Copyright 1998 CAUSE. From CAUSE/EFFECT Volume 20, Number 4, Winter 1997-98, pp. 64-65. Permission to copy or disseminate all or part of this material is granted provided that the copies are not made or distributed for commercial advantage, the CAUSE copyright and its date appear, and notice is given that copying is by permission of CAUSE, the association for managing and using information resources in higher education. To disseminate otherwise, or to republish, requires written permission. For further information, contact Jim Roche at CAUSE, 4840 Pearl East Circle, Suite 302E, Boulder, CO 80301 USA; 303-939-0308; e-mail: [email protected]

Recommended Reading

Web-Based Instruction
Edited by Badrul H. Khan
(Educational Technology Publications, Inc., 1997, $59.95, 480 pages)
ISBN 0-87778-297-0 Softcover

Reviewed by R. Lee Rayburn

The World Wide Web has proven itself an effective medium for delivering computer-based instruction in a variety of formats, and higher education is capitalizing on the technology. Both distance education and traditional classroom instruction are realizing benefits. Faculty, staff, and administrators are struggling to catch up and keep up with the diverse and rapidly evolving set of technologies commonly lumped together as "the Web."

In compiling Web-Based Instruction, Badrul Khan has created a comprehensive overview of both the technologies used and the concerns involved with housing instructional resources in technology-rich environments. The book is organized into five sections, including a short introductory section. Two of the remaining four sections address development of learning environments and associated delivery of instruction. As an administrator supporting Web-based instruction, I found this portion of the text extremely informative at first reading, with content ranging from basic definitions to explanations of integrated functionality unique to this mode of delivery. Management issues, including institutional perspectives on implementation and support of Web infrastructure, constitute a significant portion of the discussion.

As a faculty member currently involved with developing my own Web course, I found the remaining two sections equally helpful. Theories of learning and instruction are covered in varying levels of detail and combined with principles of design to address many discipline-specific issues of instructional quality. Case studies from various disciplines and educational levels are provided to clarify and reinforce many of the concepts I found confusing as a novice in the area of instructional design.

After initially being somewhat intimidated by the length of this book, I found it very readable cover to cover, as well as providing an excellent reference. The volume of accessible information and potential for its efficient communication and processing truly give the World Wide Web the potential to transform significant portions of higher education. As "knowledge workers" we have the responsibility to pursue the Web�s use, and Khan�s well-organized, well-indexed compendium is certainly an asset to that end.

Reviewer Lee Rayburn is Director of Instructional Technology at Stephen F. Austin University.

Managers as Mentors
by Chip R. Bell
(Berrett-Koehler, 1996, $24.95, 208 pages)
ISBN 1-881052-92-3

Reviewed by Adel Barimani

Although information systems managers in higher education are often called upon to resolve crises, it�s not often that they get a chance to think about their roles as mentors. In his book Managers as Mentors, Chip Bell teaches that mentoring is not just a tool or process. For managers, mentoring is a critical factor in building and maintaining a productive workforce. For those on the receiving end, it is a basic human need in their daily lives. We often tend to forget that a simple pat on the back and a positive word given by a mentor or a supervisor will generate more productivity than any other method of reinforcement. This book describes how a supervisor can achieve superior results by acting as a mentor. I recommend it as a must read for managers.

Bell points out how mentoring benefits both employee and supervisor, and he clearly identifies the role of the mentor as both teacher and guide. He emphasizes the power of acceptance, through listening, as a key element in the role of mentoring, along with many other great suggestions.

The higher education community can benefit tremendously from this book. Today, the tasks of the manager are changing constantly, and budgets are strained to meet financial goals. With a shrinking workforce and staffs that are called upon to deliver more for less, the role of the manager as mentor is more important than ever.

This book can be an especially valuable resource for managers in training. No one teaches us how to be good managers. Often an employee is assigned a managerial role and then becomes a supervisor because he or she is simply the next person in line for the job. In such a scenario, when one has taken on a supervisory role without proper training, Managers as Mentors would be most helpful. If one is serious about having a productive staff, mentoring is a sure way to achieve that goal.

Reviewer Adel Barimani is Executive Director of Information Technology at West Chester University of Pennsylvania.

Building a Shared Vision: A Leader�s Guide to Aligning the Organization
by C. Patrick Lewis
(Productivity Press, 1997, $45, 169 pages)
ISBN 1-56327-163-X

Reviewed by Margaret Drake

Building a Shared Vision is a thoughtful combination of philosophical models and practical blueprints for shared visioning. Beginning with an overview and definition of visioning, the author systematically lays out a step-by-step process for an organization, as well as a detailed visioning process for teams or units and for individuals.

Part I describes the what, why, where, and who of visioning. Author C. Patrick Lewis points out that "by the early 1970s, a growing cadre of leaders recognized that it is vision, personal and organizational, that provides the strategic element that is too often missing when their organizations discuss goals, objectives, and performance." Moving from this historical context, the how of visioning is explained in six vision-building phases.

Once the historical and theoretical foundations are laid, Lewis moves briskly into Part II, which describes a methodology for vision development. Part III provides nine detailed questionnaires vital to the visioning process, allowing organizations to assess present thinking and organizational alignment. Part IV is a complete set of overhead presentation materials for use by the leader or facilitator of the visioning process. Finally, in Part V, the author presents the process in a format and approach suitable to departments and/or to individuals.

This visually attractive book is a fascinating combination of theory and practical how-to. The author�s low-key, yet no-nonsense style encourages the reader to enter into a visioning process, whether for an entire organization, a portion of that entity, or on a personal basis. I found Building a Shared Vision especially helpful in reassessing my role in our institution; as Mr. Lewis states, "A shared vision is much more than a powerful tool -- it is a strategy and mental attitude for expanding your personal horizons about what can be." In a time when universities and colleges are undergoing major shifts in expectations, deliverables, structure, constituencies, and funding, this carefully crafted book can provide us insight and direction for shaping our futures -- organizationally and personally.

Reviewer Margaret Drake is Director of Institutional Management Support in the Office of the Executive Vice President for Administration and Business Affairs at the University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio.

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