Civility in the Classroom

CNN has posted the story of a management professor at Drake U. who is selling lessons on how professors can create a better classroom atmosphere.

The work apparently focuses on technological issues--what to do with cell phones, laptops, etc.--but also provides a few guidelines:

Establish credibility by telling students how they will benefit from taking the class.

Decide how formal or informal the class will be.

Set clear expectations and enforce them.

On the first day of class, emphasize its importance by giving an assignment that students must turn in at the next class.

Handle discipline problems immediately.

Are there those among us who do not do these things? It strikes me as simple common sense, but it sounds as though the author is making big bucks leading campus seminars.