Today’s plan:
- Reading Questions
- Discussion
Reading Questions
Working in paris of two, I will ask you to answer the following questions. Please tie your answers to specific page numbers. We will then share answers.
Chapter Two: Origins and Trajectories
- Approximately what percentage of students fail to demonstrate significant gains in critical thinking, complex reasoning, and writing skills?
- How does this chapter challenge “boot strap” arguments? How does it support boot strap arguments?
- Ultimately, what do the authors identify as the “key factor” shaping growth rates in critical thinking, complex reasoning, and writing skills?
- What do these authors identify as the social/political impact of these findings?
Chapter Three: Pathways Through College Adrift
Chapter Four: Channeling Students’ Energies Toward Learning
- What is critical to students “learning more”?
- What is *surprisingly* important to student improvement?
- What is the ultimate scarce resource?
- What do students spend a majority of their time on?
- What are two things students can do to learn more?
- What can institutions do to foster learning?
Chapter 5 Notes
The opening analogy seems painfully accurate (121).
Sobering statistics on 123.
A damning conclusion: 125.
Improving student preparation: 126 (hearing echoes of Dewey in Damon)
Improving administrators: 127, 129 (setting the stage for Giroux?)
Improving curriculum: 131, Changing Faculty focus: 134
Worth reading: “Facilitating Learning, Not Just Persistence” (pages 135-136)
Final thought: putting your money where your mouth is, page 141
Homework
Read the introduction to Giroux’s Neoliberalism’s War….
