Points 1 and 14, Seeds of Revolt

[TQNELSON@aol.com]

(My apologies for the length of this message but I believe/feel it may be of 
interest to many DEN members, internationally.)

Deming's Points 1 and 14 serve as the "bookends of the 14 points." Point 1 
says all that follows has the aim of improving the system for everyone. Point 
14 says, now we have the basics, go do it!

In "doing that," in this culture, one frequently will find oneself at odds 
with/challenging those who hold or seek the power based on competition, 
win-lose, materialism, control, negative self-concepts (which makes my 
personal value dependent on/come from "things," money, position, car brand, 
house size, etc.). I believe I have initiated such 
a challenge.

In California, we have many organizations that involve those who teach 
college. One of these is the Faculty Association of the California Community 
Colleges (FACCC).
What follows is, #1, a message from the FACCC about integrity, and, #2, my 
Deming based reply Join in if you wish. I'll keep those interested (let me 
[or Jim] know) posted.

#1 FACCC Message
Subj:    [FACCC] Academic Integrity 
Date:   4/17/2000 3:25:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:   K7Martinez@aol.com
Reply-to:   FACCC@egroups.com
To: FACCC@onelist.com

Dear Faculty:

The next issue of the journal FACCCTS will focus on academic integrity, and 
we want to publish your brief opinions, anecdotes and advice. If you would 
like to share your experiences with your colleagues --on any aspect of 
academic integrity -- please reply by April 24 with a few paragraphs (no more 
than 300 words). Don't forget to include your name, discipline, college and 
daytime phone number (in case I have questions).

You can address: your college's academic integrity policy and your opinion on 
how effective it is, tips on how you prevent students from cheating, how you 
handled the situation when you caught a student cheating, how you dealt with 
students who tried to pressure you into giving them a higher grade, collegues 
who push a personal agenda in the classroom, etc.

Thank you.

Katherine Martinez, Communications Director, k7martinez@aol.com
Faculty Association of California Community Colleges (FACCC)
926 J Street, Suite 211
Sacramento, CA 95814-2790
(916) 447-8555 FAX (916) 447-0726
faccc@aol.com
www.faccc.org


#2, My reply

Subj:   Re: [FACCC] Academic Integrity 
Date:   4/19/2000 8:17:49 PM Pacific Daylight Time
From:   TQNELSON
To: FACCC@egroups.com

This, I believe, will be a minority opinion. My position is based on the 
teachings of the late Dr. W. Edwards Deming. He taught (and I teach) that 
there is no integrity in ANY rating, ranking, grading, competitive situation. 
For those open I recommend:
    a. Dr. Deming's work "The New Economics," MIT/CAES, available from many 
on-line stores, 
    b. (with humble apologies) my own paper on Grading at:
http://deming.ces.clemson.edu/pub/den/dnelson01.htm


Basically, the problem relates to the absence of systems thinking (and, 
therefor, being unable to see variation in any system as at least 95% due to 
the system vs. the individual member(s) of the system) and the faulty 
application of reductionist, parts focused (vs. systems) thinking (and, 
therefor, seeking always to assign blame to individuals).

This course of action automatically creates an atmosphere of fear, mistrust, 
"winning is everything," "find a scapegoat," "your guilty IF you are caught," 
and sophisticated cheating, not just in Academia, but in every walk of life. 
My proof? Any day's headlines/stories in business, politics, sports, 
international relations, and yes, even in asking for words on "tips on how 
you prevent students from cheating, how you handled the situation when you 
caught a student cheating, how you dealt with students who tried to pressure 
you into giving them a higher grade, "

I literally do not have those problems. Integrity is the expectation. How I 
do it is in my paper cited above. In brief:
a. create an environment of trust,
b. create an androgynous (vs pedagogical) approach,
c. enlist all class members in mutually attaining integrity in class 
objectives and results,
d. focus on the "Joy of Learning."

Until we universally move in that direction, wiping out the mistakes ranging 
from "grading" with no knowledge of the inter-relational impacts of students 
psychological types, learning styles, etc., and the "instructor's" type, 
style, etc., to the nonsense of SAT, there will be no integrity in our 
"system." 

Del Nelson
Spokesperson, Management Dept.
Professor of Management
Business Area
American River College
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