unions must prepare to negotiate agreements to protect the employees while maintaining the overall goals of all three groups to support the classroom instructor and serve the students. This collaborative effort results in improved marketability of the educational product and the faculty and staff as productive, updated employees.

CHANGES

in Technology in the Academic Office and Classroom

In a short time-span, the equipment used in the academic office has been upgraded numerous times. The typing of exams for mass production has moved from mimeograph paper and razor blades to word processing programs with grammar checking and automated format tolls with the copies produced on digital copy machines with online setup. The accomplished secretary can produce a document and multiple copies without leaving the desk. The classroom instructional materials such as overhead projection films were frequently hand written. That improvement nearly replaced the chalkboard, but today's classroom are equipped with multimedia technology requiring customized graphics and visuals.

All these materials are used to provide a learning environment expected by the technologically advanced students entering the higher education market today. Students arrive on our campuses with a higher base knowledge of technology than ever before, accustomed to learning in an interactive electronic setting. To meet the demands of the students, the instructor must attempt to incorporate the available media into the classroom. With the fast-paced nature of the advancements, assistance will be needed from the support staff in order to provide the essential materials necessary to continue providing the curriculum with the modern delivery systems.

Support staff from the traditional departmental faculty secretary to the more professional technical staff in the radio and television studios, must keep pace with the latest technology available if they are to provide the level of service expected by those they assist. The World Wide Web [www] is now used to deliver complete classes, to research the latest information, and to communicate with the students. Satellite electronics is used to transmit courses to classrooms in neighboring towns as well as around the world. Students may be sitting in the same room with the instructor, while their counterparts may be in still another state or country taking part in the same lecture at the same time. Distance learning and the advancements in technology which make all this possible bring with it changes for the support staff. Students and faculty now converse vi a electronic communication replacing some of the traditional office visits and/or telepho ne contacts. However, change does not always result in less work.. It often results in just a different form of work to be completed. The faculty have not stopped communication with the student outside the classroom; it is just less face-to-face. [Lister, 1997,1 -2]

These advances result in changes in the method and level of support provided by the classified staff employee to assist the classroom teachers. The staff must be versed in the technical vocabulary and programs which the faculty wish to employ. Most higher education institutions have an academic computing department available to answer daily questions. Technical personnel, or one of the academic departments in the business of teaching technology advancements, provide training or question/answer support for the end-user. However, limitations on the number of people and time often result in trained classified staff either sharing their knowledge with the instructors, or producing the required material for the instructors. Too often this training is accomplished as on-the-job, piecemeal learning. The skills are not acquired in toto. The knowledge needed at the moment is acquired in order to get the job at hand completed, but acquiring all the skills available to gain proficiency proves more productive in the long run. Expectations are met when faculty rely on support staff. Now, in the fast-paced world of high tech education, support staff require more training time and advancement opportunities to keep pace with the changing methods used to meet employment expectations. [Vogel, 1996, 1-7]

EQUIPMENT

and Training

Moving from keypunch machines to data -entry terminals to personal computers and local area networks seem to happen overnight. Support staff often haphazardly acquired the skills necessary to operate the new machinery to continue producing what was requested, but gained little expertise. The uniformity once existing in academic offices is gone. Options today are as varied as the colors in the spectrum. Employees must be provided with needed hardware and software to do the job expected. The physical equipment must be sufficient in speed, size and convenience. The support staff end-user should be consulted when purchases are made to ensure ability to operate equipment safely and effectively. [Ball & Kezema, 1998, 1-4]

Software packages vary from discipline to discipline. Therefore not only the support staff, but the faculty they assist must be involved in determining what is needed to perform the require work. Word processing programs, spreadsheets, communications and graphics packages should be furnished to ensure the products provided to the support staff result in the ability to yield the services faculty desire. As newer versions of the programs become available, upgrades may be necessary to keep pace with changing technology.

once the equipment and programs are installed, the support staff must receive adequate training to utilize the technology efficiently and effectively. Training may take various forms. Off-site professional training, classroom instruction, training manuals for reference, one-on-one training from professional staff, and/or peer or self-training can be utilized. The pace and method of training delivery must match the skills and abilities of the staff member. Customized options make the entire process expedient and effective. Of primary concern is support staff being given the time necessary to acquire the skills require to produce the materials desired by the faculty. Time can be a determining factor when management makes decisions about the level of support provided, but options that make the learning phase easy, fast, and enjoyable for all parties should be employed. [Brookfield, 1986, 26]

COLLECTIVELY

Bargaining the Changes in the Workplace

Three entities are involved in the collective bargaining process - the employer, the union representative, and the employees. Each workplace partner has a role to play in the decision-making process regarding technological changes. The employer is concerned with the quantity and quality of production. The employer will be responsible for supplying the financial support for training and equipment and needs to make skill acquisition attractive. The employee must accept change and encompass the learning process to improve the services provided to the faculty and the employer. The union representative's function is to protect the employee while assisting management in delivering a high-tech product. [Vogel, 1996, 23-24]

THE

Employer Role

The employer's financial status can be a stumbling block for some departments or schools, especially smaller units. However, the smaller offices and institutions must find the means to keep pace with the technological advancements occurring in higher education. The employer will need to provide funding for training expenses, both for instruction and for the employee's time; for additional equipment needed to produce the desired materials; and operational costs once systems are acquired. The largest expense appears to be the compensation to the employee for the training time. Long-range planning should included financing the costs of providing promotional and advancement incentives to the employees who take advantage of opportunities to acquire technological skills to provide more effective support services. [AFT,. 1996, 1-5]

THE

Union Role

The well-organized union can provide so much more than mere mediation between the employer and the employee. Many organized labor unions provide training programs which can be utilized by the employer and employee to acquire skills at a relatively low cost. In addition, if the union represents a varied constituency, other represented employees can be called upon to teach or customize the training program. The leaders in the organization can pool resources to assist in the role of educating the employees. In reality, larger unions have training programs in place to assist employees.

A unique communication link exists be= tween the union and the employee to present the idea of acquiring vital skills needed to meet technological challenges. The union can then relate the needs of the employee group to management. The union's primary function is to protect the employee in the workplace and to protect employee rights. The union wants to ensure ergonomic safety while encouraging employees to actively embrace new technology and skills acquisition. [AFT, 1996, 1-8]

The union can accomplish its goal of improving the quality of work-life of employees they represent in a variety of ways. Many methods can be employed to encourage employees. The negotiated contract can provide for compensation for training program costs including training time and related expenses, such as travel and materials. Salary increases in the form of promotional opportunities with advanced skills and/or incremental salary increases in the form of professional advancement would be welcome incentives to encourage willing participation in new training programs. Employees are more likely to participate in a training program which can be accomplished during the normal work day.

Equipment access and acquisition are a concern for the employee who has the skills but does not have convenient and appropriate hardware to utilize their skills. Collective bargaining can be the vehicle used to deliver fair and equitable distribution of equipment.=20 Another stepping stone to be maneuvered is the time it takes to become trained.=20 Contractual language outlining appropriate levels of training time - whether it is self-paced or classroom setting - provides a safety net for both the employer and the employee. [AFT, 1996, 7-10]

THE

Employee Role

Humans are naturally resistant to change due to the "unknown" factor. There is a comfort zone in "doing it the way we always have." But technology is changing daily and that will not stop because individuals choose not to embrace change. The higher education support staff employee must accept the fact that higher education is a leader in technological change. The individual must be willing to accept necessary changes to improve the end product. A new attitude needs to be adopted to become part of the world wide web orchestra. [Winning, 1997, 1]the responsibility for taking advantage of a variety of training falls to the employee. Whether a traditional class is scheduled, a workshop is available, or someone is willing to teach one-on0one, the employee must be willing to learn and take advantage of opportunity when it knocks. Once knowledge is acquired, the employee should share that knowledge with colleagues. This may entail instructing faculty in the use of software programs or the operation of equipment in the electronic classroom. A tree of many branches more effectively produces an umbrella to provide training to all. Once skills are acquired in equipment operation, the individual can then instruct the faculty and other staff in proper operations. [Brown & Reich, 1997, 7]

in addition to providing basic instruction, the trained employee can also serve as a peer advisor or trainer in the areas of expertise acquired through employer provided training.=20 While a fellow employee is working to become trained in the same skills, they can rely on personnel already trained to provide clarification and assistance. This peer counseling should be encouraged and welcomed by all, as it meets the overall goal of all the parties. [Voos, Horton, & Moeser, 1998, 1]

While some faculty members are expert= s in technological advancements which they expect support staff to learn, others are less versed in the lingo and use of the equipment and systems. The support staff may be called upon to teach the teacher. This scenario frequently occurs is the use of electronic communications. The support members adapt quickly to this tool due to the high volume use in every day interoffice communication. The more complex, yet job enhancing features of the email system are picked up quickly out of sheer repetition and necessity. The skills in which the support staff are proficient should be taught to the faculty to enhance their use of the same systems.

As the end-user of support programs a= nd equipment such as standard office equipment [which is almost an oxymoron in today's fast-changing workplace], the support staff must make needs known to the employer. Two avenues exist for this purpose in a unionized setting. First, the employee can work through the chain of command to inform the supervisors and administrators of the need for training and/or equipment. Secondly, the union representative can combine the needs of the individual with the needs of the group to present a comprehensive plan for the employer for addressing training. [Schuler, 1996, 200-250]

CHANGING

Roles and Marketability

As introduced in the three roles outlined, each of the partners assumes some change in the traditional roles they are comfortable playing. With the overall goal of producing the best product available at the forefront, all three take on some attributes of the others. For the educational product to be the most marketable in today's society of high technology, all three accept change and embrace the new knowledge acquisition. Collaboration results in improved marketability. [Combs, 1978, 9]

The employer gains the obvious - the attraction and retention of the top students seeking higher education. Their employees are better trained in the latest technology and can be marketable as a "happening" faculty and staff. Without the student, the faculty, staff and institution lose their necessity.

The employee becomes more marketable in the higher education arena, as well as other fields, with the skills acquired from the technology training. Once a skill has been mastered, the benefits to the employee are endless. Cross-training and common training of classified employees results in the employee's ability to transfer within the workplace, promote within classification lines, advance to higher levels in the system, and to possibly move into the ranks of professional positions in the higher education arena. Employees who keep up-to-date and pursue technical training find themselves in demand for higher paying job opportunities.

The union representative can move from being viewed as an adversary of the employer to one of mediator, partner, and mentor to both the employee and employer. The union is more marketable within organized labor when they can capitalize on the advancements of employees they represent. By touting their achievements, the union presents a more attractive picture to prospective employee groups seeking representation. [Voos, Horton, & Moesser, 1996, 1]

CONSIDERING

the Learner

the majority of higher education support staff are adult women with many roles to play in their daily lives. Therefore, the training must be convenient and simple. A humanistic approach to the training should be employed to achieve the desired results. "Humanistic Education is a commitment to education and practice in which all facets of the teaching-learning process give major emphasis to the freedom, value, worth, dignity, and integrity of persons." [Combs, 1978, 9-10] The humanistic approach combines the ideals introduced: developing the program around the learner's needs and skill levels; facilitation of self-actualization; stresses the acquisition of basic skills for working in a multifaceted academic world; personalizes educational decisions and practices including the user in the planning and implementation stages; takes advantage of the individual's needs for self improvement; develops a challenging nonthreatening, and incentive-based learning environment. [Combs, 1978, 12]

VARIED

and Unique Training Programs - One Model

PREMISE: The model training program p= resented can meet the objective of all three entities in the partnership. The employer wants a knowledgeable skilled staff who can produce at the desired levels, while requiring the least down-time for training. Employers want efficiency with a high degree of cost-effectiveness. The employee wants to acquire skills in a fast easy mode allowing them to meet the expectations of the employer while requiring little time outside the normal work day. The bargaining agent ensures that the employee gains marketable skills is rewarded for the effort put forth. [Combs, 1978, 11]

GOALS: The goal of the employer, empl= oyee and union are met when the expressed needs of the faculty result in a training program to advance the technological skills of the support staff. The staff desires for an on-site, self-paced training program are met. The union's desires for an employee incentive, professional advancement and promotion plan are outlined in the collective bargaining agreement. [Combs, 1978, 23]

AWARENESS: In-service orientation meetings are held to familiarize the support staff with the new training programs available on the local area network. All employees who are to take part in the training program are provided with hard-copy manuals which outline basic, step-by-step directions which the users can walk through at their own pace. In addition, contemporary study guides are make available on videotape for home study. [Young, 1999, 1] Faculty are briefed on the new programs to ensure their awareness of the new services which will be available at the completion of the training programs. Supervisors of the support staff are included in the orientation to outline the time to be made available to each employee to partake of the training program. [Combs, 1978, 23]

SELF-evaluation: Each manual and on-l= ine training program provides the user with a checklist to ensure that all the steps necessary for success are utilized. Individuals can concentrate on the areas which need additional work, or pass over some areas, based on individual skill levels. As the trainee meets the expectations of a step in the process, accomplishments are realized visually. Successes, however small or large, will result in higher self-esteem which in turn results in better performance and higher morale. [Combs, 1978, 23]

VALIDATION of skills acquired: Each facet of the training program ends with a practice test on the subject. The employee takes the test and is informed immediately by the program of the right or wrong answer including explanatory comments to emphasize the reason the response is correct/incorrect.

To provide the employer with secure k= nowledge that the skills have been learned, a final test is taken on-line. It is sent electronically to the training program coordinator who scores the employee's test and verifies the results to both the employee and the administration. Official records of the employee's success are documented to provide for the advancement and promotional rewards for successful completion. [Combs, 1978, 15]

SUPPORT: The training program is supp orted by the training coordinator and a technical support professional who provide help-desk and one-on-one assistance as employees need help with the training programs. The employee will make contact via telephone or electronic communications when questions or problems arise with the use of the training program. In addition, these individuals will remain available as the newly acquired skills are put to the real test of daily use when providing faculty support. [Combs, 1978, 27]

INCENTIVES: The collective bargaining process results in contractual language which includes an outline of the rewards to be realized by the successful employee. As employees successfully complete various levels of the training, points or steps will be added to their individual advancement or promotional compensation plan. In reporting the employee's successful completion of the programs' exams, the administration will record the employee's ascension in the plan. [Combs, 1978, 23]

Employees who take advantage of the t= raining will obviously provide a higher-quality service to faculty. With various needs in different disciplines, the supervisor and the employee will determine which programs should take precedence for training time. However, no employee shall be limited due to the location in which they are currently working. All the skills will be valuable in any setting and employees are to be encouraged to take advantage of all the training, as time allows. This gives all employees the opportunity to achieve advancements.=20 No employee will be able to advance without the acquisition of the skills.

PRACTICAL Application: In addition to= the incentive scale for participation in the training program, there will be additional steps provided for the successful application to the daily workload in the process of supporting the faculty and other colleagues in the workplace. Whenever time is spent with faculty or other staff sharing the knowledge gained in training, the time is to be documented to add to the compensation plan for advancement. [Combs, 1978, 27]

PROGRAM Evaluation: When putting the skills into use, the user must consider failures and successes of the training. Any limitations should be noted and passed along to the coordinator for improvements in the ever-evolving training program. Successes must also be reported for duplication in additions to the program. [Combs, 1978, 30]

Written evaluation forms should be utilized at several times throughout the process. Immediately after receiving notification of successful completion of a final test on a training phase, the trainee will again enter the on-line system and answer a simple evaluation questionnaire. This will provide immediate feedback to the program developers. Once the skills are put into practical application, the user completes a second questionnaire, this keeps the coordinator informed of the program's usefulness. [Combs, 1978, 35]

The final step requires periodic eval= uation of the users for approximately one year to ensure continued applicability. For the needs of the faculty to be met and the end result of better service to the students, the programs must continue to be monitored. This phase will be of particular usefulness to the programmer as new technology is added to the training system. [Combs, 1978, 39]

CONCLUSIONS

The overall goal of providing the bes= t service to the student has been met by improving the skills of the support staff. The faculty have been provided with the most efficient and effective support to enhance their production of classroom materials, and to improve their communication methods with the students. This is accomplished when the trained support staff can produce materials for use in the high tech classroom and when the staff is available to assist the faculty in the use of the technological equipment.

The employee becomes self-actualized and is better prepared to assist the faculty. The comfort level has increased allowing the employee to provide services in the context of their own knowledge base. The employee's skills, knowledge and abilities have been taken into consideration in the preparation of the training program. The employee's marketability has increased, which in turn increases the confidence employees have in their own abilities. [Regional Offices of Education, 1998, 1]

The employee and union concerns for incentives for the employees' participation are met when the compensation plan is implemented. With completion of the evaluation and validation phases, employees now have an opportunity to advance professionally and financially as new skills are acquired, utilized, and shared with colleagues and peers.

The entire training program resulting from the expectations for support staff in the academic setting is about to change. Technology has created a rapidly changing work environment. The rapid response of the employer, employee and union represe ntative in implementing a technology training program brings about change in the way skills are learned and services are provided. The training program developed in a technological system in itself is a response to the changing environment in which we are working.

Acceptance of change on the part of all three partners is critical to the success in providing the most efficient, effective product to the consumer. Changes must be welcomed and used to the advantage of all three partners. All three have responded to the changing world. Practical, effective solutions have been found to advance the knowledge, skills and abilities of the support staff to serve the faculty and students with whom they work.

REFERENCES

American Federation of Teachers , Program and Policy Council Task Force on Technology and Higher Education. Technology Issues: A Survey of Negotiations. Washington, D.C.: American Federation of Teachers.

Combs, Arthur W., Chair. Working Group on Humanistic Education. [1978]. Humanistic Education: Objectives and Assessment. Washington, D.C.: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development.

Ball, Bev & Kezema, R [1994]. Office Skills and Technology. Winnipeg, MB: South Winnipeg Technical Centre. www.swtc.mb.ca/programs/regular/ost2.htm; [Accessed June 3, 1999]

Brookfield, Stephen D. [1986]. Understanding and Facilitating Adult Learning. San Francisco: Josey-Bass Publishers.

Brown, Clair & Reich, M. [196]. Working Papers Series. Developing Skills and Pay Through Career Ladders: Lessons from the Japanese and U.S. Companies. Berkeley, CA: Institute of Industrial Relations, University of California-Berkeley. socrates.berkeley.edu/~iir/ncw/wpapers/career_ladders/; [Accessed June 1, 1999]

Lister, Bradford C. [1998]. Proceedings Third International IEEE Conference on Multimedia, Engineering and Education, Hong Kong. Interactive Distance Learning: The Virtual Studio Classroom. www.ciui.rpi.edu/interactive.htm/; [Accessed June 7, 1999]

Regional Offices of Education for Will & Grundy-Kendall Counties. Professional Development Alliance. [1998]. Staff Development. 206.166.59.150/online1/staff_homepage.htm [Accessed June 1, 1999]

Schuler, Randall S. [1995] Managing Human Resources. St. Paul, MN: West Publishing Company.

University of Illinois. [1999] Making the Virtual Classroom a Reality. www.online.uillinois.edu/faculty/mvcr/course1/index.htm; [Accessed June 18, 1999].

Vogel, Mitch. [1996]. How Unions can Harness the Technology Revolution on Campus. Report of the Task Force on Technology in Higher Education: Teaming up with Technology. Washington, D.C..: American Federation of Teachers.

Voos, Paula B., Horton, F., & Moeser, S.J. [1996] Working Papers Series. The Contribution of Employee Participation and Voice to the Successful Implementation of New Technology, Work Organization and Training: Insights from Four Paper Mills. Berkeley, CA: Institute of Industrial Relations, University of California - Berkeley. socrates.berkeley.edu/!iir/ncw/wpapers/voos/index.html; [Accessed Ju ne 17, 1999]

Winning, Ethan A. [1997]. Some Thoughts on Management Development in High Tech Companies. www.ewin.com/articles/mgtdev.htm [Accessed June 1, 1999]

Young, Jeffrey R. [1999]. The Chronicle of Higher Education. Coming to a Computer Near Your: Astronomy Courses with Attitude - and Actors. chronicle.com/free/99/06/99061801t.htm; [Accessed June 18, 1999]