Episode 40: Solve it! Say it!

Wake Tech's new Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) is Solve It! Say It! Problem-Solving With an Emphasis on Communication. The QEP is a cornerstone of Wake Tech's reaccreditation and is aligned with the Reach and Rally strategic plan. It will guide the college in an important quest for improvement over the next five years.

Dr. Scott Ralls welcomes Adrianne Leinbach, senior professor of Geology, and Jacqueline Popp, Sociology professor, to learn more about the QEP and the valuable roles the two faculty members have played in developing the plan.

Problem-solving is one of the top skills sought by employers, and Wake Tech has established it as one of the core competencies for students in its general education courses. Written and oral communication are two other core competencies.

Research shows the most effective way to improve problem-solving skills is by teaching a process and providing students an opportunity to apply it. A team of Wake Tech faculty has developed a standardized problem-solving process and strategies to help faculty to teach it. The process will help students learn and develop solutions that should increase their economic mobility and personal fulfillment. The use of student-friendly language in the process will also create more welcoming learning environments that reach across racial, ethnic and gender differences and account for disability status.