Every CIO Needs to Solve the Root of the Problem
By: Andrew Chaifetz
Tags: Education, Teaching

Today is a difficult time for most CIO’s, as they try to juggle all the different needs from students to faculty to other administrators. Answering tough questions, making presentations to faculty about new products, dealing with change management, all of which comes with a ton of time preparing and dealing with frustrations. These frustrations build over time until you are just plain old overwhelmed, just like the students and faculty are.

How do we help to make this better?

Solve the root of the problems. It sounds easy to do but it absolutely is not. It’s very difficult to think outside the norm since you are so entrenched in your job and the tools you use everyday. Some things just go unnoticed. It’s hard to see what’s the solution when you are looking at the problems everyday.

How do I solve the root of the problem?

Step back and think of yourself as a student. Think of yourself in a dorm room, coming to college for the first time. In a new city, new life, first roommate, new friends, new environment, new places you need to find, new buildings you need to navigate. Lots of stuff that is new. And yes, people can handle that, but it’s a lot to handle. And if you are required to use a learning platform that you are not familiar with, you might quickly become lost and overwhelmed with not knowing where or when your assignments are due. Things can get frustrating very fast!

If you can think like a student, you can see the root of the problem. Why do faculty have a ton of questions asked over email? Because they are not aware of any other place to ask them.

Don’t say — “they can post it on the discussion forum!”

Let’s be honest — that literally never happens. First because it’s tucked way behind the platform and second because you have to set it up to do that. I literally never organically posted on my discussion forums on any LMS to ask a question when I was in college. The only time was for an assignment that was required. That’s it.

Required vs organic is huge. Organic questions are the questions you’ll get over email. They come from other requirements in the course but are not themselves required. And to solve for this problem, you have to think: what is the root of the issue. The root of this issue is that students and faculty need a better place to ask their classroom a question.

If you are able to post to, let’s say, a bulletin board that let’s you ask a question to the classroom online, it replicates what a classroom experience is like. Students can raise their hand, ask a question and everyone hears it (as well as the answer). Same thing with a bulletin board style online. And guess what? You just solved the root of the problem. You now eliminated those 50 redundant questions asked over email for that one assignment and for every other assignment you ever have. You also give students the opportunity to answer questions for you. And by doing so, you engage those students like never before. They might even be more comfortable posting online than raising their hand in-person. It opens up so many doors for student engagement, saves you time, and makes a big impact for faculty.

So by solving the root of the problem, you can see how effective yet challenging it can be. It’s tough, but try to keep thinking outside the box, considering the root of the issue instead of the easy way. It’s harder but it will save you time in the end of the day and make your students and faculty love their experience.