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“And now, for something completely different…”. Or, why is general education important? Or is it?. Apart from parking, what are our major concerns?. A frequent faculty complaint is, “Why can’t my students think?”
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“And now, for something completely different…” Or, why is general education important? Or is it?
Apart from parking, what are our major concerns? • A frequent faculty complaint is, “Why can’t my students think?” • This comes from faculty members in many subjects; it is not confined to any discipline.
“Once upon a time… • most students learned the ‘old logic’, and • they could think, read, write, organize, and argue much better, at a younger age, and more naturally, than they can today. • If you believe these two things are not connected, you probably believe storks bring babies.” - Peter Kreeft, Socratic Logic
The goal of general education: • To provide our students the intellectual wherewithal to succeed in the modern world. • Certain intellectual tools form the basis for this success: they include, • An ability to read critically and with understanding • An ability to recognize and dissect logically flawed arguments • An ability to formulate a solution to a problem • An understanding of our place in the larger world
What’s the problem? Too often, • students can’t offer a coherent explanation of the difference between a fact and an opinion • they often are indifferent to evidence and have no appreciation of its importance • they are completely unable to recognize a fallacious argument, much less construct a sound one
A well educated person is NOT one who … • knows how to solve a quadratic equation • can name all 50 state capitals • can name the bones of the inner ear • can recite the birth and death dates of all the pre-nineteenth century English monarchs
An educated person… • Can construct a logically sound argument • Can communicate that argument effectively in writing or orally • Understands their place in the larger world around them • Can analyze a problem and propose a rational approach to solution
What can we do? • We do our students a disservice unless we teach them to be better readers, writers, and thinkers • The skills of reading with understanding, logical analytical thinking, clear writing and speaking, and understanding other perspectives are essential elements of an effective general education.
HOW? • So we should focus on strengthening these skills. How and where? An Obvious Answer: Begin with the Cornerstone Courses
Cornerstone Courses • In Fall 2005: there were 1509 new HCC students • Of those, 862 were “full time”: that is, they enrolled in nine or more credits in Fall 2005. • And 1382 of the new students enrolled in three or more credits that semester. • What was their course taking pattern? Was there a pattern at all?
An Action Plan • Provide stronger emphasis on logical thinking in all courses • Let us make principles of logical thinking an integral part of every course, but especially the cornerstone courses. In brief, let us be explicit and direct: LET US JOIN TOGETHER TO TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO BE BETTER THINKERS.
First steps… • Develop a program of course modification or redesign that embraces these principles. • Its goal: to instill a better appreciation for and understanding of clear thinking and logical principles in our students from the first moment they enter the College. • This is not an unfunded mandate: resources will be made available to restructure curricula. • Let’s begin.
Why is this important? “If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and never will be.” --Thomas Jefferson
Carpe Diem “There comes a time in the affairs of men when one must take the bull by the tail and face the situation.” --W. C. Fields