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OBSTACLES The first main obstacle in any course or program restructuring, of course, is to convince faculty that reform is warranted. Next, it must be determined what resources are needed in order to effect demonstrable change. CSU, Chico's faculty didn't need convincing, but it did need resources. In 1991, the department submitted a proposal to the AECC, but was unsuccessful. Also, during the same period, it submitted a preliminary proposal to FIPSE. Both proposals sought to reengineer the entire accounting curriculum. Although neither grant was obtained, it is noteworthy that the FIPSE grant was one of about 200 proposals, out of 2,300, invited to submit full proposals. The project team was not deterred; rather, it re-worked its earlier proposals to focus on the introductory courses, and FIPSE funding was received in Fall 1992. Many problems were faced during the first year of the grant, but none was insurmountable. All members of the project team believed that significant improvements could only come about through communication and teamwork among team members. Achievement of "desired improvements" were not viewed as an "outcome" to be attained by the end of a specific time period. Instead of trying to achieve a one-time outcome, the project team believed that the accounting department needed to put into place a process for orderly improvement in the curriculum. Listed below are some of the problems, along with an explanation of how each was solved, during the first FIPSE grant from 1992-1995.
Faculty Development Resistance to "Active Learning" Deficient Computer Skills Transitional Problems for Accounting Majors Moving to Intermediate Accounting Difficulties in Assessing Outcomes Continually Updating/Improving Instructional Materials Managing the Grading Load Summary
Structure of the New Courses | Obstacles | Resources | Outcome Measures Reaction of Interested Parties | Recommendations for Interested Parties | Links | Index |