John
Tagg's The Learning Paradigm College hits
the nail on the head when he presents key elements of an education system that
is groaning under its own weight. Tagg clearly articulates the difference
between learning and instruction as praxis* and as guiding principle in the
everyday college experience. One need only look at the resources mobilized in
the service of instructional support (rather than learning support) -
administrative staff whose sole purpose is to enable admission, process tuition
and manage enrollment, among other clerical tasks. Clearly, there is a need for
such mechanics in the running of colleges but according to Tagg it has gone too
far. In many ways the structures of college administration has come to stand in
for and supplant the focus on learning. Tagg also addresses the assumption that
if content is delivered properly and efficiently and students can earn credits,
that learning must have occurred in between. We assume and expect learning
happens in the classroom but we don't always know that it does. We know that
content delivery occurs because that is what is promised in a syllabus.
Tagg
implores us to put learning back at the heart of what colleges do. I can't wait
for this to happen, but as Tagg also suggests the change won't happen by
waiting for someone else to do it. One has to model the change one wants to see
in student learning. No more blaming someone else.
*Praxis
- the embodiment or practice of theory.
Your post made me think about a job talk on campus this week for a Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services candidate. I was very impressed that this person took the position that every person on campus, even the clerks at the Cashiers office should put students first. He echoed your comment that college administration systems are absorbing much attention and shifting the focus away from students’ academic success and learning. Interestingly he came to his job talk with possible Student Learning Outcomes for every department he would lead. He made it a point to show that even maintenance staff can make a positive impact on students learning. Perhaps things are slowly changing… or hopefully at least at Windward.
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