It’s just another day in the neighborhood to read a story about conflicts in the culture wars represented as either the right’s fevered march towards reviving the 19th century or the left’s delusional quest to look at the 19th century as if it was the 21
The university is also denying the opportunity for student development, a crucial component of the college experience. Higher education has a duty to not only enhance cognitive and intellectual development, but personal, social, and emotional development.
I view the university setting as a training ground where students are exposed to a wide range of experiences and make the choice of if and how they want those experiences to shape their lives. They should be required to think about the information but no one says they must accept it.
When exposed to ideas in college, students learn to think critically and make informed arguments that they can put into practice in both academic and non academic settings.
Sadly, a young mind and passion was allowed to persuade academics that development of critical thinking and emotional awareness are not important. And the fact that the student very likely could have dropped the course when she read the syllabus and enrolled in an alternative shows that she chose to remain in a course that offended her.
What a mess the Hamline administration has created!
You are correct. The best thing the college experience can offer is not only the exposure to information that the student seeks, but the exposure to information and experiences and perspectives the student does not seek but encounters along the way. University is the one time in a person's like where they are afforded the time and opportunity to not only have and witness new things but to thoughtfully deliberate them. There is no need for a rush to judgment. Agree or not in the end, the student is not required to come to conclusion immediately or under duress. Only the culture's social media driven immediacy requires one to have to have a "yes/no," "right/wrong" answer to even life's most complicated questions. The university setting was -- and should be -- the kind of training ground you mention.
That feelings matter more than anything feels true. Tough to reconcile, though, without honest conversation in classrooms about how we learn, ask better questions, and take a good spin gathering more than personal perspective. Then, what are we to do with it all. OK, reading CLOUD CUCKOO LAND just now. Whirling in and out if time of war and holding onto the library before it disappears in the cloud. Let’s talk, Jimmy. It’s our birthday month. Let’s pretend we’re capable of renovation!
Hi Lasley! Thank you so so much for reading. I would love love love to reconvene, albeit through a screen, to toast one another for our respective birthdays.
The university is also denying the opportunity for student development, a crucial component of the college experience. Higher education has a duty to not only enhance cognitive and intellectual development, but personal, social, and emotional development.
I view the university setting as a training ground where students are exposed to a wide range of experiences and make the choice of if and how they want those experiences to shape their lives. They should be required to think about the information but no one says they must accept it.
When exposed to ideas in college, students learn to think critically and make informed arguments that they can put into practice in both academic and non academic settings.
Sadly, a young mind and passion was allowed to persuade academics that development of critical thinking and emotional awareness are not important. And the fact that the student very likely could have dropped the course when she read the syllabus and enrolled in an alternative shows that she chose to remain in a course that offended her.
What a mess the Hamline administration has created!
Hi Rebecca,
You are correct. The best thing the college experience can offer is not only the exposure to information that the student seeks, but the exposure to information and experiences and perspectives the student does not seek but encounters along the way. University is the one time in a person's like where they are afforded the time and opportunity to not only have and witness new things but to thoughtfully deliberate them. There is no need for a rush to judgment. Agree or not in the end, the student is not required to come to conclusion immediately or under duress. Only the culture's social media driven immediacy requires one to have to have a "yes/no," "right/wrong" answer to even life's most complicated questions. The university setting was -- and should be -- the kind of training ground you mention.
Agreed... on everything you just wrote down!
Thanks for reading! :-)
That feelings matter more than anything feels true. Tough to reconcile, though, without honest conversation in classrooms about how we learn, ask better questions, and take a good spin gathering more than personal perspective. Then, what are we to do with it all. OK, reading CLOUD CUCKOO LAND just now. Whirling in and out if time of war and holding onto the library before it disappears in the cloud. Let’s talk, Jimmy. It’s our birthday month. Let’s pretend we’re capable of renovation!
Hi Lasley! Thank you so so much for reading. I would love love love to reconvene, albeit through a screen, to toast one another for our respective birthdays.