Over the past few weeks of classes, I have begun to understand that the foundation of higher education in the United States has a tumultuous past, however, is also an example of how enough desire for progress and pressure from external sources fosters change. From our readings in A History of American Higher Education by John R. Thelin we have discussed the progress and design of American Higher Education from the early 1600’s on. In our second text, American Higher Education in the Twenty-First Century: Social, Political, and Economic challenges, Michael N. Bastedo, Philip G. Altbach, and Patricia J. Gumport focus their work on a more contemporary examination of American higher education allowing us to better understand current context for our coursework and continuing careers. In this paper I will provide a brief summary of the assigned readings from these two texts as well as provide thoughtful reflection on the salient points and ideas each author has presented. Through this examination I will find ways to connect readings, coursework, and my lived experience to one another in order to shape ideas for future application to my work in student affairs.
In the first section of A History of American Higher Education, the author speaks about Colonial Era higher education in the United States. Essentially the creation of the American academic architype (Thelin, 2011) that describe our current Ivy League schools such as: Yale, Harvard, and Columbia. Thelin identifies the
Simmons uses senior high school student Isabella, as well as other students repeatedly as a foundation for his main arguments. By using Isabella’s essay Simmons is able to paint a picture as to the education system and how it impacted the outlook of higher education on students. Instead of emphasizing the impact of a good education, there was emphasis on economic status and what a
Charles Murray’s essay proposes that American colleges are being flooded with individuals who are either unprepared for higher education or who are simply forced into attending college and can’t succeed because of the lack of certain innate abilities. Murray’s essay goes on to take issue with the idea that the pursuit of a traditional college education is somehow strategically creating a separation of the American class system. While Murray makes many salient points with regards to America’s obsession with college education as a standard into a class of the intellectual elite, the essay fails to take into consideration the various motivators that can lead to student success, despite
As a graduate student at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, I had the opportunity to enhance my understanding of higher education through my coursework, and involvement with on campus organizations. While a graduate student, I also worked in both the student affairs and academic advising department and, I was able to conduct research as part of course assignments. As a non-traditional, first-generation undergraduate student, I found particular interest in research topics involving non-traditional students like myself. I found interest in the history of financial aid and the admission process in regards to a student who took less traditional routes to access higher education.
Mark Edmundson, the author of “On the Uses of a Liberal Education”, is an English teacher at the University of Virginia who expresses his concerns about the trajectory of the universities and colleges in America. Edmundson depicts how college students today have “little fire, little passion to be found,” towards their classes (4). In an effort to find the source of this lack of passion, Edmundson describes contacting other professors about this issue while refining his own ideas. Ultimately, Edmundson comes to a conclusion. He believes that the consumer mindset of college students has hindered American universities as a whole. My target audience is my professor, Professor Chezik. Looking closely at his wording, formation of sentences, and idea structure, one can see a recurring theme throughout Edmundson’s essay. Edmundson uses fragments, specifically at the beginning of his paragraphs, to start his point, pose counter arguments, and to have a poetic refrain.
Two professors of different backgrounds, Mike Rose of California, and Gerald Graff, of Illinois, discuss the problems college students face today in America. Though similar in slight variations, both professors view the problem in different regards and prepare solutions that solve what they feel to be the heart of this academic problem.
“The two-year college has been a distinctively American creation, and nowhere else has it attained such prominence” (Brint & Karabel, 1989). Once commonly called
Higher education has a vast history; beginning in the early colonial period and spanning ten generations. With its wide range of history, aspects of higher education have changed as the ideals and reforms of society adjusted. Albeit, the missions and purposes of college have remained the same. In this paper, I will clarify the three main missions and purposes of higher education. Then, I will shift the focus of the paper to the area I would like to pursue in higher education and how it reflects those purposes.
In this analysis of the two core reading “How I bluffed my Way Through College” by Kate Harding and “ The Idea of a University” by Roger Scruton we will look at the differences and the similarities of the ideas and thoughts of the two authors. Both authors discuss the advantages to Universities but they differ in how universities can be a challenge to students. Scruton refers to the old university and how they were grand and important to anyone considering further education,(Scruton,2010), but he fails to bring a personal aspect from students. Where Harding explains that however Education is important it comes with stress and some down falls if not completely done in the right way. She explains how college and her choices made things harder
Unfortunately, notwithstanding poet Louisa Fletcher's desire to start over, colleges and universities in the United States will not at any time soon access the Land of Beginning Again. Those institutions must enact meaningful change transitions from where they exist today, and there is much change that is needed. To wit, innovator and strategic management consultant Fred Buining asserts that higher education is in the "eye of the hurricane," which means that leaders, scholars, and educators are not doing enough to meet the challenges they face. Buining suggests that there is "no critical mass" in terms of the changes that are needed in higher education. Moreover, he believes that while today's student in colleges and universities are getting younger the professors and instructors are getting older, issues like cultural diversity and commercialization threaten institutions of higher learning. This paper reviews and critiques scholarly sources that address issues of diversity and commercialization on college and university campuses. Thesis: colleges and universities are in many respects becoming very much like corporations, and this is truly the wrong direction for higher education
America’s education system has been in a state of distress for the past decade, but garnished headlines recently as the student loan debt crisis reached over a trillion dollars. In conjunction with that, tuition is no longer the only obstacle a student faces when considering their future. As generations come and go, universities have slowly, but surely, been angling their education in a way to favor profit over knowledge. Because of the new direction higher education models are taking, Magdalena Kay questions her readers, “is there a problem with students, with teachers, with administrators, or maybe
People in the past did not stress value of receiving a higher education because it was not as indispensable as it is today. Now, people perceive others not only by their appearances, but by their accomplishments. Employers always hire people with the most education and experience. The majority of students are concerned about getting a higher education throughout the years. Nevertheless, some people question the purposes of getting educated, and consider it meaningless. The concept of education has a significant meaning. It enables one to take control of knowledge and apply it. It is education what prepares the mind to comprehend and learn important ideas. A higher education is very important for an individual's success in
The origins of higher education in the United States can be traced all the way back to the colonial era, with the founding of Harvard University in 1636 (Delbanco, 2012; Thelin, 2004). However, it would take another two centuries for women to receive similar opportunities of advanced education. Excluded from attending colleges by statute (Thelin, 2004), women in
The main message in the essay “Should Undergraduates Specialize,” by Patrick N. Allitt, published in “Reading for Writers”, New York 2013 is that the ideas of both England and American colleges should be integrated. The technology of when Patrick Allitt went to school thirty-two years ago wasn’t as advanced as the technology that his daughter, Frances, has access to today. There is an immense difference between how little his parents had to pay in England and the extensive amount he is going to pay for Frances’ schooling. England students may be forced to decide which program to pursue too soon while Americans end up wasting time taking classes they don’t need, therefore causing them to attend school for a longer period of time. Class sizes
America’s higher education system has an interesting history. It has advanced substantially since it was established. Unfortunately, its beginnings were based on slavery and cultural genocide. Craig Steven Wilder’s book Ebony and Ivy gives insight into the intriguing beginning of America’s colleges. Wilder focuses mostly on the impact and treatment of both the Native Americans and African Americans within the beginnings of colonial universities, but within these statements, one can see how dramatically the American college system developed in these early years. The book has excellent reviews. In an article posted on December 1, 2014 the African American Review states, “Ebony and Ivy will change the way we think about knowledge-creation at America’s universities…Craig Wilder’s masterly work will stand the test of time and should be required reading for college students across America.” In a Washington Post article published in 2014, Carson Byrd says, “Ebony & Ivy is a meticulously argued work and a valuable resource for multiple disciplines. It strongly connects slavery, science, and higher education to explain how racism is built into the foundation of our colleges and universities. A few of these connections are described below.”
U.S. schools and colleges vary from numerous points of view. Some are open, others are independently employed individual; some are huge urban colleges, some are two-yr. group universities, others little rustic grounds. Some offer alumna and expert political stage, others point of convergence basically on undergrad instruction. Each of our more than 3, 000 schools and colleges has its particular and dissimilar mission. This aggregate differing qualities around organizations is one of the extraordinary strength of America's higher instruction framework, and has helped make it the best in the people. Protecting that assorted qualities is key on the off chance that we plan to serve the needs of our just social order.