General Ed vs. Career Targeted Ed
I teach Critical Thinking in a General Education department at a career oriented institution. My students rank my course, though required, as lower in priority than their others because it is not overtly career targeted. Also the course is 1/2 of the typical credit value. In a way the credit value is proof to my students that my class is worth less.
Nearly 40% of their overall grade is based upon attendance. They could sleep in my presesnce and get full credit for attending all 12 weeks. Alas, they don't show and they don't hand in assignments.
Any suggestions on how to stress to them that Critical Thinking is a must in life and for their GPA?
Hi Shawn
You're right! You have to keep Generation X motivated through technology. Technology is all they know.
Patricia
This generation really responds well to technology based applications.
Hi Joshua - I can easily relate to your situation (pardon the asynchronous/late reply). I'm a librarian at a career college. Information literacy is our concern here - how do we lift our students to a level where they are quickly finding reliable information and know how to use and present it? These are essential skills for any school and any career, and many of our students need help developing those skills.
Information literacy is very much married to critical thinking. I'm including some links below on both concepts which include more helpful references.
When teaching library instruction classes, I've always had way more success when I can use an assignment from another class and help students with their research, writing, & computer skills while they complete the assignment. Is it possible to partner with other programs and/or your Learning Resource Center? This takes time and patience and cooperation from administrators & instructors, but it's well worth it. Doing something like this really captures student attention because it helps them to be successful in their other classes. Finding & evaluating reliable information (on the web, in the library) requires skill and critical thinking, so it's something of a golden opportunity if you can swing it.
http://www.educause.edu/EDUCAUSE+Quarterly/EDUCAUSEQuarterlyMagazineVolum/InformationLiteracyANeglectedC/199382
http://www.inthelibrarywiththeleadpipe.org/2010/critical-literacy-information/
Cheers,
Karen
Hi John,
Super! Hold on to it. It is a master piece! :-)
Patricia
Patricia,
It is something I started for myself. It then graduated into a short presentation to the faculty at our summer in-service. I have expanded it and am presenting at the Fall Indiana Business and Education Conference. I hope I can use it in one of my graduate courses.
Thanks.
John
Hi John,
What an interesting topic to research. You have made some great points just in this brief response. You have gotten me really interested in your research project. Are you doing this for graduate school or just for your own personal sake?
Patricia
Patricia,
Yes, I agree. I am doing research and a presentation on "The Net Generation" - those under 30 - and the impact technology has made on their lives. I am specifically focusing on how technology has changed, but the education system has not. Though we have on-line courses and "virtual classrooms" the majority of the education system is still structured as it has been for the past 100 years. This is not helping our students coming up through the system. That is why, for each classs, I try to mix as much technology into the class as possible and keep the lecture portion to a minimum.
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
The use of technology seems to spark great interest. Whenever possible, technology should be utilized.
Patricia
Josh,
I am in the same situation. I teach Strategies for Success; critical thinking, goal setting visions of the future, pretty much the same as you, I think. Like you, there is little understanding "why" when they are anxious to get to their career focused courses.
I try to mix as much real world experience (mine and theirs) into the course and use every electronic resource I can - You Tube, Glumbert, My Space - anything that they are familiar with that will show them examples of what the lessons hold.
Good luck!
John
Hi Bronna,
Life lessons learned can be used in many different ways. What an awesome way to learn about any and every thing.
Patricia
Could you use their life experience to teach them the value of critical thinking, consequences of actions, and sacrifices for goals to be achieved? I would think they should be putting this class first on their list of priorities.
Rigorous assignments and tough projects with my student population have backfired when I attempted them.
I tried rigorous assignments and things got worse. They didn't attempt anything and many skipped class the following week. Group discussion does seem to work but not one of them will schedule time to meet with another person from class. It forces group work to be in class only.
I have found that my students all have a "tough" personal life. Many are single parents of low income households and can barely make their rent. They prioritize carefully and put my class last.
They work first, feed and care for their families next, attend class third, do homework for their major next, and I get the left overs from their attention after they get some sleep. I hear this from what I would say is more than 50% of my students. So, I don't feel they are being flippant but instead they have the weight of life to deal with. I'd put my class last too!
So, given that information, might there be a way to modify my syllabus or curriculum to fit better with the situation?
Hi Joshua,
Wow! You need to sell your students on coming back the next day. Try everything in your power to make your students want to come to your class. Give rigorous assignments, assign tough group projects, go on field trips, have guest speakers, etc.
Patricia
