Faculty Urged to Heed Results of Light Report

When faculty members consider their teaching strategies for the school year, Professor of Education Richard J. Light hopes they'll take some of his suggestions.

Light oversaw the research and complied the data for the second report of the Harvard Assessment Seminars. A massive research project conducted in large part by graduate students and undergraduates, the seminars evaluate education and advising, suggesting ways to improve the existing system.

In an interview, Light said he hopes the 1992 report and its 1990 predecessor can lead to specific improvements in the state of undergraduate education. "I think it can play a role," he said.

The key, he said, is " how to get it into every department discussion and faculty meeting."

That requires some effort, said James D. Wilkinson, director of the Bok Center for Teaching and learning. Wilkinson said that most faculty members probably won't read the reports on their own volition. "What you have to do is convey the information to them," he said.

Annual orientation meetings for faculty members and teaching fellows, scheduled for this September, will incorporate some of the seminars' findings, Wilkinson said.

The 90-page report--originally released last November--found that grade competition is more prevalent in natural science classes than in oth- er areas. This phenomenon diminishes interestin specific courses and discourages students fromconcentrating in the field.

It also focused on the importance of writing inmaximizing student engagement. It noted thatstudents get the most out of their classes if theyform small study groups, and suggests thatprofessors encourage, or even demand, suchinteraction. Study groups are especially needed,it says, to retain women concentrators in thenatural sciences.

The Harvard Assessment Seminars began in 1986,when about 60 students and faculty members fromHarvard and elsewhere began weekly meetings atthe Kennedy School. Light said the group splitinto smaller committees that began to work onindividual projects.

Hundreds of Requests

Light said he has received nearly 600 requestsfor each of the seminar reports from Harvardfaculty. Harvard students have also requested thereports, he said, in addition to students andfaculty outside of Harvard.

The reports meet with interest outside ofHarvard, Wilkinson said. He said he mentioned thereports in a speech he delivered in Germany lastFebruary.

Former Dean of Undergraduate Education DavidPilbeam suggested that specific departmentsimplement some of the survey's findings, Lightsaid, adding that he hopes Lawrence Buell, whoreplace Pilbeam this summer, will do the same.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know himvery soon," Light said of Buell. "I'm hoping thatI can be helpful to him."

Implementation of the survey's findings, Lightsaid, will rely on initiative within theadministration. "Some person or small group shouldtake some leadership," he said

It also focused on the importance of writing inmaximizing student engagement. It noted thatstudents get the most out of their classes if theyform small study groups, and suggests thatprofessors encourage, or even demand, suchinteraction. Study groups are especially needed,it says, to retain women concentrators in thenatural sciences.

The Harvard Assessment Seminars began in 1986,when about 60 students and faculty members fromHarvard and elsewhere began weekly meetings atthe Kennedy School. Light said the group splitinto smaller committees that began to work onindividual projects.

Hundreds of Requests

Light said he has received nearly 600 requestsfor each of the seminar reports from Harvardfaculty. Harvard students have also requested thereports, he said, in addition to students andfaculty outside of Harvard.

The reports meet with interest outside ofHarvard, Wilkinson said. He said he mentioned thereports in a speech he delivered in Germany lastFebruary.

Former Dean of Undergraduate Education DavidPilbeam suggested that specific departmentsimplement some of the survey's findings, Lightsaid, adding that he hopes Lawrence Buell, whoreplace Pilbeam this summer, will do the same.

"I'm looking forward to getting to know himvery soon," Light said of Buell. "I'm hoping thatI can be helpful to him."

Implementation of the survey's findings, Lightsaid, will rely on initiative within theadministration. "Some person or small group shouldtake some leadership," he said