Thanks! I am sometimes a pessimist I suppose, but others like me would instead refer to themselves as realists. Don’t get me wrong, I love TED talks – I listen to TED Radio Hour all the time. I think they have an excellent place in instilling motivation. But what can we do to keep the motivation flowing in a way that produces results? That is one of the underlying themes of education itself.
Author: Jacquelyn Prestegaard
Comment on Build it, and they will complain by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
I agree with you – I feel that with so many problems in today’s society, there are multiple parties to blame and multiple steps to a solution. Too often we are quick to point to singular causes and singular solutions. Education is just as complex as every individual student and his or her worldview. Fortunately, I feel that recognizing this is an important initial step to changing the system.
Comment on Build it, and they will complain by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
I too am skeptical of rolling back grades and testing – how are we to gauge student progress if we do so? Dr. DePauw mentioned individualized student portfolios as an alternative to GPAs in PFP, however I don’t think this is realistic for many university-level teachers who may also be involved in extension and research. It just seems like a lot of work. However, I do believe there are alternative solutions…we just have to be creative and thoughtful.
Comment on Build it, and they will complain by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
That’s a great idea – perhaps being transparent with the reasons for change, rather than just implementing it and hoping it works, could make students feel they are a part of the process. I might seem a bit pessimistic in this post, I feel so much of education is regulated by government, administration, and money and as a result change isn’t easy. But I completely agree with you; if no one pushes the boulder, it’ll never roll down the hill. Perhaps my pessimism will be solved with learning methods of implementing these innovative ways of learning!
Comment on Build it, and they will complain by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
Yes, my point exactly. I feel this is what happens before big elections. Candidates have lofty promises of change that hit home to their followers. But sometimes you take a step back and think…okay, you want to do it, but HOW are you going to do it? This is often unanswered, as are many questions asked of politicians. It’s easy to be caught up in the present and want a better future, but planning is more difficult than dreaming.
Comment on Learning to ride the discussion horse by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
I should have used a picture of a horse instead! I research dairy cows, so naturally I am inclined to use pictures of them…oops! I like what you said about how the Internet allows us to share our thoughts without having to spend money to advertise them. Though money does help those organizations spread their “information” more rapidly and through different mediums, we still (currently) have open and neutral Internet access, and there are ways we can make ourselves heard.
Comment on Learning to ride the discussion horse by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
Thanks, Jyotsana! I am reminded of our exercise in Communicating Science, where we told our “life story” to another person in class, and they had to recite our story back to the class in first person. I feel this was a good exercise for us to take a step back and figure out what resonates with others about our studies. Making that connection is a highly difficult but valuable skill to have.
Comment on Learning to ride the discussion horse by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
Thanks, Whitney! I’m guilty as well. Speaking up is very difficult, no matter what the subject. It takes time and energy to do it correctly, and you risk putting yourself out there and potentially being disliked. I think it is good to practice our discussions with people we already know, such as family and friends. That way we are more prepared and confident for commentary with a stranger.
Comment on Learning to ride the discussion horse by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
I agree, I always say that there are bad players in every game. But why does that tarnish the reputation of the whole group? I am often discouraged by the petri dish of the Internet, where like-minded opinions feed upon each other and kill out any foreign commentary to come their way. Perhaps our goal could be shifted more toward grabbing the interest of those who don’t have pre-formed biases.
Comment on Learning to ride the discussion horse by Jacquelyn Prestegaard
I feel the rejuvenation as well! The more we are being sold to blog, or really just any form of putting ourselves out there as professionals, the more I am convinced it is something we need to do more of. People will less often just try a product on a whim that they haven’t heard of or seen advertised – the same goes for ourselves, people aren’t just going to come to us, we have to advertise ourselves to them.
