Lately, my son has decided he needs to learn more languages to get into graduate school for History. He studied Spanish from grade 2-12, then took Italian for a year and a half, and Latin for a half a year. After studying in Italy for a semester, he came home this summer ready to tackle French. The second summer semester in which he would study French 2 was cancelled, so he decided to get a copy of his university's syllabus, order the book, and with help from me (I received certification to teach French in the state of Vermont), he is tackling French 2 so he can study French 3, German, and Latin next year.
Now, while it sounds as if he is a gifted language learner, the fact is that after 12 years of Spanish, a third and fourth language became easier to learn. I went through the same process, first studying Spanish in High School, then French in College, then studying at the University of Fribourg where the majority of my courses were taught in French.
In watching the process from afar (from my son), I realized how important it is to learn multiple languages to understand the communication process and one's own language. It also is important to be immersed in another language to understand linguistics, semantics, non-verbal communication, expressive language/language choice, and symbolic representation of language (writing in its various formats).
Studies on bi-lingual speakers have confirmed that bilingualism helps to create cognitive flexibility. I see this with my own niece who is English/Slovakian bilingual. It has helped with her reading comprehension, expressive writing skills, and critical thinking.
It is not enough to learn a second language, however. Learning a third language helps to establish language patterns from which speakers can understand differences and similarities. We don't stop teaching math at just algebra or science at just biology. There are some universal truths in each discipline, but just as many differences that create a deeper understanding through disruption of patterns.
This is a reality that is very difficult to convey to the majority of American teachers (especially ELA) who are monolingual. I have had many discussions in education, writing, and communication classes, workshops, and/or conferences in which the monolingual teacher does not understand the cognitive process that happens in speaking a foreign language. It is hard to articulate the communication process in understanding others who language does not fit the boundaries of native speakers (although at other times, different accents and non-standard language does fit the boundaries). This is where socio- and anthrolinguistics comes in. But this is difficult to understand if someone has never experienced when cultural boundaries of language are tested.
So my recommendation is that all linguistics, ELA, Writing, communication, and reading teachers be exposed to multiple language learning (we would be taught in a non-familiar language such as Thai, Chinese, Portuguese, or Hindi for the introduction of each topic in my language acquisition class), if not required to study at least 2 foreign languages and study in a non-English speaking country or territory.
Showing posts with label university. Show all posts
Showing posts with label university. Show all posts
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
A new model for Higher Education
I recently read two good blog posts about higher education: one by Clark Quinn and the other by Andy Cloverdale. In both posts they point out the need for change in the way that education is provided at the University and the way instructors/professors are trained to teach in the University.
This and the extreme budget cuts to our university in the face of rising enrollments got me thinking about the call for "reform" in how our universities are run in the US today.
Current system in the US
To understand what we are up against in the US, it is important to understand the model of education as it currently stands in the US. Our current system is based on a belief that the ultimate goal of education is to become an expert (which was redefined as "specialist" in the 1980's) in a specific field of study. In other words, the Ph.d. holds all knowledge about a content area, thus making them an "expert".
After a broad basic education at high school (secondary school), a person is expected to learn the basic requirements of functioning in our society (through understanding our culture through the study of history, literature, and social studies, to basic written communication skills through the study of language arts, to basic calculation skills through the study of math, to the understanding of our environment, health. and work processes through the study of science). This is the ideal.
What used to be called Junior College but is now called Community College has developed into two tracks: the first is vocational and advanced technical training to meet the needs of an educated workforce (but not management), especially those in manufacturing and the service industry, whereas the second is the preparation for those underprepared or not able to afford a university or college education. In the second case, students are expected to take a broad range of courses across disciplines. In the first case, students are expected to become proficient in a given skill or discipline. However, in our current model of community college education, those that finish community college (usually with an associate's degree) do not hold expertise even if they have specialized in an area. Rather, they are able to work with the experts and/or gain expertise as they work within the discipline.
The current model for undergraduate education is 2 years of general education courses (also known as gen ed or core courses) from categories of disciplines (i.e. quantitative studies, language and arts, culture, social sciences, man and environment, etc...). Then a student will specialize or "major" or "minor" in a field. The traditional majors and minors normally fall into humanities, social sciences, applied sciences, natural sciences, liberal arts, or professional schools (pre-law, pre-med, education, accounting, etc...). Each major normally has a dedicated faculty consisting of tenured and/or full-time professors and adjunct, part-time, or student instructors. In the last two decades, "interdisciplinary" majors consist of faculty drawn from different majors. Tuition flows into the traditional majors to sustain faculty positions and support staff. The interdisciplinary major ends up being "gravy" (extra money) as there is no support staff or dedicated instructors for these majors.
One problem with the interdisciplinary majors (which I suffered at both the undergraduate and graduate level since both of my degrees were interdisciplinary) is that many of the required courses for these interdisciplinary majors are cut during budget crisis because they are perceived as "electives" within the traditional majors. The result is that required courses for interdisciplinary majors are cut and students in these majors are unable to complete their course work in a timely manor. This has just happened with a course I have taught in our major. It now is a part of Public Policy, an interdisciplinary major. Normally the course is offered either every 2 or 3 semesters, depending on the faculty interest. But now that it is part of another major, the demand for the course has increased. It is possible that I will need to teach it more often or if I leave, it won't be offered at all (we are short staffed within the Communication Dept. for our department's required courses as it is).
Once students leave with a Bachelor's degree, at the end of their college experience, they are expected to have a certain cache of skills and abilities that will make them employable. As a result, more and more colleges are basing their curriculum on employer needs (i.e. computer program specific, accounting law specific, ability to be licensed or certified in a field). The college graduate, in other words, will bring away from the college, the content they will need in the work place.
At the Master and Ph.d. level, students are expected to drill down to one area of expertise, that area being specific to the field of study they are pursuing. Graduate studies are based on the expertise of the faculty in a program/ field of study. In our department (Communication), for example our programs focus on Healthcare communication, political communication, and interpersonal communication. Other schools of communication might focus on mass communication, written communication, speech communication and disorders, intercultural communication, communication strategy, organizational communication, communication technology, etc... Many graduate schools try to build up a reputation in a marketable area. They will hire new faculty to reflect trends in specialties and encourage tenured faculty to change their expertise through grant writing support and research funding. A department that does not bring in funding (either through research, grants, or student tuition) usually will have programs or entire departments cut from the university.
Impact of this model on the Current Higher Ed System
This business model of Higher Education does not connect with the educational needs of the 21st century. As our economy and society moves into the knowledge economy, CONTENT is not as important as understanding how to find, interpret, analyze, and update content/expertise. Companies may be looking for specific content from their graduates, but what they need are employees that have critical thinking and reading, communication, analytic, information literacy, technology literacy, creativity, and collaboration skills. These skills might manifest themselves in different ways within different disciplines, but for the most part they can be found in all fields. As a result, it is important that those at the upper end of higher education (Master, Ph.d.), be prepared to cross the traditional disciplines to understand how each functions within a certain field of study.
Likewise, the internet has made content available on a mass basis, whereas it was limited to the university, publishing houses, depositories (such as libraries), and management before social networking. Access to information is not as important as knowing how to find that information and what to do with it when it is found. "Expertise" can be found outside of those trained and educated in the discipline, thus making the expert professor obsolete. The result is a need for professors that can teach, mentor, and develop life-long learning skills, something that was limited to graduate students in the past.
With the focus on new skills over content and access to expertise and content outside of the university, the current system of testing for content and expertise is lacking. There needs to be a deeper level of assessment that objective tests don't access.
Finally, the current process of appropriating funding based on a major or program will limit education to those areas dictated by market needs and tradition. New ideas will not be funded nor will more imaginative, ground breaking approaches to learning and application of student learning. As education becomes more costly, students and stakeholders expect more with less resources, and education is in greater demand from populations that would not have thought of higher education a generation ago, the current system is not meeting the needs (economically or educationally) of the US society.
A new model
With this in mind, I'd like to propose a new model for higher education in the US.
1) The curriculum of higher ed should change focus from general to specific to one of having students work on a specific area they are interested in in order to learn life long learning skills such as critical reading, self-direction, information literacy, technology literacy, communication skills, and collaboration skills. What if freshman were to start their education with a research project, rather than waiting at the end of their 4 years to bring everything together. They would learn the basic skills needed to learn in any profession. This would allow them to work in smaller groups, to be mentored by an educational specialist, and given the ability to work on those areas where they might be lacking. At the Master and Ph.d level, students would be expected to move in and out of various disciplines, learning in a complex system rather than limiting their learning to just one area. There would not be Ph.d. departments but rather one Ph.d. program in which students worked with faculty in multiple settings doing research in multiple disciplines. This would require a much higher level of thinking and abstraction, creating Ph.d's that could work solving society's problems outside of the unnatural boundaries of academic departments. Many are already doing this.
2) Funding would be a combination of educational professionals (with Ph.d's in a variety of disciplines, but training in learning theory for adults), learning centers, research centers, and learning support services (i.e. collaboration, written and spoken communication, critical reading and writing skills, quantitative research methodology and analysis, project based learning and scientific problem solving, etc...).
3) Learning and degree granting would be based on a portfolio of work and oral examinations rather than a testing of "content". In fact, the use of computers to identify content would be encouraged for the assessment tests rather than excluded from the process. My Ph.d. program does this now. We are given some articles to analyze and then given an oral exam based on our analysis. The topic can be anything related to education whether we are interested in it or not, have learned about it or not. We are given 3 weeks to prepare a paper and then defend it to a committee. Not only are they testing our understanding of the field, they are testing our ability to learn something new in a short time, to find resources to support this learning, to collaborate with colleagues when we don't understand something, and then to present a view point and support it appropriately.
These are just some ideas I have been kicking around. I am sure there are others who have better and more creative ideas. But one thing is for sure, the system will need to change if we are going to keep up with the changes and needs of society.
This and the extreme budget cuts to our university in the face of rising enrollments got me thinking about the call for "reform" in how our universities are run in the US today.
Current system in the US
To understand what we are up against in the US, it is important to understand the model of education as it currently stands in the US. Our current system is based on a belief that the ultimate goal of education is to become an expert (which was redefined as "specialist" in the 1980's) in a specific field of study. In other words, the Ph.d. holds all knowledge about a content area, thus making them an "expert".
After a broad basic education at high school (secondary school), a person is expected to learn the basic requirements of functioning in our society (through understanding our culture through the study of history, literature, and social studies, to basic written communication skills through the study of language arts, to basic calculation skills through the study of math, to the understanding of our environment, health. and work processes through the study of science). This is the ideal.
What used to be called Junior College but is now called Community College has developed into two tracks: the first is vocational and advanced technical training to meet the needs of an educated workforce (but not management), especially those in manufacturing and the service industry, whereas the second is the preparation for those underprepared or not able to afford a university or college education. In the second case, students are expected to take a broad range of courses across disciplines. In the first case, students are expected to become proficient in a given skill or discipline. However, in our current model of community college education, those that finish community college (usually with an associate's degree) do not hold expertise even if they have specialized in an area. Rather, they are able to work with the experts and/or gain expertise as they work within the discipline.
The current model for undergraduate education is 2 years of general education courses (also known as gen ed or core courses) from categories of disciplines (i.e. quantitative studies, language and arts, culture, social sciences, man and environment, etc...). Then a student will specialize or "major" or "minor" in a field. The traditional majors and minors normally fall into humanities, social sciences, applied sciences, natural sciences, liberal arts, or professional schools (pre-law, pre-med, education, accounting, etc...). Each major normally has a dedicated faculty consisting of tenured and/or full-time professors and adjunct, part-time, or student instructors. In the last two decades, "interdisciplinary" majors consist of faculty drawn from different majors. Tuition flows into the traditional majors to sustain faculty positions and support staff. The interdisciplinary major ends up being "gravy" (extra money) as there is no support staff or dedicated instructors for these majors.
One problem with the interdisciplinary majors (which I suffered at both the undergraduate and graduate level since both of my degrees were interdisciplinary) is that many of the required courses for these interdisciplinary majors are cut during budget crisis because they are perceived as "electives" within the traditional majors. The result is that required courses for interdisciplinary majors are cut and students in these majors are unable to complete their course work in a timely manor. This has just happened with a course I have taught in our major. It now is a part of Public Policy, an interdisciplinary major. Normally the course is offered either every 2 or 3 semesters, depending on the faculty interest. But now that it is part of another major, the demand for the course has increased. It is possible that I will need to teach it more often or if I leave, it won't be offered at all (we are short staffed within the Communication Dept. for our department's required courses as it is).
Once students leave with a Bachelor's degree, at the end of their college experience, they are expected to have a certain cache of skills and abilities that will make them employable. As a result, more and more colleges are basing their curriculum on employer needs (i.e. computer program specific, accounting law specific, ability to be licensed or certified in a field). The college graduate, in other words, will bring away from the college, the content they will need in the work place.
At the Master and Ph.d. level, students are expected to drill down to one area of expertise, that area being specific to the field of study they are pursuing. Graduate studies are based on the expertise of the faculty in a program/ field of study. In our department (Communication), for example our programs focus on Healthcare communication, political communication, and interpersonal communication. Other schools of communication might focus on mass communication, written communication, speech communication and disorders, intercultural communication, communication strategy, organizational communication, communication technology, etc... Many graduate schools try to build up a reputation in a marketable area. They will hire new faculty to reflect trends in specialties and encourage tenured faculty to change their expertise through grant writing support and research funding. A department that does not bring in funding (either through research, grants, or student tuition) usually will have programs or entire departments cut from the university.
Impact of this model on the Current Higher Ed System
This business model of Higher Education does not connect with the educational needs of the 21st century. As our economy and society moves into the knowledge economy, CONTENT is not as important as understanding how to find, interpret, analyze, and update content/expertise. Companies may be looking for specific content from their graduates, but what they need are employees that have critical thinking and reading, communication, analytic, information literacy, technology literacy, creativity, and collaboration skills. These skills might manifest themselves in different ways within different disciplines, but for the most part they can be found in all fields. As a result, it is important that those at the upper end of higher education (Master, Ph.d.), be prepared to cross the traditional disciplines to understand how each functions within a certain field of study.
Likewise, the internet has made content available on a mass basis, whereas it was limited to the university, publishing houses, depositories (such as libraries), and management before social networking. Access to information is not as important as knowing how to find that information and what to do with it when it is found. "Expertise" can be found outside of those trained and educated in the discipline, thus making the expert professor obsolete. The result is a need for professors that can teach, mentor, and develop life-long learning skills, something that was limited to graduate students in the past.
With the focus on new skills over content and access to expertise and content outside of the university, the current system of testing for content and expertise is lacking. There needs to be a deeper level of assessment that objective tests don't access.
Finally, the current process of appropriating funding based on a major or program will limit education to those areas dictated by market needs and tradition. New ideas will not be funded nor will more imaginative, ground breaking approaches to learning and application of student learning. As education becomes more costly, students and stakeholders expect more with less resources, and education is in greater demand from populations that would not have thought of higher education a generation ago, the current system is not meeting the needs (economically or educationally) of the US society.
A new model
With this in mind, I'd like to propose a new model for higher education in the US.
1) The curriculum of higher ed should change focus from general to specific to one of having students work on a specific area they are interested in in order to learn life long learning skills such as critical reading, self-direction, information literacy, technology literacy, communication skills, and collaboration skills. What if freshman were to start their education with a research project, rather than waiting at the end of their 4 years to bring everything together. They would learn the basic skills needed to learn in any profession. This would allow them to work in smaller groups, to be mentored by an educational specialist, and given the ability to work on those areas where they might be lacking. At the Master and Ph.d level, students would be expected to move in and out of various disciplines, learning in a complex system rather than limiting their learning to just one area. There would not be Ph.d. departments but rather one Ph.d. program in which students worked with faculty in multiple settings doing research in multiple disciplines. This would require a much higher level of thinking and abstraction, creating Ph.d's that could work solving society's problems outside of the unnatural boundaries of academic departments. Many are already doing this.
2) Funding would be a combination of educational professionals (with Ph.d's in a variety of disciplines, but training in learning theory for adults), learning centers, research centers, and learning support services (i.e. collaboration, written and spoken communication, critical reading and writing skills, quantitative research methodology and analysis, project based learning and scientific problem solving, etc...).
3) Learning and degree granting would be based on a portfolio of work and oral examinations rather than a testing of "content". In fact, the use of computers to identify content would be encouraged for the assessment tests rather than excluded from the process. My Ph.d. program does this now. We are given some articles to analyze and then given an oral exam based on our analysis. The topic can be anything related to education whether we are interested in it or not, have learned about it or not. We are given 3 weeks to prepare a paper and then defend it to a committee. Not only are they testing our understanding of the field, they are testing our ability to learn something new in a short time, to find resources to support this learning, to collaborate with colleagues when we don't understand something, and then to present a view point and support it appropriately.
These are just some ideas I have been kicking around. I am sure there are others who have better and more creative ideas. But one thing is for sure, the system will need to change if we are going to keep up with the changes and needs of society.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Examples of multiple assessments: traditional course
As promised, below is an example of the assessments I used for a college course on Speech Presentation and Composition. The goal of the assessments is to let students have some choice to work on areas they may need help. As this is a required entry course for the major, I have students coming in with a wide range of skills. Some have very good oral presentation skills, some have very good speech writing skills, others have very good skills but inappropriate for professional communication, while others (many in fact) have public speaking anxiety, and a few have no public speaking skills or experience (especially those from inner city public schools). As a result, it is important for the students to work on those skills they feel they need.
There is a core of mandatory assignments I use for students to demonstrate their ability to prepare, write, and present speeches. Students that only hand in these mandatory assignments doing a good job demonstrating their abilities will pass, but not excell in the class. Students can bring up their grade by doing as many of the optional assignments up to 200 points. Students can off-set problems with mandatory assignments (often freezing on the first or second speech) with extra credit assignments.
Note that many of the mandatory assignments are used to assess student's understanding of the core concepts they need by the end of the course, while the optional assessments are more reflective and targeted towards an individual's own needs. The optional assignments use reflection for students to assess their own abilities and come up with their own plans on how to improve. It also allows students to practice skills they have learned in the mandatory assignments, especially if they had trouble with the mandatory assignments (e.g. audience analysis and audience impact analysis work sheets).
I find the assessment in this class works like a dialogue between the student and instructor. In addition, I provide my students with a number of formts to choose from to demonstrate their knowledge including blogs, YouTube, face to face interaction, and work sheets.
Assessment tools
Mandatory (Total Maximum Possible Points=775 Points)
(25 pts) Audience Analysis: Conduct an audience analysis for speech I using the worksheet attached at the end of this assignment handout (also available on WebCT). You should try to identify multiple audiences in the class for your hometown. This might be based on geographic locations (upstate/downstate, rural/urban, regions of New York state and out of stators), type of student (major/non-major, commuters/residents, older/younger students), or life-style (travelers/non-travelers, partiers/non-partiers, single/couple/family).
(25 pts) Audience Impact analysis for speech II. Students must fill out a worksheet (attached at the end of this handout and available on WebCT) analyzing the impact various speech points on the intended audiences.
Speeches (4 speeches, Speech evaluations for 5 students assigned by the teacher, written manuscript for Speech II, References for Speech III):
Speech I (50 pts): Your Hometown
Audience: Classmates Time: 5-7 minutes
Purpose: You want to inform you classmates about your hometown. You may include graphics (computer, posters, handouts). This is an informal speech.
Speech II (100 pts): Your Hometown
Audience: Professional Group interested in Hometown Time: 3 minutes
Purpose: You may decide which professional group you are delivering the speech to depending on your interests and town (i.e. investors, economic development group, town council, school board, press). You will be presenting on your hometown, but specific speech points and message will depend on your audience analysis. The speech will be a formal informative and persuasive speech and you must make sure that all the information in the speech manuscript is delivered accurately to the audience. You will not be allowed to use graphics or visuals as supporting information. Some of the information you will be presenting will be new, so you may have to persuade the audience to listen to you.
(25 pts) Typed copy of complete speech II (see above).
Speech III (150 pts): Persuasive Speech. Topic will be assigned randomly based on student suggestions.
Audience: Opponents of the topic Time: 3-5 minutes
Students will be asked to write down a persuasive speech topic. These topics may be modified depending on complexity of subject given the time constraints of the speech (i.e. only parts of complex issues may be used), the duplication of a topic, or the class position (choosing the contrary position of an issue upon which the entire class is in agreement, e.g. taxes should be lowered would be changed to taxes should not be lowered). Each student will randomly choose a topic. Students will also be given specific audiences that are opponents of the topic. The specifics of the speech should be based on the analysis of the history of the issue, the audience’s position, and the action expected from the audience.
References (25 pts) Make a list of at least 10 references that will be used to prepare speech III. The references should include at least one magazine, one reference book, an internet source, and a personal interview reference. Each reference should be listed using an approved citation method (APA, MLA, University of Chicago). After each citation you should note which side the reference supports and the purpose of the reference (inform, persuade, evoke).
Example: Research Question: Our school should use less group activities
Barker, V., Abrams, J., Tiyaamornwong, V., Seibold, D., Duggan, A., Park, H., & Sebastian, M. (2000). New contexts for relational communication in groups. Small Group Research, 31 (4) 470-503. For group activities: inform.
Mary Smith. Interview October 23, 2004. SUNY Communication major. Against group activities: evoke.
Note: Your text has citation styles in Appendix B
In addition to the 10 references, answer the following questions:
1. What are the (at least 2) positions?
2. How did the “debate” begin?
3. How has it been addressed in the past?
4. Has each side had equal voice?
5. What do the two sides agree on? Has this changed over time?
6. What do the two sides disagree on? Has this changed over time?
7. What have been some of proposed options to resolve this issue? (list at least one from each side)
This information will be used to help you prepare your speech.
Speech IV (200 pts): Final Speech
Audience: Choice of students appropriate to Speech Time: 7-10 minutes
Topic: The speech topic will be a pitch to a group for any topic you want. You will try to persuade the audience on an issue (change in policy, purchase a product, hire your company, vote for a candidate or piece of legislation).
Audience: You will need to identify the specific audiences based on your specific topic. However, it is assumed that each audience will include each of the following three groups:
1. Policy Makers: these could be CEO’s of companies, industry leaders, law-makers, regulators, government officials, social leaders
2. Mainstream listeners: this group has never really been involved with the issue directly. They may have some general ideas or opinions based on second-hand information (magazines, TV, public discussion). Most likely, these will be your secondary audience.
3. Those directly affected by your pitch: This group could be divided two ways: those that will be positively affected and those that will be negatively affected. Both of these groups may have a very powerful voice with the policy makers, or may have historically been ignored by the policy makers.
Format: You may choose whichever format you feel is appropriate for your subject and audiences. You may use graphics, posters, handouts, other people; you may inform, persuade or evoke; you may use any of the information organizational formats we have covered (cause and effect, problem solution, spatial, chronologic, hierarchical, comparative) and any of the reasoning (direct, indirect, causal, analogical).
The following questions might help you to focus on what needs to go into your speech: (Extra Credit, 10pts: type up the answers to the questions.)
1. What role have policy makers had in the past to establish the issue you would like to change? How might they be affected if they do implement the change? What assumptions have they made about the mainstream listeners and those affected by the change? How were those assumptions formed (what is the history of the change)?
2. What would the average person know about this issue? Where would they get their information from? How would that information bias (positive or negative) you proposal? How would you be able to use or overcome those biases? How will the change affect the average listener? Do you think they will understand the implications? How will that affect the way your speech is organized?
3. Have those that will be affected by your pitch ever had a voice in the policy making on this issue? Why or why not? How will that affect the way in which you approach the issue? What assumptions do they have about the issue? Why? If the impact is negative, how will you get them to accept it? What reasoning can you use? What type of supporting information? If the impact is positive, will this audience believe you based on past experience?
Speech Evaluations: There are 4 different evaluation sheets each speech (forms at the end of this handout). For each speech, students will be assigned 5 students to evaluate. These evaluation sheets will need to be filled out, handed into the teacher for grading (5 pts each for the first speech, 10 pts each for the following 3 speeches), then given to the speaker as feedback. Please review the syllabus for course conduct expectations when giving feedback.
Additional Assignments (Maximum possible points=325)
Students can submit as many assignments as they want earning up to 200 points in total. For example, students can submit all the assignments, receiving credit for 207 points out of 325. Only 200 points will count toward their final grade.
Speech evaluation
Students need to present a typed :
(25 pts) Speech Analysis. Review the speech by Christopher deCharms, Looking inside the brain in real time (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/christopher_decharms_scans_the_brain_in_real_time.html) and answer the following questions:
• What is the general purpose of the speech? What is the specific purpose of the speech?
• What are some of the non-verbal communication cues he uses to make his point(s)? What obstacles does he need to overcome in giving his speech? How effective is he in overcoming those obstacles? Why or why not? How does he establish credibility? How does he interact with the audience?
• What type of introduction does he use? What type of conclusion? Are they effective? Why or why not? What assumptions does he make about the audience? How does that effect his speech?
• What does he do well in the speech? If you were to give him suggestions for improvement, what would they be?
(25 pts each) Randy Pausch (Last Lecture: Achieving Your Dreams) http://www.youtube.com/user/carnegiemellonu and Barack Obama’s (Jan. 10, 2009) http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barackobama/barackobamaweeklytransition10.htm speeches (each will be graded separately).
Questions:
• What is the general purpose of the speech? What is the specific purpose of the speech? List at least 3 speech points the speaker makes. What supporting information does the speaker use to make the point? What type of reasoning (ethos, pathos, or logos) does the speaker use? How does the speaker arrange the supporting information? What style of speech does the speaker use? Why? How does the speaker interact with the audience? How does the speaker establish creditability? What assumptions does the speaker make about the audience? How does that affect the type of speech chosen? How does it affect audience interaction? What does the speaker want the audience to do? How do you know this?
• Compare the written speech to the audio/video. How does the speaker use his/her voice the alter the speech? What are the differences between how the speech can be interpreted when reading it and when listening to it? Why?
(50 pts) Video, podcast, or CD of Speech II. Students may prepare a Video, podcast, or CD of Speech II. They will then do a self-analysis of their speech, identifying speech points, organization of ideas, and effectiveness of the speech given their identified audience. They are expected to make suggestions based on their review of the tape. This should be a 1-2 page (double spaced) analysis.
(25 pts) Audience Impact Analysis: Conduct an audience impact analysis for speech III-IV using the worksheet attached at the end of this handout.
(75 pts) A self-analysis blog in which students will analyze each of their first three speeches after reviewing student and professor feedback. Students need to set up a blog, or use their own separate blog space and give me the URL address. The blog will include four separate entries: Speech I, Speech II, Speech III, and What I have learned. Each entry should include a description of preparation of the speech, including assumptions made about the audience, analysis of speaker’s perception of the speech, analysis of teacher and student feedback, similarities and differences in perceptions between each group, outline of how this will impact the speaker’s next speech (i.e. changes in style, assumptions, and/or preparation). The last module should include your analysis of how you have improved, what areas you still need to work on, and how your analysis of others speakers have changed due to class assignments.
(25 pts) Students may attend or watch a formal speech (i.e. on campus speaker or presidential campaign speeches) and answer the following questions:
• What is the speaker’s position? How do you know that? What type of reasoning does the speaker use? What type of supporting information? Is the support relevant? Reliable? Representative? What bias does the speaker have? Is this implicit or explicit?
• How does the speaker motivate the listener? What type of appeal does the speaker use? Does this appeal work for you? Why or why not? Is the appeal appropriate for the audience? Why or why not? Is the appeal appropriate for the message? Why or why not?
• What credentials does the speaker have? How does the speaker establish credibility? How does the speaker establish rapport with the audience? How affective is the speaker in establishing creditability and rapport?
• What does the speaker want the listener to do? Is this explicit or implicit? Does the speaker have an ethical or moral stance? How do you know? If you had to make suggestions in improving this speech, what would they be? What was affective about this speech?
(50 pts) Diversity interview. Step I:
Imagine that you want to find a pen pal on the internet. Write a description of yourself in 30 words or less in the space below:
Step II
Locate someone outside of the class to interview that does not match the characteristics you used to describe yourself in step I.
Before interviewing them, reflect on the following questions:
What is your culture? Which groups do you identify with? How does that affect your communication? How does this affect who you speak to and how?
What assumptions do you make about the other person’s culture?
What assumptions do you make about the other person based on their culture?
Step III
Find out the following information in your interview:
What are the perceived similarities between the two cultures?
What are the perceived differences?
How can you tell the difference between a personal belief and a group’s belief?
What is the best way to find out about the culture?
What is the most unfamiliar part of your culture to the person being interviewed? (What do they have trouble understanding about your culture?)
What is the best part of your culture according to the person being interviewed? Why?
Can they give an example of conflict between your culture and their culture? How do they handle that situation?
Step IV
After you have interviewed this person, I want you to reflect on the following questions:
How did your assumptions affect your interview?
Were you able to learn anything new about that person?
What (if anything) surprised you about their answers?
How could this information help you in composing speeches for diverse audiences? Audiences of a different culture than your own?
(25 pts) Speech IV References: Identify 10 sources as you did for Module 3. In addition to identifying the position of the author and the reason for the resource (inform, evoke, or persuade), identify which groups the author(s) would represent and their position on change. As in Module 4, write a brief summary of the history of the issue, the various positions, how the policy or issue was originally established, and who has had a voice in the process?
Extra Credit (Maximum Total Points=60)
Students can submit as many extra credit assignments as they want earning up to 40 extra credit points.
(10 pts each) Self Evaluation. Students will fill out an evaluation sheet for their own speech.
(10 pts) Speech IV typed focus questions. Type up the answers to the questions.
1. What role have policy makers had in the past to establish the issue you would like to change? How might they be affected if they do implement the change? What assumptions have they made about the mainstream listeners and those affected by the change? How were those assumptions formed (what is the history of the change)?
2. What would the average person know about this issue? Where would they get their information from? How would that information bias (positive or negative) you proposal? How would you be able to use or overcome those biases? How will the change affect the average listener? Do you think they will understand the implications? How will that affect the way your speech is organized?
3. Have those that will be affected by the change ever had a voice in the policy making on this issue? Why or why not? How will that affect the way in which you approach the issue? What assumptions do they have about the issue? Why? If the impact is negative, how will you get them to accept it? What reasoning can you use? What type of supporting information? If the impact is positive, will this audience believe you based on past experience?
(10 pts) Visuals. Review your evaluations from Speech III and the visuals. Type up the answers to the following questions:
1. How did the visuals contribute and/or hinder your presentation? Your message? Audience reaction?
2. How would you change your visuals to improve your presentation?
3. What rules could you develop for creating effective visuals for your presentations?
There is a core of mandatory assignments I use for students to demonstrate their ability to prepare, write, and present speeches. Students that only hand in these mandatory assignments doing a good job demonstrating their abilities will pass, but not excell in the class. Students can bring up their grade by doing as many of the optional assignments up to 200 points. Students can off-set problems with mandatory assignments (often freezing on the first or second speech) with extra credit assignments.
Note that many of the mandatory assignments are used to assess student's understanding of the core concepts they need by the end of the course, while the optional assessments are more reflective and targeted towards an individual's own needs. The optional assignments use reflection for students to assess their own abilities and come up with their own plans on how to improve. It also allows students to practice skills they have learned in the mandatory assignments, especially if they had trouble with the mandatory assignments (e.g. audience analysis and audience impact analysis work sheets).
I find the assessment in this class works like a dialogue between the student and instructor. In addition, I provide my students with a number of formts to choose from to demonstrate their knowledge including blogs, YouTube, face to face interaction, and work sheets.
Assessment tools
Mandatory (Total Maximum Possible Points=775 Points)
(25 pts) Audience Analysis: Conduct an audience analysis for speech I using the worksheet attached at the end of this assignment handout (also available on WebCT). You should try to identify multiple audiences in the class for your hometown. This might be based on geographic locations (upstate/downstate, rural/urban, regions of New York state and out of stators), type of student (major/non-major, commuters/residents, older/younger students), or life-style (travelers/non-travelers, partiers/non-partiers, single/couple/family).
(25 pts) Audience Impact analysis for speech II. Students must fill out a worksheet (attached at the end of this handout and available on WebCT) analyzing the impact various speech points on the intended audiences.
Speeches (4 speeches, Speech evaluations for 5 students assigned by the teacher, written manuscript for Speech II, References for Speech III):
Speech I (50 pts): Your Hometown
Audience: Classmates Time: 5-7 minutes
Purpose: You want to inform you classmates about your hometown. You may include graphics (computer, posters, handouts). This is an informal speech.
Speech II (100 pts): Your Hometown
Audience: Professional Group interested in Hometown Time: 3 minutes
Purpose: You may decide which professional group you are delivering the speech to depending on your interests and town (i.e. investors, economic development group, town council, school board, press). You will be presenting on your hometown, but specific speech points and message will depend on your audience analysis. The speech will be a formal informative and persuasive speech and you must make sure that all the information in the speech manuscript is delivered accurately to the audience. You will not be allowed to use graphics or visuals as supporting information. Some of the information you will be presenting will be new, so you may have to persuade the audience to listen to you.
(25 pts) Typed copy of complete speech II (see above).
Speech III (150 pts): Persuasive Speech. Topic will be assigned randomly based on student suggestions.
Audience: Opponents of the topic Time: 3-5 minutes
Students will be asked to write down a persuasive speech topic. These topics may be modified depending on complexity of subject given the time constraints of the speech (i.e. only parts of complex issues may be used), the duplication of a topic, or the class position (choosing the contrary position of an issue upon which the entire class is in agreement, e.g. taxes should be lowered would be changed to taxes should not be lowered). Each student will randomly choose a topic. Students will also be given specific audiences that are opponents of the topic. The specifics of the speech should be based on the analysis of the history of the issue, the audience’s position, and the action expected from the audience.
References (25 pts) Make a list of at least 10 references that will be used to prepare speech III. The references should include at least one magazine, one reference book, an internet source, and a personal interview reference. Each reference should be listed using an approved citation method (APA, MLA, University of Chicago). After each citation you should note which side the reference supports and the purpose of the reference (inform, persuade, evoke).
Example: Research Question: Our school should use less group activities
Barker, V., Abrams, J., Tiyaamornwong, V., Seibold, D., Duggan, A., Park, H., & Sebastian, M. (2000). New contexts for relational communication in groups. Small Group Research, 31 (4) 470-503. For group activities: inform.
Mary Smith. Interview October 23, 2004. SUNY Communication major. Against group activities: evoke.
Note: Your text has citation styles in Appendix B
In addition to the 10 references, answer the following questions:
1. What are the (at least 2) positions?
2. How did the “debate” begin?
3. How has it been addressed in the past?
4. Has each side had equal voice?
5. What do the two sides agree on? Has this changed over time?
6. What do the two sides disagree on? Has this changed over time?
7. What have been some of proposed options to resolve this issue? (list at least one from each side)
This information will be used to help you prepare your speech.
Speech IV (200 pts): Final Speech
Audience: Choice of students appropriate to Speech Time: 7-10 minutes
Topic: The speech topic will be a pitch to a group for any topic you want. You will try to persuade the audience on an issue (change in policy, purchase a product, hire your company, vote for a candidate or piece of legislation).
Audience: You will need to identify the specific audiences based on your specific topic. However, it is assumed that each audience will include each of the following three groups:
1. Policy Makers: these could be CEO’s of companies, industry leaders, law-makers, regulators, government officials, social leaders
2. Mainstream listeners: this group has never really been involved with the issue directly. They may have some general ideas or opinions based on second-hand information (magazines, TV, public discussion). Most likely, these will be your secondary audience.
3. Those directly affected by your pitch: This group could be divided two ways: those that will be positively affected and those that will be negatively affected. Both of these groups may have a very powerful voice with the policy makers, or may have historically been ignored by the policy makers.
Format: You may choose whichever format you feel is appropriate for your subject and audiences. You may use graphics, posters, handouts, other people; you may inform, persuade or evoke; you may use any of the information organizational formats we have covered (cause and effect, problem solution, spatial, chronologic, hierarchical, comparative) and any of the reasoning (direct, indirect, causal, analogical).
The following questions might help you to focus on what needs to go into your speech: (Extra Credit, 10pts: type up the answers to the questions.)
1. What role have policy makers had in the past to establish the issue you would like to change? How might they be affected if they do implement the change? What assumptions have they made about the mainstream listeners and those affected by the change? How were those assumptions formed (what is the history of the change)?
2. What would the average person know about this issue? Where would they get their information from? How would that information bias (positive or negative) you proposal? How would you be able to use or overcome those biases? How will the change affect the average listener? Do you think they will understand the implications? How will that affect the way your speech is organized?
3. Have those that will be affected by your pitch ever had a voice in the policy making on this issue? Why or why not? How will that affect the way in which you approach the issue? What assumptions do they have about the issue? Why? If the impact is negative, how will you get them to accept it? What reasoning can you use? What type of supporting information? If the impact is positive, will this audience believe you based on past experience?
Speech Evaluations: There are 4 different evaluation sheets each speech (forms at the end of this handout). For each speech, students will be assigned 5 students to evaluate. These evaluation sheets will need to be filled out, handed into the teacher for grading (5 pts each for the first speech, 10 pts each for the following 3 speeches), then given to the speaker as feedback. Please review the syllabus for course conduct expectations when giving feedback.
Additional Assignments (Maximum possible points=325)
Students can submit as many assignments as they want earning up to 200 points in total. For example, students can submit all the assignments, receiving credit for 207 points out of 325. Only 200 points will count toward their final grade.
Speech evaluation
Students need to present a typed :
(25 pts) Speech Analysis. Review the speech by Christopher deCharms, Looking inside the brain in real time (http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/christopher_decharms_scans_the_brain_in_real_time.html) and answer the following questions:
• What is the general purpose of the speech? What is the specific purpose of the speech?
• What are some of the non-verbal communication cues he uses to make his point(s)? What obstacles does he need to overcome in giving his speech? How effective is he in overcoming those obstacles? Why or why not? How does he establish credibility? How does he interact with the audience?
• What type of introduction does he use? What type of conclusion? Are they effective? Why or why not? What assumptions does he make about the audience? How does that effect his speech?
• What does he do well in the speech? If you were to give him suggestions for improvement, what would they be?
(25 pts each) Randy Pausch (Last Lecture: Achieving Your Dreams) http://www.youtube.com/user/carnegiemellonu and Barack Obama’s (Jan. 10, 2009) http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/barackobama/barackobamaweeklytransition10.htm speeches (each will be graded separately).
Questions:
• What is the general purpose of the speech? What is the specific purpose of the speech? List at least 3 speech points the speaker makes. What supporting information does the speaker use to make the point? What type of reasoning (ethos, pathos, or logos) does the speaker use? How does the speaker arrange the supporting information? What style of speech does the speaker use? Why? How does the speaker interact with the audience? How does the speaker establish creditability? What assumptions does the speaker make about the audience? How does that affect the type of speech chosen? How does it affect audience interaction? What does the speaker want the audience to do? How do you know this?
• Compare the written speech to the audio/video. How does the speaker use his/her voice the alter the speech? What are the differences between how the speech can be interpreted when reading it and when listening to it? Why?
(50 pts) Video, podcast, or CD of Speech II. Students may prepare a Video, podcast, or CD of Speech II. They will then do a self-analysis of their speech, identifying speech points, organization of ideas, and effectiveness of the speech given their identified audience. They are expected to make suggestions based on their review of the tape. This should be a 1-2 page (double spaced) analysis.
(25 pts) Audience Impact Analysis: Conduct an audience impact analysis for speech III-IV using the worksheet attached at the end of this handout.
(75 pts) A self-analysis blog in which students will analyze each of their first three speeches after reviewing student and professor feedback. Students need to set up a blog, or use their own separate blog space and give me the URL address. The blog will include four separate entries: Speech I, Speech II, Speech III, and What I have learned. Each entry should include a description of preparation of the speech, including assumptions made about the audience, analysis of speaker’s perception of the speech, analysis of teacher and student feedback, similarities and differences in perceptions between each group, outline of how this will impact the speaker’s next speech (i.e. changes in style, assumptions, and/or preparation). The last module should include your analysis of how you have improved, what areas you still need to work on, and how your analysis of others speakers have changed due to class assignments.
(25 pts) Students may attend or watch a formal speech (i.e. on campus speaker or presidential campaign speeches) and answer the following questions:
• What is the speaker’s position? How do you know that? What type of reasoning does the speaker use? What type of supporting information? Is the support relevant? Reliable? Representative? What bias does the speaker have? Is this implicit or explicit?
• How does the speaker motivate the listener? What type of appeal does the speaker use? Does this appeal work for you? Why or why not? Is the appeal appropriate for the audience? Why or why not? Is the appeal appropriate for the message? Why or why not?
• What credentials does the speaker have? How does the speaker establish credibility? How does the speaker establish rapport with the audience? How affective is the speaker in establishing creditability and rapport?
• What does the speaker want the listener to do? Is this explicit or implicit? Does the speaker have an ethical or moral stance? How do you know? If you had to make suggestions in improving this speech, what would they be? What was affective about this speech?
(50 pts) Diversity interview. Step I:
Imagine that you want to find a pen pal on the internet. Write a description of yourself in 30 words or less in the space below:
Step II
Locate someone outside of the class to interview that does not match the characteristics you used to describe yourself in step I.
Before interviewing them, reflect on the following questions:
What is your culture? Which groups do you identify with? How does that affect your communication? How does this affect who you speak to and how?
What assumptions do you make about the other person’s culture?
What assumptions do you make about the other person based on their culture?
Step III
Find out the following information in your interview:
What are the perceived similarities between the two cultures?
What are the perceived differences?
How can you tell the difference between a personal belief and a group’s belief?
What is the best way to find out about the culture?
What is the most unfamiliar part of your culture to the person being interviewed? (What do they have trouble understanding about your culture?)
What is the best part of your culture according to the person being interviewed? Why?
Can they give an example of conflict between your culture and their culture? How do they handle that situation?
Step IV
After you have interviewed this person, I want you to reflect on the following questions:
How did your assumptions affect your interview?
Were you able to learn anything new about that person?
What (if anything) surprised you about their answers?
How could this information help you in composing speeches for diverse audiences? Audiences of a different culture than your own?
(25 pts) Speech IV References: Identify 10 sources as you did for Module 3. In addition to identifying the position of the author and the reason for the resource (inform, evoke, or persuade), identify which groups the author(s) would represent and their position on change. As in Module 4, write a brief summary of the history of the issue, the various positions, how the policy or issue was originally established, and who has had a voice in the process?
Extra Credit (Maximum Total Points=60)
Students can submit as many extra credit assignments as they want earning up to 40 extra credit points.
(10 pts each) Self Evaluation. Students will fill out an evaluation sheet for their own speech.
(10 pts) Speech IV typed focus questions. Type up the answers to the questions.
1. What role have policy makers had in the past to establish the issue you would like to change? How might they be affected if they do implement the change? What assumptions have they made about the mainstream listeners and those affected by the change? How were those assumptions formed (what is the history of the change)?
2. What would the average person know about this issue? Where would they get their information from? How would that information bias (positive or negative) you proposal? How would you be able to use or overcome those biases? How will the change affect the average listener? Do you think they will understand the implications? How will that affect the way your speech is organized?
3. Have those that will be affected by the change ever had a voice in the policy making on this issue? Why or why not? How will that affect the way in which you approach the issue? What assumptions do they have about the issue? Why? If the impact is negative, how will you get them to accept it? What reasoning can you use? What type of supporting information? If the impact is positive, will this audience believe you based on past experience?
(10 pts) Visuals. Review your evaluations from Speech III and the visuals. Type up the answers to the following questions:
1. How did the visuals contribute and/or hinder your presentation? Your message? Audience reaction?
2. How would you change your visuals to improve your presentation?
3. What rules could you develop for creating effective visuals for your presentations?
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Defining diversity
Karyn Romeis had an interesting post on a "diversity" screening questionnaire she had to take before she would qualify to bid on a job. The problem was that she is a one-person show without any plans of hiring in the future. As a result, she didn't fit the "minority" profile or "diversity" policy need to bid on the job.
This reminded me of my favorite activity I use in all of my classes--the diversity interview. The assignment in in several parts as follows:
. Step I:
Imagine that you want to find a pen pal on the internet. Write a description of yourself in 30 words or less in the space below:
Step II
Locate someone outside of the class to interview that does not match the characteristics you used to describe yourself in step I.
Before interviewing them, reflect on the following questions:
What is your culture? Which groups do you identify with? How does that affect your communication? How does this affect who you speak to and how?
What assumptions do you make about the other person’s culture?
What assumptions do you make about the other person based on their culture?
Step III
Find out the following information in your interview:
What are the perceived similarities between the two cultures?
What are the perceived differences?
How can you tell the difference between a personal belief and a group’s belief?
What is the best way to find out about the culture?
What is the most unfamiliar part of your culture to the person being interviewed? (What do they have trouble understanding about your culture?)
What is the best part of your culture according to the person being interviewed? Why?
Can they give an example of conflict between your culture and their culture? How do they handle that situation?
Step IV
After you have interviewed this person, I want you to reflect on the following questions:
How did your assumptions affect your interview?
Were you able to learn anything new about that person?
What (if anything) surprised you about their answers?
Defining Diversity
In the US (and it appears this might be the case in other countries based on Karyn's post), we define "diversity" as race and gender. I refuse to fill out the little tick boxes about my race and gender that I am asked to fill out when I apply for a job.
What I have found that most of my students identify as their "culture" (which differs from many European and Latin American countries) is based on religion, sexual orientation, generation (age group), socio-economic group (middle class, professional, upper middle class, working class) or ethnic group (i.e. Italian American, Irish American, Latino/a). I found it odd that "white" students were more apt to state their race. In addition to these factors, in our state, location was important. In New York state, there is a definite distinction between the downstate, Long Island, upstate, and Central/western New York cultures. This is played out at the state universities as a large percentage of the upstate colleges are attended by "downstaters".
Also, the campus has a large population of Jews, Muslims, as well as Catholics, East Orthodox, and various christian religions. Sometimes these religious differences do erupt in classes; more so than racial differences. Another source of conflict are differences in urban, suburban, and rural cultures. This is often manifested in divisions between "resident" and "commuter" students. Finally, at the graduate level, there is a divide between international students and "local" students, especially in competition for assistantships.
Many of my students have not looked past the labels used to identify diversity. Often when they report on their interviews, they are surprised to know things about others that they thought they had known already. The most valuable lesson the students identify is not to make assumptions about someone because they are a)known in a social circumstance, b) have similar backgrounds so it is assumed they have similar values or have different backgrounds so it is assumed they will have different values, and 3) it is important to talk to people and ask about their values and beliefs. Not only is this an interesting assignment for me to grade, but many have indicated it is their favorite assignment to conduct.
While a visiting professor at another college, I pushed for the definition of diversity to be expanded. Even though the school was able to recruit faculty of color or those that fell into the traditional categories of race and gender, most had the same philosophy within the departments and were trained at the same 2-3 schools. This led to a myopic or dogmatic approach within each of the departments, making it difficult for others with opposing views to succeed. The expansion of the definition made it possible to recruit those that may have had provocative research or research and teaching that would address the issues for underrepresented populations. The student population began to change as the new professors, regardless of race or gender, gave a broader view that supported many groups.
This reminded me of my favorite activity I use in all of my classes--the diversity interview. The assignment in in several parts as follows:
. Step I:
Imagine that you want to find a pen pal on the internet. Write a description of yourself in 30 words or less in the space below:
Step II
Locate someone outside of the class to interview that does not match the characteristics you used to describe yourself in step I.
Before interviewing them, reflect on the following questions:
What is your culture? Which groups do you identify with? How does that affect your communication? How does this affect who you speak to and how?
What assumptions do you make about the other person’s culture?
What assumptions do you make about the other person based on their culture?
Step III
Find out the following information in your interview:
What are the perceived similarities between the two cultures?
What are the perceived differences?
How can you tell the difference between a personal belief and a group’s belief?
What is the best way to find out about the culture?
What is the most unfamiliar part of your culture to the person being interviewed? (What do they have trouble understanding about your culture?)
What is the best part of your culture according to the person being interviewed? Why?
Can they give an example of conflict between your culture and their culture? How do they handle that situation?
Step IV
After you have interviewed this person, I want you to reflect on the following questions:
How did your assumptions affect your interview?
Were you able to learn anything new about that person?
What (if anything) surprised you about their answers?
Defining Diversity
In the US (and it appears this might be the case in other countries based on Karyn's post), we define "diversity" as race and gender. I refuse to fill out the little tick boxes about my race and gender that I am asked to fill out when I apply for a job.
What I have found that most of my students identify as their "culture" (which differs from many European and Latin American countries) is based on religion, sexual orientation, generation (age group), socio-economic group (middle class, professional, upper middle class, working class) or ethnic group (i.e. Italian American, Irish American, Latino/a). I found it odd that "white" students were more apt to state their race. In addition to these factors, in our state, location was important. In New York state, there is a definite distinction between the downstate, Long Island, upstate, and Central/western New York cultures. This is played out at the state universities as a large percentage of the upstate colleges are attended by "downstaters".
Also, the campus has a large population of Jews, Muslims, as well as Catholics, East Orthodox, and various christian religions. Sometimes these religious differences do erupt in classes; more so than racial differences. Another source of conflict are differences in urban, suburban, and rural cultures. This is often manifested in divisions between "resident" and "commuter" students. Finally, at the graduate level, there is a divide between international students and "local" students, especially in competition for assistantships.
Many of my students have not looked past the labels used to identify diversity. Often when they report on their interviews, they are surprised to know things about others that they thought they had known already. The most valuable lesson the students identify is not to make assumptions about someone because they are a)known in a social circumstance, b) have similar backgrounds so it is assumed they have similar values or have different backgrounds so it is assumed they will have different values, and 3) it is important to talk to people and ask about their values and beliefs. Not only is this an interesting assignment for me to grade, but many have indicated it is their favorite assignment to conduct.
While a visiting professor at another college, I pushed for the definition of diversity to be expanded. Even though the school was able to recruit faculty of color or those that fell into the traditional categories of race and gender, most had the same philosophy within the departments and were trained at the same 2-3 schools. This led to a myopic or dogmatic approach within each of the departments, making it difficult for others with opposing views to succeed. The expansion of the definition made it possible to recruit those that may have had provocative research or research and teaching that would address the issues for underrepresented populations. The student population began to change as the new professors, regardless of race or gender, gave a broader view that supported many groups.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
The ideal University
Since my kids are on break from school right now, we borrowed a number of DVD's from the library. One was a movie called "Accepted" which was about a bunch of kids that start their own university when they are all "rejected" from other colleges. This got me to thinking of a lot things surrounding university study in the US.
University is an experience
First of all, this movie supports the idea that in the US "college" or university is a rite of passage into the work world. During the movie, the parents come to check out the college and are pleased when the "Dean" tells them that college is just a preparation for the work world. However, the actual school is one in which there is damage to the dorms, constant partying, and students are allowed to create their own times and curriculums.
This is the paradox I live with on a regular basis. On the one hand, students want to experiment with living without "rules" but on the other hand college is perceived as the gateway to the disciplined, rule based world of work. In fact, college is the first place where students need to learn how to live with others who have each been brought up with different values, lifestyles, and beliefs. There is something called the "Sophmore principle" in which students between their freshman and sophmore year have values that are the furtherest from their parents than at any other time of their life.
What this movie brings out is students that have been conformist their entire life are given the opportunities to live a different life style at the university, whereas students that are "different" are excluded from this experience. Is this really fair? Is this done because those who have lived a conformist life style need the college years to experiment because they will never have this opportunity again?
College Curriculum
One of the most striking concepts this movie presents is the idea that curriculum should be based on what student interests are and that students can teach themselves. The curriculum for the new college is based on students writing up what they would like to study, then organizing themselves to learn. The idea comes when a friend at a neighboring traditional university complains because she is not interested in the courses she has to take for her major, but at the same time, she will not credit for courses she is interested in.
This addresses the issue that many faculty, as well as students, struggle with on a regular basis: having to take courses that central adminstrators require, but many students and faculty do not find necessary. Why should I have students in my class that don't want to be there? If they can demonstrate that they have knowledge of the core competencies needed for the degree, why must they take the course? When I studied in Europe, students took courses that prepared them for their exams. They chose which courses they would need to fill in the gaps in their knowledge that they would then need for the exam. I would like to see a system where students chose their courses based on their strengths and weaknesses, however, with consultation with faculty to help them decide which courses would be the most useful.
Some of the courses offered at the "new" university included skate boarding (in which students learned the laws of physics and engineering), stess reduction (based on the principles of religion, philosophy, and psychology), and understanding women (using concepts from socialogy, women's studies, and biology). The assumption of the movie was that students would be able to teach themselves without any help from faculty. I would contend that faculty who set up the course could still have students teach each other, but point students in the right direction on resources and issues to research/investigate.
University as a place of dialogue
What I found especially interesting was the idea that traditional universities stiffle dialogue and conversations whereas the new university encouraged these conversations. This is something that I do believe has happened in colleges in the US as over the last decade there has been a move to "standardize" education (read cookie cutter approach). This ties back to the first point in that there is pressure from corporate America to crank out cookie cutter workers that will be creative as long as it fits into the mold of the company. Studenst that are allowed to ask questions and discuss issues will turn into employees that question the way things are done, power structures, and even things such as equity in pay.
I would love to see more dialogue and conversation in my classes. However, I am always surprised at how much work it takes to get students to present opposing views. In this movie, students are excited about giving their opinions. Is it because of the atmosphere that has been created in the learning environment or is it because these are students that are basically smart, but have been rejected from the best schools because they don't conform? Should we change the admissions process, identifying smart but creative students that are outside of the mainstream? How would this change our colleges and the students that come out?
Defining a University
Finally, in the conclusion of the movie, the college is brought before the accredidation board. They define a college as having a curriculum, faculty, and facilities. It was interesting that facilities was a requirement as today, many universities don't have facilities (they included having sports facilities, interesting that that was considered important by the movie writers).
So how would you define a university? What makes something a "university"? What curriculum should today's university have? What is the role of the faculty, student and administration in today's university? What should it be?
University is an experience
First of all, this movie supports the idea that in the US "college" or university is a rite of passage into the work world. During the movie, the parents come to check out the college and are pleased when the "Dean" tells them that college is just a preparation for the work world. However, the actual school is one in which there is damage to the dorms, constant partying, and students are allowed to create their own times and curriculums.
This is the paradox I live with on a regular basis. On the one hand, students want to experiment with living without "rules" but on the other hand college is perceived as the gateway to the disciplined, rule based world of work. In fact, college is the first place where students need to learn how to live with others who have each been brought up with different values, lifestyles, and beliefs. There is something called the "Sophmore principle" in which students between their freshman and sophmore year have values that are the furtherest from their parents than at any other time of their life.
What this movie brings out is students that have been conformist their entire life are given the opportunities to live a different life style at the university, whereas students that are "different" are excluded from this experience. Is this really fair? Is this done because those who have lived a conformist life style need the college years to experiment because they will never have this opportunity again?
College Curriculum
One of the most striking concepts this movie presents is the idea that curriculum should be based on what student interests are and that students can teach themselves. The curriculum for the new college is based on students writing up what they would like to study, then organizing themselves to learn. The idea comes when a friend at a neighboring traditional university complains because she is not interested in the courses she has to take for her major, but at the same time, she will not credit for courses she is interested in.
This addresses the issue that many faculty, as well as students, struggle with on a regular basis: having to take courses that central adminstrators require, but many students and faculty do not find necessary. Why should I have students in my class that don't want to be there? If they can demonstrate that they have knowledge of the core competencies needed for the degree, why must they take the course? When I studied in Europe, students took courses that prepared them for their exams. They chose which courses they would need to fill in the gaps in their knowledge that they would then need for the exam. I would like to see a system where students chose their courses based on their strengths and weaknesses, however, with consultation with faculty to help them decide which courses would be the most useful.
Some of the courses offered at the "new" university included skate boarding (in which students learned the laws of physics and engineering), stess reduction (based on the principles of religion, philosophy, and psychology), and understanding women (using concepts from socialogy, women's studies, and biology). The assumption of the movie was that students would be able to teach themselves without any help from faculty. I would contend that faculty who set up the course could still have students teach each other, but point students in the right direction on resources and issues to research/investigate.
University as a place of dialogue
What I found especially interesting was the idea that traditional universities stiffle dialogue and conversations whereas the new university encouraged these conversations. This is something that I do believe has happened in colleges in the US as over the last decade there has been a move to "standardize" education (read cookie cutter approach). This ties back to the first point in that there is pressure from corporate America to crank out cookie cutter workers that will be creative as long as it fits into the mold of the company. Studenst that are allowed to ask questions and discuss issues will turn into employees that question the way things are done, power structures, and even things such as equity in pay.
I would love to see more dialogue and conversation in my classes. However, I am always surprised at how much work it takes to get students to present opposing views. In this movie, students are excited about giving their opinions. Is it because of the atmosphere that has been created in the learning environment or is it because these are students that are basically smart, but have been rejected from the best schools because they don't conform? Should we change the admissions process, identifying smart but creative students that are outside of the mainstream? How would this change our colleges and the students that come out?
Defining a University
Finally, in the conclusion of the movie, the college is brought before the accredidation board. They define a college as having a curriculum, faculty, and facilities. It was interesting that facilities was a requirement as today, many universities don't have facilities (they included having sports facilities, interesting that that was considered important by the movie writers).
So how would you define a university? What makes something a "university"? What curriculum should today's university have? What is the role of the faculty, student and administration in today's university? What should it be?
Monday, September 8, 2008
Facing the unknown
Two things inspired this posting today. First, I was speaking to a colleague today, who said that her daughter was having a terrible time deciding on a major. My colleague blames herself for her daughter's dilemma as she encouraged her children to choose a profession in which they will be able to make a decent living and be self reliant. Her daughter is an excellent writer, and feels that this skill will not give her a steady income. So while she really does not like science, she is taking science courses so she will be employable.
The second thing was while I was preparing lunch today, the only tomato available was a yellow tomato one of my husband's colleagues had grown and given to us. I cut into the tomato and had an immediate revulsion as it reminded me of a yellow plum. Finally, I forced myself to try a piece. It tasted just like a red tomato.
Sometimes, I feel we do our children a disservice by not making them take a taste of the yellow tomatoes in life. Trying something that goes against traditional wisdom is risky. I feel we need to support younger people to try doing things in a new way, but putting them back on track when the risk is too great.
I was lucky in life. My father, who went to Yale on a scholarship, regretted not taking the opportunity to learn new and different things while he was at Yale because his family (who were poor) counted on him to do well in College. His advice to me was to study what I was interested in, learn as much as I could while I was in college, and don't worry about studying for a profession. As he said, a good worker is a good worker and will learn what he or she needs to do well in their job when they are on the job. He believed that graduates were not, nor would ever be, prepared to do a job right out of college. Only job experience and the ability to learn in the workplace would prepare someone. The key to hiring good workers was to hire those that were prepared to learn and were not scared to face the unknown. Rather, they would be ready to study the situation, figure out how to work within any situation, and persist regardless of the barriers put in front of them.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
How times have changed
Classes began this week for me and my nephew just left for college. Those of us old enough to remember, were reminiscing about the dreaded registration process. Years ago, we would be given a day to report to the gym. Armed with a 10 point catalog of courses and a list of at least 10-15 potential courses you wanted to sign up for, you would begin the day long ordeal called registration.
A lot of the registration process was strategy. You would try to determine before going in where each department was located in the gym (inevitably you would need one course at one end of the gym and another perhaps even in another building). Next you would need to predict which course and section you wanted would be the most popular. There were two possible strategies: go directly to the popular course, wait in line a long time, and possibly get closed out of the other courses you wanted or get the other courses, hope there was an opening for the course you wanted, but make sure there was back-up with the chances being you would not get in.
Of course, sometimes you would make a mistake in your prediction, so a course you thought would be a shoe in was the first to close. This would probably happen as you were the next or two away from registration, at which time they would post the closed section. Then you would hear the groans as everyone left the line to regroup. Once the punch cards (computer card) were gone, you could put your name on a waiting list, but chances were that was it! The registration process did not allow you to register for the class unless you had that computer card.
Registration today
Today, the registration process is at least faster and requires less than a day to sign up for the classes. However, there are other little quirks to the systems. At our school (and I am sure others), your registration is "dumped" if you have outstanding holds due to unpaid bills, parking violations, lack of medical documentation, or sometimes, the computer just doesn't like your name.
I had a health hold put on my records because the medical office was audited and my records were flagged for my not having a mumps vaccination. What the doctor and auditors did not do was to look at the records from my pediatrician (the smartest thing I ever did was to get a copy of my records when my pediatrician retired--my kids' records are now put into a central repository so they will be available even if the doctor is no longer around). You see, I HAD the mumps as a tootler. My oldest sister started school the year I was born, so my mother had 4 children under the age of 6 with mumps, german measles, and chickenpox within a year. Fortunately for me, I have no memory of my childhood illnesses, but I do have a record!
When students' registrations are dumped because of holds, it really causes a headache for the department administrators, as they scramble to get graduating students into required courses. Of course, this also means that, just like the old system, many students take your class, not because they want it, but because it fits into their schedule. This happened to me last year and I ended up spending much of the class motivating the students on the topic. I must have done a good job, however, as I received high marks on my class evaluations.
A lot of the registration process was strategy. You would try to determine before going in where each department was located in the gym (inevitably you would need one course at one end of the gym and another perhaps even in another building). Next you would need to predict which course and section you wanted would be the most popular. There were two possible strategies: go directly to the popular course, wait in line a long time, and possibly get closed out of the other courses you wanted or get the other courses, hope there was an opening for the course you wanted, but make sure there was back-up with the chances being you would not get in.
Of course, sometimes you would make a mistake in your prediction, so a course you thought would be a shoe in was the first to close. This would probably happen as you were the next or two away from registration, at which time they would post the closed section. Then you would hear the groans as everyone left the line to regroup. Once the punch cards (computer card) were gone, you could put your name on a waiting list, but chances were that was it! The registration process did not allow you to register for the class unless you had that computer card.
Registration today
Today, the registration process is at least faster and requires less than a day to sign up for the classes. However, there are other little quirks to the systems. At our school (and I am sure others), your registration is "dumped" if you have outstanding holds due to unpaid bills, parking violations, lack of medical documentation, or sometimes, the computer just doesn't like your name.
I had a health hold put on my records because the medical office was audited and my records were flagged for my not having a mumps vaccination. What the doctor and auditors did not do was to look at the records from my pediatrician (the smartest thing I ever did was to get a copy of my records when my pediatrician retired--my kids' records are now put into a central repository so they will be available even if the doctor is no longer around). You see, I HAD the mumps as a tootler. My oldest sister started school the year I was born, so my mother had 4 children under the age of 6 with mumps, german measles, and chickenpox within a year. Fortunately for me, I have no memory of my childhood illnesses, but I do have a record!
When students' registrations are dumped because of holds, it really causes a headache for the department administrators, as they scramble to get graduating students into required courses. Of course, this also means that, just like the old system, many students take your class, not because they want it, but because it fits into their schedule. This happened to me last year and I ended up spending much of the class motivating the students on the topic. I must have done a good job, however, as I received high marks on my class evaluations.
Monday, August 25, 2008
The Olympics, organizations, and the first day of class
I had my first day back at school today. What struck me as I walked about the campus was the diversity I saw. This is the first time I have really noticed the different people that make up the campus. Perhaps it comes from watching the Olympics.
I started thinking of the parallels between the Olympics and the first day of school. We start the semester with such hopes, but by the end, many are overwhelmed, elated, disappointed, and everyone is ready for the semester to end.\
Open Communication vs. Keeping a Lid on Communication
Speaking of the Olympics, there were many comments on the "openness" within China. Many complained that China did not allow the openness that many expected. However, this got me to thinking of the openness that western companies have. While our society advocates openness and discussion on paper, the fact is that many organizations (as was claimed by critics of China) make it very difficult for desenting voices to be heard.
How many times have you heard: "we have an open door policy" yet those who open the doors are asked to pass through outside (forced out of the company)? How many times has the messenger been killed? How often are desenters asked to show support for an idea so there is a "show of strength", disagreement being a sign of weakness?
We should be working on creating a more open workplace where a diversity of opinions can coexist. For this to happen, organizations need to open the reigns of control, start treating their workers with respect, create an environment in which workers feel a reciprocal sense of loyalty (they are loyal to the organization which is loyal to their employees), and have true interaction vertically as well as horizontally.
I started thinking of the parallels between the Olympics and the first day of school. We start the semester with such hopes, but by the end, many are overwhelmed, elated, disappointed, and everyone is ready for the semester to end.\
Open Communication vs. Keeping a Lid on Communication
Speaking of the Olympics, there were many comments on the "openness" within China. Many complained that China did not allow the openness that many expected. However, this got me to thinking of the openness that western companies have. While our society advocates openness and discussion on paper, the fact is that many organizations (as was claimed by critics of China) make it very difficult for desenting voices to be heard.
How many times have you heard: "we have an open door policy" yet those who open the doors are asked to pass through outside (forced out of the company)? How many times has the messenger been killed? How often are desenters asked to show support for an idea so there is a "show of strength", disagreement being a sign of weakness?
We should be working on creating a more open workplace where a diversity of opinions can coexist. For this to happen, organizations need to open the reigns of control, start treating their workers with respect, create an environment in which workers feel a reciprocal sense of loyalty (they are loyal to the organization which is loyal to their employees), and have true interaction vertically as well as horizontally.
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