PLANNING FOR THE FUTURE IN CONSTRUCTION EDUCATION

Plan for the future? The idea conjures up fantasies of 2001, the 25th century, extra-terrestrial navigation, and automatons. But every tick of the clock brings the future one step nearer. The future, too, is tomorrow, and next month, and three years from now. They who are best prepared will best survive and will most enjoy the challenges and fascinations of the years ahead.

Someone once said, "There is nothing so constant as change." Any viable and vigorous program of education must anticipate and adapt to change. This is especially true of programs which reflect a dynamic field such as construction.

Construction education, as it is tied to. a dynamic industry involving research and innovation, new materials and methods, new products and processes, should be riding the crest of the wave of technological advancement, not floundering in the froth and foam after the wave is spent. We must keep an eye to the future while also maintaining stability and constancy from a review of past successes. An eye to the future discloses the following concerns, among others:

Lacking the psychic powers of Jean Dixon, the crystal ball of the gypsies, or the divinings of the prophets, how do you plan for the future? Below are offered six steps to aid in planning for the future and helping to develop the necessary viability, credibility, and accountability of an excellent program.

It is suggested that a five year projection is a reasonable length of time. This allows sufficient time to accommodate some fairly extensive changes yet doesn't push us beyond the limits of imagination. Remember, the dreams and visions conjured up must eventually get down to practical application and to the nuts and bolts of implementation. A word of warning: commitment to the concept of the five year plan is absolutely necessary! Planning for the future is time consuming--it will take 2 or 3 weeks of otherwise free time. The end product, however, is a fascination and the process becomes an obsession.

Step 1. Put on the old (new?) thinking cap! Brainstorm with colleagues. Don't be afraid to dream! It's your turn at Fantasy Island! If the ideal program five years from now were to be envisioned, what would it be like in relation to courses, methods, personnel, equipment, facilities, etc.? Read trade and educational journals. What are the most up-to-date ideas? Which ones are fads, and which are solid? Review pertinent studies relating to educational efficiency and new construction materials, methods and management techniques. In conjunction with this, reflect on the present course of your program. Considering the immediate past, in which direction does it seem to be headed? Does this course seem appropriate after weighing information from the above sources or should a change of emphasis be effected?

Step 2. Determine Goals for your program based on past history, present course, and dreams for the future. The number of goals selected is arbitrary, however, too few will give limited vision, too many will become burdensome. It is suggested to develop eight to ten goals such as: (Numbering by the Decimal or Digital method will help in keeping the whole plan organized.)

Step 3. After the goals are determined, specify objectives to meet the goals. These are statements of several ideas on how the goals can be achieved. There should probably be 4 or 5 objectives suggesting how each goal can be accomplished. They can be stated in modified behavioral terms to make them more measurable. For example:

Step 4. An additional refinement could be called Strategies. These are statements of as many ideas as possible on how to accomplish the objectives. There might be 4-5 strategies for each of the previously stated objectives. For example:

From these strategies, individual personal assignments among faculty can easily be made for efficient completion. Each separate goal as established in Step 2 is developed with a similar outline with as many objectives and strategies as necessary to adequately organize a plan of attack to accomplish the goal.

Step 5. A critical inclusion, often neglected in planning, is the Sequence of development. It must be realized that this is a multi-year plan and all of the improvements and developments cannot be accomplished at once. It is necessary to prioritize, differentiate between short-term and long-term goals, consider the limitations, and determine a sequence to achieve each of the originally stated goals. What can be done this year toward goal attainment? What should be done next year? When can attainment of the goal be realistically expected? It is suggested that one or two of the goals (or objectives from several) be selected as a focal point each year. During the first year special efforts would be directed toward attainment of one or two goals. In the second and succeeding years, additional goals or objectives are emphasized each year while also at least maintaining constancy in those stressed previously. Over the five year period, then, each of the 8 or 10 goals would receive special attention and emphasis. For example:

The exact level of performance may not be possible to project. Expectations may also fall a bit short when implementation of the idea is tried, but it is better to have tried and failed than never to have tried at all. As someone said, "A man's aim should exceed his grasp, else what's a heaven for."

Step 6. The last step is the Updating of the development plan. Review the plan at least each year or at important faculty meetings and retreats. It is critical that it be reviewed with new personnel. Evaluate progress and make additional refinements as necessary. New ideas will emerge which should be jotted down. These can be added into the current plan as appropriate or can be added on to the plan to extend it even further into the future. Planning for the future is a never ending but fascinating process. The sequence follows the basic PIER (Plan, Implement, Evaluate, Review) concept. It becomes a continual cycle of review and update.

Planning and implementing for the future requires a high level of interest, fortitude, and determination to persevere in the development of the programs which will be required to meet the demands of the ensuing decades as we anticipate the needs of the 21st century and beyond.

UTILIZING A PRIORITY MATRIX FOR PLANNING

It is becoming increasingly recognized that effective leadership is democratic rather than dictatorial. This requires input from all affected parties and can become a slow, agonizing, and inefficient process. In major decisions which affect department and program directions, however, all faculty should have the opportunity for input and their opinions should be valued. One of the most effective methods for a group determination of priorities is through the use of a priority matrix. This is basically a chart where problems or issues are listed. All appropriate personnel then individually prioritize them on a scale from 1-(n) with 1 being the most critical concern. These individual prioritizations are then transferred to a master form and the rows are added to determine the group priority of each problem or issue. These could then become the basis for the development of goals, objectives, strategies, and sequence for problem solution as previously outlined. Table 1 shows a format for a priority matrix which can be used to prioritize problems or issues.

It will be noted from the above example that the group prioritization indicates the #1 problem (because of the fewest number of points) is that the program is outdated. Number 2 is that the faculty have too little professional involvement, etc. This has utilized the group expertise to identify the most pressing concerns and the major issues needing attention. The final priorities may be significantly different than any one individual might have determined. This process has utilized all concerned individuals and, hopefully, because they have each been involved rather than being dictated to, each will desire to participate in the solution of the problems.