Using a Checklist to Prepare for the New Term some advice from Atul Gawande
January 19, 2024
A few weeks ago I bought a new planner for 2024 and since its arrival I have been dutifully making my “To Do” lists and organizing my time more effectively. However, I’ve learned that even with the most well-honed planning systems, things still slip through the cracks occasionally. It is that RSVP that is missed (apologies to my friend Kat), the grocery item that is forgotten (oops, missed the fresh parsley), or that work task that is delayed far too long (ahem, Concur expense report). It is because of my desire to be more organized that I recently read Atul Gawande’s Checklist Manifesto, where he reminds us that:
We have accumulated stupendous know-how. We have put it in the hands of some of the most highly trained, highly skilled, and hardworking people in our society. And, with it, they have indeed accomplished extraordinary things. Nonetheless, that know-how is often unmanageable. Avoidable failures are common and persistent…and the reason is increasingly evident: the volume and complexity of what we know has exceeded our individual ability to deliver its benefits correctly, safely, or reliably…
This means we need a different strategy for overcoming failure, one that builds on experience and takes advantage of the knowledge people have but somehow also makes up for our inevitable human inadequacies. And there is such a strategy — though it will seem almost ridiculous in its simplicity, maybe even crazy to those of us who have spent years carefully developing ever more advanced skills and technologies.
It is a checklist.
He continues on to explain how the implementation of simple checklists into spaces like surgical theaters have saved countless lives and how they ease our need for “remembering” numerous details. Instead, we can simply go through the checklist to ensure that we are prepared.
After reading Gawande, I added a sticky note to the back of my front door that reads:
- Wallet
- Watch
- Water
- Phone
That simple list has saved me countless trips back to the house because I forgot these important items in my rush out the door.
We all know that prepping for teaching in a new term involves many steps, and if you are like me, you are often doing them while being interrupted and/or distracted by other tasks. Therefore, we’ve aimed to make your life a bit simpler by providing you with a handy checklist of resources and steps to take. We’ve added this list on the Dashboard of Canvas, where you are bound to run into it as you are working on your course materials, but it also below of via this link:
Resources for Instructors from Educational Technology Services (ETS)
New/Returning Instructors: If you are new, welcome to Chapman University! You can find what you need to get started with Canvas and your Chapman classroom here: https://linktr.ee/chapmanedutech
