- Apr 2019
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www.chronicle.com www.chronicle.com
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Were women and men equal in this fundamental coin of the academic realm, a currency that buys tenure, promotions, and career success?
Women and men have never been equal in the academic realm. Men have privilege over women in academia which allows them more opportunities for these promotions and tenure. It takes a lot of energy for a woman to get in the same position that a man is, and they could be overqualified but that is how society is. Think about this in terms of minority women, who are even more at a disadvantage because they have two things working against them, their race and gender.
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But those gains have not been mirrored in the last-author position, which is of particular importance in the biological sciences.
Despite being given credit for the work, female biologists are still not being promoted to positions of leadership and power.
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In 2010 alone, the last year for which full figures are available, the proportion had inched up to 30 percent. "The results show us what a lot of people have been saying and many of my female colleagues have been feeling," says Ms. Jacquet. "Things are getting better for women in academia."
This is promising progress for women working in the academic world, but there is still plenty more ground to cover.
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Author order is very important. "If I were to give people a vita of two people who had the exact same number of publications and one person was first author on a lot of papers and the other had publications in the same journals but was second through fourth author, I guarantee you people will prefer first," says Ms. Correll.
There are politics of the academic world that I had no idea existed.
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Were women and men equal in this fundamental coin of the academic realm, a currency that buys tenure, promotions, and career success?
This is such a realistic concern for female researchers. Being published is how someone employed in the scholarly realm survives. My Biology professors often say "publish or perish."
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About 19 percent of first authors in the study were female. Women were more likely to appear as third, fourth, or fifth authors.
I think we can draw a connection to society where men were traditionally seen as the stronghold and the prominent figure in the household and women (mothers) are cast in the shadows and not always given equal credit as contributors - important to note that today times are changing now and roles are shifting to less "conventional" ideas of a family unit
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Ms. Jacquet, and Molly M. King, one of Ms. Correll's graduate students.
Interesting to note that these are women who will appear after Mr. West on the article.
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Although the percentage of female authors is still less than women's overall representation within the full-time faculty ranks, the researchers found that the proportion has increased as more women have entered the professoriate.
I think it is interesting to note that reserach had not been conducted in this field until 2012, which presents its own problem. However, it is important to note that the there has been in an increase of female authors as more women have entered this field.
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"The international literature show that when women submit work, there is no bias in it being accepted, but the likelihood of women submitting work may be lower,"
While I think this is an interesting explanation to the data, I am not sure if it is that clear cut to say there is no bias in it.
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What's notable, says Mr. Bergstrom, is the way some of those differences mirror gender-role stereotypes.
I think this is a really interesting point and it is important to see how stereotypes can seriously hurt progress. Even being a woman college student has made choosing a major or minor hard with the stereotypes around certain subjects. For example, choosing to be an economics minor has shown me the few female students who choose to pursue study in this area. It should be encouraged for women to venture into these areas and the gap needs to be closed and I do think eliminating stereotypes will help this.
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"If I'm writing with a man, he may be more likely to insist he be first," Ms. Correll says. "When women negotiate in general, they are less likely to be successful. People don't consider their requests as legitimate."
I never thought of this being an issue, but it is very much an issue in society with things like the wage gap. To see that it extends to things this specific and what the impacts of such are is really disheartening.
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"This has never been done on this scale before," says Mr. West.
I think the fact that this article was published in 2012 and there had never been such research done before that time shows a problem in itself.
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. It found that science professors at six major research universities were likely to rate male job candidates as more qualified than female candidates to be hired as laboratory managers, even though the study assigned the hypothetical male and female applicants identical qualifications.
Definitely have noticed this issue in some of my classes and in the departments here...
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The last name on a scientific article is typically that of the senior scholar, who is not necessarily responsible for doing most of the research or writing but who directs the lab where the experiment was based.
This is interesting, but not surprising to me. In many fields, the people that do the most work tend not to get the most credit.
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As the proportion of female authors over all has grown, the biologists' study found, so has the percentage of women as first authors.
I think this is a really important point because it shows that the whole system is hopefully changing, not just the top
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To be hired on the tenure track in those fields by a top research university, young scholars increasingly must have publications on their CV's by the time they finish their doctoral degrees
When I was reading the beginning of the article, I was wondering why people don't speak/act against this gender gap but when I read this part I feel like the focus towards the beginning of careers for these people is getting a good job which requires publishing. These people don't have the time/resources to be worrying about much else
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Scholarly publishing, more than anything else, is the measuring stick of professors' research productivity.
It feels like the whole process of publishing is a negative perpetual cycle that is dominated by elite stakeholders
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Female professors are more likely to emphasize quality over quantity, some scholars argue, turning out fewer but meatier pieces than do their male colleagues, who are more apt to increase their productivity by publishing their work in more-frequent chunks.
Hmm.... it seems that to make this sort of comment the scholars making this claim should be cited, as should the research to support it. Without it, this sort of seems like a stereotype...?
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"I think that article is what undoubtedly got me that first job. And it's even more common now for students to have that."
It's interesting how it seems that at every level of one's professional career, there are certain "measuring sticks" used much like grades to delineate worthiness within one's respective field.
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aprilhathcock.wordpress.com aprilhathcock.wordpress.com
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I learned from my Latin American colleagues that they are essentially forced to cite North American or Western European researchers in all their work in order to get published, even if/when they have fellow Latin American colleagues whose work is more on point.
Minorities have to play a game to be recognized for their work. It is sad but this is the way it has always been and I am not surprised at all.
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But because it was not a priority for the white, colonial scholarly commons agenda, it was relegated, literally and physically, to the margins, ghettoized from the main discourse.
This is something particularly relevant in the classroom. If there is a topic that the vast majority, who happen to be white, don't want to address then it won't be addressed. Something like this similarly happened in my PREPARE class this week. With reworking the PREPARE objectives, I suggested that we needed to focus on intersectionality in regard to sexual assault and abuse in orientation because in the videos and discussions it focuses on normative, white heterosexual couples. I got responses from white women that this wasn't that important and it basically got tossed. This is academia.
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There was a lot of talk about building a “global” scholarly commons, but essentially this commons was being built by and for the global north.
Everyone wants to have "global" conversations but if we only allow privileged white males to start and create these conversations it can never encompass this "globalness" that they're reaching for.
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While there were several people present from other knowledge traditions—and the group leaders congratulated themselves again and again during the course of the meeting on the “diversity of voices” at the table
I think this is important because you can give individuals from minority communities a seat at the table in the name of "diversity" but did you actually give them the opportunity to speak up and voice their opinion? The majority of the privileged think if they give minority individuals a seat at the table, then they've done their job, but if you don't give them the opportunity to voice their opinions, then it was no point at all. It was all just a show for "diversity" and in my opinion that's even worse.
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This scholarly communication conversation, like virtually all other scholarly communication conversations, was centered around, directed by, and saturated in the values and ideals of the white North American and Western European, neoliberal researcher.
Most of the conversations in academia are centered around the privileged, which are white males. The privilege, given to white males allows them to be in places where they get to start these conversations and the majority of the time they center the conversations on that they know. This is frustrating in academia when you come from a minority community, but it just shows what privilege gives you in society.
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I learned from my Latin American colleagues that they are essentially forced to cite North American or Western European researchers in all their work in order to get published,
This reminds me of a global feminism conversation from one of my other courses. It was said that many Latin American and Asian feminists must write in English or relate their work to a Western feminist to be taken seriously.
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A commons is meant to be the antithesis of colonialism, neoliberalism, and capitalism.
I think this is such a powerful statement that the author uses to define commons. It amazing how the definition and purpose of inclusive word can be twisted to mean whatever the people in power wish.
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I learned from my Latin American colleagues that they are essentially forced to cite North American or Western European researchers in all their work in order to get published
I think it is a shame that in order to have legitimacy in research that they have to cite North American/Western European scholars
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paid lip service to plurality and global contexts—indeed, to the heart of commoning—while functioning very much like a typical colonial endeavor.
This reminds me a lot of the 'diversity' requisite I see now...whether that be marketing a college campus as XX% diverse or companies advocating for diversity and inclusion, I feel as though it is a way to make people think that they value diversity when at times it may just be a response to the changing makeup of todays diverse demographic. Not quite sure if individuals and institutions are being truly sincere in their efforts or whether they're doing it to be accepted
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saturated in the values and ideals of the white North American and Western European, neoliberal researcher.
I think coming from a nonwhite perspective, it's sometimes uncomfortable to deviate from the majority who are mainly caucasian individuals and feel as though your opinion is as equally valid and respected
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From my colleague from India, I learned that researchers must do all they can to publish in the big name Western journals if they wish to maintain their careers; the concept of authors rights and open access advocacy have little place when researchers are literally fighting to survive in the field.
I think it is important to continue to support journalism because we would be so behind without it. So much of what we learn and read comes from journalism and it is a huge issue that so many have to "fight to survive in the field."
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Then, we need to step back and listen.
I think this a key part that does not need to be overlooked. We need to listen, not just step back.
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even if/when they have fellow Latin American colleagues whose work is more on point.
I think this is another issue that is again detrimental to our learning. It is hurting the audience who reads these works. They will reference the citations and be cut short because they are not aware that someone else actually produced better work but it was not allowed to be cited. As someone who looks at citations in other works a lot to find other sources, this bothers me because I would much rather have the work of someone who was more accurate. However, I see that this is not an option for these authors because they want to get their works published in the first place and doing so requires them to cite the other researchers.
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Clearly this was an important issue up for discussion, one that the majority of the attendees wished to see addressed. But because it was not a priority for the white, colonial scholarly commons agenda, it was relegated, literally and physically, to the margins, ghettoized from the main discourse
This unfortunately seems to happen in a lot of different facets of our society and it is clearly detrimental to learning. In order to grow, we need to engage in all types of discussion, not just the ones we think benefit us the most or not. I think our class is doing a good job of challenging us to engage in discussions that deal with topics across the spectrum to really get us to think more critically.
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In all, my colleagues from other parts of the world taught me that the Western neoliberal research institution is alive and well and fully colonized across the globe. We’ve taken our diseased local system of scholarly communication and made it global.
The idea of making local communication global is something that immediately reminded me of my time studying abroad. It is commonplace for other cultures to speak English, among many other languages. Yet I've "taken Spanish" since elementary school and it would be, frankly, an overstatement to pretend my fluency is anything beyond that of a 1st grader.
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One great takeaway that came from this “unconference” discussion was that a group of us are going to apply to Force11 to start a working group to examine ways of building real and meaningful inclusivity to these broad-based scholarly communication discussions. Our goal will be to craft a checklist or set of guidelines for organizers to consider in everything from convening their steering committees to selecting a meeting location.
I also feel like more articles and blog posts like this (which bring attention to the issue) are really important in bringing about awareness regarding this one sided North American research. Since majority of the people at the conference left the room to discuss this topic, it became apparent that people feel strongly about this issue which makes me feel like more people in society would want to discuss it if they were more aware about it.
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For one, I learned from my Latin American colleagues that they are essentially forced to cite North American or Western European researchers in all their work in order to get published,
I've learned about this being the case for North American researchers but did not realize this extended globally
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There was a lot of talk about building a “global” scholarly commons, but essentially this commons was being built by and for the global north.
I think this is a really interesting point and I am wondering how we can try to reverse this?
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Maybe instead of always having these kind of meetings in places like Madrid or San Diego, let’s schedule events in Dhaka or Lilongwe
Interesting point to note change by moving the meeting location...
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As much as we declare the importance of openness and transparency for our research, we should be doing the same in our scholarly communication discourse. The conversation needs to be an actual conversation and not a one-way soliloquy from the global north that gets imported colonial-style to the global south. There needs to be a dialogue, real dialogue, that decenters white North American and Western European values and knowledge creation.
This part of the article grabbed my attention and plays a key role in the solution to transforming scholarly communication on a global scale. Even though we advocate and declare for openness surrounding our research, there is little discourse on the topic of scholarly communication. This dialogue needs to be changed on not be focused on a one way discussion between those of privilege, but rather an real dialogue that encompasses the global north and global south.
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www.washingtonpost.com www.washingtonpost.com
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doctors are about half as willing to prescribe a drug described in an industry-funded trial. That’s unfortunate, doctors say, because a good portion of the industry-funded research is done well.
Understandable - it's hard to draw a definitive line between good research and extrapolations due to the history of abuse
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Researchers get things wrong for lots of reasons — errors are a part of science.
Very true - the only difference is that the stakes are a lot higher when it comes to medical research due to the adverse effects on human beings
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The drug raised the risk of heart attacks
My bioethics class studied an entire unit on the ethics of medical research publications. While journals somewhat check articles for the accuracy of the results, false claims are made by thousands of articles a year. There has even been retraction teams assembled to try and weed out falsified publications.
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But the way that company officials employed academics — and the prestige of the nation’s top journal — to promote the idea that the drug was safe has received little public scrutiny, and a full account offers a window into the corporate decisions underlying today’s drug research.
This is interesting to note that the research/company did not receive backlash after the drug was found to be unsafe. It is sad to me that the blame was not put on anyone but rather quiet and disregarded after the medicine was taken off the shelf.
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“We spend a lot of our time reworking language indicating that a drug is a blockbuster, when in fact the data show it’s just so-so,
This is interesting... editing the language to make sure the research is not lying or hinting at something more remarkable than it already is.
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is that the research can be biased and that it can be difficult for medical journals to unmask the problems.
I think this is a very important but sad point. Why should drug research that has the potential to save lives be biased? Why with all of the research available is it difficult for medical journalist to unmask the problems. Why is biasses playing a huge role in something as major as a persons health. I think this issue is what needs to be changed.
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“This is not about doing gotcha with industry. It’s about how to restore trust.”
I think this is a great quote to end the article with because it shows the scope of what companies are doing. With that being said, companies are so convoluted in retaining profits that they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, which is developing drugs to actually help people. I am blown away by the magnitude to which this is happening in the medical industry.
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The researchers in the RECORD trial had many financial ties to the company, too.
Here again, the financial ties to these companies are a huge issue in distorting the truth. Maybe anyone who has ties to companies should not be allowed to conduct research about that companies drug and it would eliminate the amount of falsified information that is published.
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The company, however, was aware of potential dangers.
This shows where the root cause is, which is not in the researchers, but the company's personal interests. Communication is clearly a huge element here.
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“We don’t know. But we think we get most of them.”
I think it is important to realize that the editors of these journals are trying to find all the biases to the best of their ability, but there are some that they just do not see.
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“On the one hand, there are a lot of important industry-funded studies that are accurate, relevant and useful,” said Jerry Avorn, a Harvard professor who has specialized in spotting adverse events from drug use. “There is also a multi-year history of abuse and distortion.”
This shows the difficulty that arises when funds are used incorrectly-it discredits the good work that was funded.
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it has become a common practice that reflects the growing role of industry money in research.
This seems like a clear problem that is impacting the amount of accurate research being published. While money and funds are necessary to produce experiments and research at times, it becomes a problem when it is functioning in a way that is not to further the goal of providing new and truthful knowledge. It seems like this industry money is like interest groups in politics.
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corporate interference has repeatedly muddled the nation’s drug science, sometimes with potentially lethal consequences.
sounding a lot like the opioid crisis
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The drug raised the risk of heart attacks.
At this point it just seems obvious to me that there should be someone from the FDA or something to help stop scientists from fooling the public for their own financial benefits..
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Academics have “contributed to the quality, intellectual rigor, and impact of . . . clinical trials,” the editors of the nation’s top medical journals, including NEJM, wrote in an editorial in 2001. “But, as economic pressures mount, this may be a thing of the past.”
I am wondering if this paragraph means that since there is room for error the way academics currently operate, going forward clinical trials will be of less quality and rigor so that they are more safe and there is less room for error? I feel like this could have negative implications as well....
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The odds of coming to a conclusion favorable to the industry are 3.6 times greater in research sponsored by the industry than in research sponsored by government and nonprofit groups
I think this stat is really important in illustrating how prevalent this issue is.
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Other industry-funded papers published in NEJM have led to conclusions that were later contradicted. Research published in NEJM regarding bestsellers such as the anemia drug Epogen and heart drug Natrecor has been challenged later by studies performed by other researchers.
I'm curious about where the journal stands today. Have they lost credibility because of this?
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The trial had been funded by GlaxoSmithKline, and each of the 11 authors had received money from the company. Four were employees and held company stock.
I feel like each of the articles we are reading for this week escalate in terms of severity of the process of research and publishing in our country.
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Annotators
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www.insidehighered.com www.insidehighered.com
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“Will there be an outcry? If not, then the impact on Elsevier’s public image could be significant: i
I think this is the main problem. Although, I believe the UC system is making a statement, if there is not enough public recognition then nothing will really change when considering that the loss of 10 million won't really hurt Elsevier in the long run. Thus, I think other school systems will have to follow suit in order to make a real impact on the way the industry is currently run.
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He said more than 85 percent of authors from the UC system currently choose to publish paywalled research. Authors have plenty of options if they want articles to be available to the public for free, he said.
I wish the author went into a bit more detail about how even though authors have the option to provide the public with free access to their work, 85 percent of those (from the UC system) choose otherwise. I will have to look into why this is currently the case.
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Otherwise, researchers can email authors for copies, request them from interlibrary-loan systems (which can take a day to process) or pay a one-time purchase fee.
it is just such a shame that finding certain articles involves jumping through this many hoops for students and researchers.
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He said more than 85 percent of authors from the UC system currently choose to publish paywalled research.
I think that this is probably an interesting thing to examine through the lens of economics supply and demand- if everyone is paywalling their research should you too? Does it make you look more credible if it is paywalled? More desirable to the public?
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charges institutions to access and publish research.
???? i doesnt really make sense to charge an institution to get research.???
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Not being able to instantly access research may be irritating for some academics, acknowledged Mackie-Mason.
I can imagine that this would be very irritating for many, but UC making a stand creates a conversation that many need to have about the cost of access research journals. The fact that their access was taken away from them will likely promote and encourage a change.
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“Elsevier is a major publisher, so students and researchers at UC institutions will feel the impact,” said Fister. “It’s courageous of them to take this step, knowing that it will be harder to access research in those journals.”
I do respect the UC system for taking on the risk of losing access to this much information, but in the long run, I do think/hope it will have a positive outcome with more institutions coming together and taking a stand.
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Open-access advocates praised the system on social media for taking a stand.
Its so important to take a firm stand against unfair practices in any industry but especially in education. I think if enough pressure is put on a company like Elsevier through collective efforts by universities across the board, they will have no choice but to re-evaluate their offer.
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In a written statement from Tom Reller, spokesman for the company, Elsevier emphasized the importance of letting authors choose how they want to publish.
This is a fair compromise to reach. Authors should be able to have some autonomy on how they publish their work.
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He said more than 85 percent of authors from the UC system currently choose to publish paywalled research.
I feel like this statistic shows how we are always driven by incentive and never truly doing things based solely for wider benefit. Let's think, if these publishers weren't monetizing their journals, would they feel the obligation to execute their research to the highest standard?
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The UC system was paying the company more than $10 million a year for journal access.
That is absolutely insane. I had no idea that universities paid that much to have information made available to students.
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15 percent of Elsevier journal articles already are open access, and many articles are available as preprints for fre
I think there should be a "grandfather" policy for those students that were there before Elsevier took away their access of the other 85%. Seems unfair for students to lose accessibility of research they once had and now do not.
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If UC decides to subscribe to some Elsevier journals on an individual basis, or frequently pays for one-time access to journal articles, the system may end up paying a substantial amount to the publisher, at worse value than their old big deal, said Rick Anderson. “I’m sure this development will represent a net loss for the company, but I don’t know how big it wil
It will be interesting to see if UC decides to subscribe to a few article and publications after backlash they might receive from pulling out of this multi million dollar deal.
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anet Napolitano, UC's president, said she fully supported efforts by students and faculty and staff members to take down paywalls. “This issue does not just impact UC, but also countless scholars, researchers and scientists around the globe -- and we stand with them in their push for full unfettered access.”
I think quote from the president is important. Stating this issue is not just an issue/discussion at UC but rather sprouting from a larger issue around the globe with ridiculously expensive access to articles and research.
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But the offer came with a hefty price tag, the negotiators said, which the system was not willing to pay.
Doesn't it seem like everything comes with a hefty price these days...
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has canceled its multimillion-dollar subscription
Multimillion-dollar?!! ok like thats alot...
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“If there is an outcry, the question will be whether it ends up being significant enough that the system reverses course. I would be surprised if that happened.”
I agree in the fact I would be surprised if there was a lot of backlash just because, as the article mentions, there is other articles that Elsevier has published that is freely open.
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she was impressed that an American university was able to "take a principled stand" and gain support for the move among its faculty members.
After understanding the scope of how much money institutions pay for journal articles, I think what UC did is very impressive because they took a risk in order to stand up for what they thought was right.
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that taxpayer-funded research should be as “freely and widely available as possible.”
I was unaware of just how much funded research was not freely available to the public, which I think plays into the previous article we looked at about information privilege.
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For a company that generates billions of dollars in revenue, the loss of $10 million per year will not be catastrophic financially.
To actually make an impact, more universities will need to drop their subscription as well.
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The UC system was paying the company more than $10 million a year for journal access.
This is an incredible amount of money just for journal access, but in a society that is so research driven it is a necessity.
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charges institutions to access and publish research
Like I said in the last article, these journal sites are businesses!! They charge for access and they charge for publication. The open access publication charges that put on authors limits their publications unless they have a big university behind them.
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The University of California System has canceled its multimillion-dollar subscription contract with Elsevier, an academic publisher.
This is a very big deal, particularly for individuals in the sciences. As a biology major, I use this site to find journals for my lab reports, research, general curiosity, etc. If we canceled our subscription, it would definitely create an impact. I think we all might relate to reading an abstract and finding an article that fits perfectly with our research just to find out we don't have access to it.
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Otherwise, researchers can email authors for copies, request them from interlibrary-loan systems (which can take a day to process) or pay a one-time purchase fee. At the time of going to press, Elsevier had not yet revoked the UC system's journal access
I doubt many students will want to go through this type of process?
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This issue does not just impact UC, but also countless scholars, researchers and scientists around the globe -- and we stand with them in their push for full unfettered access.”
I do wonder what this means for UC students and how they will feel the effects of this loss of resources? Is there something the UC faculty is doing instead of Elsevier?
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UC's negotiators said the door is open should Elsevier decide to come back with another offer. But they aren’t holding their breath. The system said many other U.S. institutions have shown interest in read-and-publish deals.
I think it is important for an institution with a large amount of power to be questioning and starting a conversation about this access
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multimillion-dollar subscription contract
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infomational.com infomational.com
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1 – FairVote 2 – Clean Diamond Trade Act 3 – Federalist No. 70 4 – Consent decree 5 – Bob Jones University v. Simon 6 – First National Bank of Boston v. Bellotti
I think this is absolutely genius as a project- spreading accurate information to the broader public- shares the information we are lucky enough to learn at our institutions with everyone else that is correct and reliable.
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I have long held the opinion that far too much student work disappears into a sort of curricular black box;
this reminds me of the conversation I had with Kyle about certain sites taking students intellectual property and repacking it as plagiarism detection software
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Problematizing assumptions about information access isn’t really possible without examining the profit drivers that exist beneath the mechanism of scholarship, which opens topics ranging from open access to privacy to intellectual freedom to the digital divide
I couldnt agree with this more. Looking at the assumptions we make. We often miss crucial issues due to the fact that no one tells you
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This may seem like a counterintuitive approach, but among my students it was a literally jaw-dropping illustration of a paywall that none of them knew existed
This is very interesting to me because I would also never know the privilege that I have to have access to so much information until someone told me so. Informing people of this privilege is what can be the catalyst of change.
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learners become facilitators in the sense that they are challenged to enrich educational spaces in pursuit of critical insight into the systems that surround them
I love this quote here about how we as students are also meant to be facilitators of learning, somewhat teachers, by looking critically and challenging the world around us. I find that this can be frequently stifled in the traditional classroom where frequently there is no open forum for students to challenge ideas and beliefs and bounce things off one another, which is a critical part, not only to learning, but also to developing who you are as a student.
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Perhaps the best way to confront information privilege is to work from an understanding that it undergirds the efforts of libraries and wider knowledge production
I wonder then, if this idea that wider knowledge production must be tied to monetary benefit.....is it itself a structural inequity in the form of a commonly accepted societal ideal (given our roots in capitalism). Should this notion be accepted?
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Wikipedia provides a touchstone for conversations about accuracy and authority and a means to engage students with these questions in their own work.
I think that this is a very interesting point. I have never thought about it, but Wikipedia really does challenge many to think about where information is coming from. It also provides an opportunity for many to share information that might not be able to get shared otherwise.
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More importantly, it exposes the fallibility of assumptions about information and its ecology, identifies hidden injustices, encourages more open forms of participation in a knowledge polity, critiques the information-for-profit imperative, and demands the examination of personal and institutional privilege within scholarly (and not so scholarly) communication.
I think this really represents the idea that our class is "looking at things as they might otherwise be"
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librarians and other information professionals are best equipped to shift the dynamic towards a freer flow of knowledge unattached to markers of access privilege
I think it is highly empowering that librarians and other information professionals have the power that it takes to begin chipping away at this issue of access equality. These are all people we know/ work with that have the ability to start making changes!
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We can begin by asking ourselves simple questions – how do I approach access and authority in my practice? Do I broach subjects like inequity or justice? What can I do to develop a more open sense of access?
This is a nice end to such an important discussion. I like that the author challenges readers to look into their own implicit basis when it comes to information access, and dares them to ask the tough questions that will hopefully effect change.
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One facet of challenging information privilege is involving students in a process of leveraging institutional resources to create products that contribute to a broader public discourse (as opposed to ending up in recycling bins and/or behind closed institutional doors)
I actually love this quote! It's like the author is addressing the big elephant in the room relating to grades and course work. I am always excited when I'm assigned a project that I know will have a lasting impact even after I finish the course. Students are always able to tell if their work will end up in the recycling bin after grades are submitted, and I can speak from experience, its not the biggest motivator to truly invest my all in the work. So yes, lets do work that engages community members, changes institutional structures, or at the very least, is a stepping stone in the direction of impact that can be taken up by the students who come after!
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Listening to students grapple with education from perspectives in conflict with their personal experience as learners has been fascinating,
I think its so important to listen to students as they discuss their experience as learners, especially considering the fact that not every one has equal access to information throughout his/her learning process. We can relate this discussion back to issues involving the college application process. Public schools are primarily funded through property taxes, and the amount of funding each school receives directly dictates the kind of resources (information) offered to students. I went to a high school that did not offer free SAT prep-courses while a high school up the road from me did. This school also happened to have higher college acceptance rates and test scores overall. This is only one of a multitude of examples that arise in the discussion of information access and how it contributes to the success of students. The sort of academic priming some students receive from the onset of their schooling invariably puts them at a greater advantage compared to students without access to tutors, or test prep-classes, and this is not to say that these students are in any way at fault for having greater access, I just think the system itself does not create an environment conducive to quality education for all.
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Feminist pedagogy attempts to expose, critique, and flatten power-based learning, gender, and social hierarchies,
When considering this line in the article, I think about the majors we have on campus and their gender breakdown. A few weeks ago, I was surprised to learn that the Philosophy department at Wake has the largest gap in male to female students (with males dominating) and I can imagine how that impacts the way students intake information.
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More importantly, it exposes the fallibility of assumptions about information and its ecology, identifies hidden injustices, encourages more open forms of participation in a knowledge polity, critiques the information-for-profit imperative, and demands the examination of personal and institutional privilege within scholarly (and not so scholarly) communication.
The author of this article does a great job here synthesizing the key issues that surround equal access to information.
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learners in higher education are typically asked to create isolated products meant not to inform but to mimic a scholarly conversation going on somewhere just above their heads.
So true. I felt like in my English divisional I was penalized for having a completely outlandish perspective on the readings that didn't corroborate published resources already
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reached out to librarians and others with the necessary credentials to help him secure obscure articles from back issues of scientific journals.
I forget how libraries have such a vast number of resources readily available for free use for students at Wake. For example, I needed to read a book during the summer to get credit for my study abroad internship, and I was able to find the book in the library (instead of paying $20 for it on amazon) - as a business school student, that was the first time I had really used a library before.
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“Why in the world does it cost so much?” “It doesn’t make sense!” “You mean all libraries have to pay like this?”
To be honest I had never much thought about or noticed this discourse surrounding infromation privilege. Knowing I am entering into an industry that is highly supported by research is interesting to note as well-, because without that research the advertising industry might not be as strong as it has become. One thing that also came to my mind was how expensive access to articles and subscriptions has become, but I never knew that because I have always attended a school where it has been payed for. I had never noticed the information privilege I have had access to until just now while reading through this article.
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It's so easy to forget that information and being able to have access to never ending resources is a privilege. I like how the author points out that information isn't always just sitting there, sometimes it takes a lot of work to find it.
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Questioning underlying assumptions takes effort, but effort is far more compelling than internalizing and reproducing obligatory tasks.
Again, I think this goes back to the issues of a grading system and that students just do what the teacher asks without really caring about what they are doing for their own personal curiosity. This is clearly also a negative impact of information privilege as well. Overall, I think students should try to engage with information and assignments with an intended goal to learn and gain something for their own personal benefit rather than just checking a box for a class or a teacher.
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One facet of challenging information privilege is involving students in a process of leveraging institutional resources to create products that contribute to a broader public discourse (as opposed to ending up in recycling bins and/or behind closed institutional doors).
I really like how the author here mentions this because it relates to what our class is trying to do now, which is create something that does not just disappear after the class is over. Furthermore, I do think that students in general write research papers or create class projects for a grade and then never touch those works again, which conflates the problem of grades that we have talked about with this idea of information privilege.
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“Why can’t we use this stuff after we graduate?”
This is common phrase that myself and some of my friends have started to say as we approach graduation in a month. This statement also plays into what the article is getting at. I personally have never truly thought about the kind of information privilege I have, but reading this article and now seeing this statement I can see the concept at play in my own life.
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This may seem like a counterintuitive approach, but among my students it was a literally jaw-dropping illustration of a paywall that none of them knew existed.
This is very real. The majority of the time, individuals don't even know the privilege that they hold, and until they are educated and gain an awareness nothing will change.
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nd if those contacted for off-the-grid support had not taken the time to do him a series of modest solids he would not have been able to produce this amazing, best-selling fermentation bible.
It seems like information privilege is highly associated with economic privilege.....
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Wikipedia editing is only one way to encourage students and faculty to produce participatory work that leverages paywalled information resources for the public good – encouraging capstone and other student project uploads to OA repositories is another
In theory, it would be a good idea to leverage paywalled information but Wikipedia is not a credible source in any academic setting, so this could be beneficial for general knowledge but not for reliable research?
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it is about informing the way we collaborate, design, manage, lead, and advocate.
I think that this informing part is really important because a lot of us don't even realize that this type of inequality exists.
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This content would have translated to untold thousands of dollars if he had followed the traditional routes available to him,
I have always wondered what makes these sources SO incredibly expensive....
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In the simplest terms, we are critical educators when we compel ourselves and others to think about power and privilege, and we are feminist educators when we dig beneath the status quo of our content and identify justice-focused approaches to engaging learners in a process of safe/radical self- and system-examination.
I think this is a great explanation for why we have people thinking more deeply and openly than others....sometimes not everyone has access to the resources that get them to open up their minds.
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At their best, libraries are an institutional form of social justice that equalize information availability and provide safe public space for learning and doing. At their worst, they perpetuate inequities and apportion resources among the intellectually sanctioned.
This makes me wonder about the resources that my town library at home provides.....I am curious about what my access to these resources will be like after I graduate next year.
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samlib100.blogspot.com samlib100.blogspot.com
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This bothers me in many ways because it is another example of the rich becoming richer. With the access gap for information, people less fortunate do not have the ability to learn from near as many sources as students like us get to. That being said, because so much money is spent on these resources, I wish I was better taught to take advantage of them. There is so much that remains untouched just because many of us students don't even know how to go about accessing the information.
So interesting to hear this perspective, but you're right! If we have it, we should use it, but what if you don't even know how to use it?
Being "bothered" by learning something new is a profound thing, isn't it? Troublesome learning--learning that you can't unlearn, and that colors all learning that follows--is so valuable.
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carsonbuckthal.blogspot.com carsonbuckthal.blogspot.com
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While I believe access should be free to everyone, I do believe that researchers and writers should be compensated for their work, just not to the multimillion dollar extent which most schools are paying.
Remember that authors aren't exactly compensated for their work by the publishers except in the (usually very small) royalties they get through book sales. It's quite rare for an academic to make large sums of money off of their publications--in most instances, their compensation comes in the form of a faculty salary.
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crawfordtannerlib100.blogspot.com crawfordtannerlib100.blogspot.com
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I think it is a matter of publication journals using research as a way to make money rather than a way to promote knowledge.
A case of misplaced priorities.
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I have always had access to research articles when I have needed them, and I have never thought about how the production of information can be altered based on where that information is coming from. This is such an important part of learning that I am very surprised that I have never thought or have never been encouraged to think about these things before. I can not imagine what I would do without access to research journals, as I am a biology major. Furthermore, what even is knowledge if it can't be accessed and shared with everyone.
Furthermore, what even is knowledge if it can't be accessed and shared with everyone.
What is it, indeed!? It's scientific knowledge, not state secrets, for cryin' out loud.
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This week I have also enjoyed making connections from previous readings, specifically the one about the grading system, with this weeks readings. I feel as though information privilege and how students strive for certain grades are very much correlated. I wonder if eliminating grades would help with the issue of information privilege in the fact that students may actually continue to explore their research topics after the completion of a class.
I really, really love this connection! I think you might be right that if we design our courses and our learning around meaningful, authentic projects, we open ourselves up to greater exploration and risk-taking, especially when grades aren't part of the equation.
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kristinthoughts.home.blog kristinthoughts.home.blog
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When thinking of this in terms of government research, it seems completely ludicrous for the public to have to pay to read these works when their tax dollars paid for it in the first place. The purpose of publishing research is for scientists to share their discoveries with the world and with the convenience of digital copies, this should be easier than ever. Yet, there is still another obstacle in the way.
Yet, there is still another obstacle in the way.
Yes. Yes. Always obstacles, and usually artificial obstacles. So frustrating.
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sarahslibscienceblog.blogspot.com sarahslibscienceblog.blogspot.com
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I typically have to search around for Wake alumni on LinkedIn
You may've already used this but if you go on WIN>Directories>Alumni/Parents/Donor services, you're able to search current students and alumni who work in your respective fields of interest and can even dilute your search down with various filters such as geographic region, job specialty etc. It's great because it has a meter that shows your level of similarity with your peers/alum and also provides their contact information and some of their involvement on campus. The only problem is if you filter down for a specific company, you have to get the exact wording that they used which differs from person to person e.g. EY vs. Ernst & Young vs. Ernst and Young.
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www.researchgate.net www.researchgate.net
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Between supporting student activism and joining students inactivism if we strongly agree with their concerns? How do we support students whose views are radicallydifferent from our own? What does activism look like in my discipline?
I think that this is a root of a lot of conflict. People have to learn to think more out of their own perspective and try to understand people with views that are radically different and those that are very similar. If we all took a little more time to do this there would be more understanding and less conflict.
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s demanding the purge of racist symbols and figures in effect denying our history and stiflingthe free exchange of ideas? If we try to erase all traces of Wilson, who goes next? Perhapssomeof the names andimages should be removed? How do we decide? Where does it all end?
I think that this is a very interesting point. I think that there is such a delicate balance between acknowledging the things that have happened in the past, despite how bad they are, and trying to move forward from it. There is an element of learning from the past that should not be lost but not dwelling on things that have happened also is crucial to moving into equality
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pervasive institutional racism, educational inequality, sexual assault, crushing student debt, abortion,sustainability, the BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanctions
I think that it is interesting that they are able to so easily pin down the exact issues that modern students are facing on campuses across the nation. These are all very present on our campus and campuses around the US
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There are multiple definitions ofactivism, the simplest I have found being“taking action to effect social change”(Permanentculturenow.com, 2014). Others specify“vigorous campaigning”(Oxford Dictionaries,2016)or“vigorous action”(Merriam-Webster,2016). Still others narrow the definition of activism to“direct, oftenconfrontational action, such as a demonstration or strike
I think that it is very interesting that there are such diverse definitions of activism. Some that sort of have a negative connotation as being aggressive or pushy and others as trying to help change the world.
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www.researchgate.net www.researchgate.net
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seem
This also calls into question how do we create safe spaces when we live in a society, where individuals don't believe they are necessary?
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“I think the voices are loud but what are they yelling?
This goes back to my previous statement. You can rally and plan speak outs but if you don't have someone at the table where legislations and decisions are being made, they'll never know what you are fighting or advocating for.
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We are all familiar with student activists’calls for“safe spaces”on campus. They demand freedom frommicroagressions, small actions or word choices that on their face seem to have no malicious intent but thatnonetheless send denigrating messages to individuals who are not from the dominant culture.
I think it is a near impossible goal to aim to please everyone. In most situations, someone will always be upset, such is the case with safe spaces. And, while yes safe spaces sometimes can be controversial, I believe they are a vital part of society. People need to have a place they can go and feel the freedom to express themselves and interact with others.
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How is“the new”
I think that a huge difference between student activism today versus student activism in the 60s and 70s has a lot to do with technology. I think in this modern day technological society it affects our actions in such a huge way. I think social media also plays a big role in student activism, and in the 60s and 70s, social media did not even exist.
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The protesters have been accused of being juvenile and thosewho summarily rejected the demands characterized as naïve and petulant.
It's crazy that this is certainly the case with a lot of the student activism that goes on on Wake's campus. many of the participants are considered juvenile and "asking for too much".
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movement to pressure Israel to comply with itsdemands regarding the Palestinians, and other issues of social justice
I'm glad this article made note of this issue. It is one that is often left out of the conversations that pertain to social activism.
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I am deeply committed to providing opportunities for students to develop theknowledge and skills necessary to facilitate social change and to find their place in the world as agents ofpositive social change
This line makes me think back to one of the opening lines of this article that said "people in positions of power, I think they believe nothing is going to happen". It is important for students to have support (especially in the form of faculty and staff) so they may be a positive force for change. With enough people collectively making an effort to push for change, change is bound to come!
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student activism has increased substantially on campusesacross the country following the election of Donald J. Trump as President. N
From my personal experience on Wake's campus I certainly saw a surge in student activism following the 2016 Presidential election. I also noticed a surge in trump supporting rhetoric develop on campus following his election which may in part explain the influx in student activism that I witnessed.
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Is demanding the purge of racist symbols and figures in effect denying our history and stiflingthe free exchange of ideas? If we try to erase all traces of Wilson, who goes next? Perhapssomeof the names andimages should be removed? How do we decide? Where does it all end?
I don't believe that we should ever stop teaching about the atrocious acts that have happened in the past but these very symbols/artifacts that are linked to the oppression of other groups shouldn't be proudly displayed on campuses, especially when it makes students uncomfortable.
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fosterbrave spacesin classrooms and on campus,environments where there are trust and belief that students, anyone actually, can take the risks to share theirviews and explore big complex questions openly and authentically (Arao & Clemens,2013).
My question here is how do we foster a sense of trust and community in these brave spaces?
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How can we walk the fine line between developing activists andbeing a member of the“establishment”?
I think this is an important question and we need more push from administrators/professors to be an activist instead of simply a member of the establishment.
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primarily socialized or culturally determined. They consider their values in relation to their multiple identitiesand potential conflicts that could arise within and among their values. My students all have remarked that theywant to be social change agents and are on a quest to figure out what that means for them. They analyze theirdeepest motivations and what they believe is worth fighting for. For example, they consider under whatcircumstances might it be worth engaging in unlawful protest. They also consider the potential consequencesof actions related to activism and other strategies for social change, such as arrest, which could eliminate onefrom consideration for certain future positions from which one could effect large-scale social change.How Do We Help Students See Themselves as Problem Solvers Not JustProblem Identifiers?The press has called student activists“crybullies,”who are good at identifying problems, making demands,and expecting administrators to meet them, thus absolving themselves of responsibility (Porterfield,2016).They have also been called“clicktivists”or“slacktivists,”clicking to sign a petition or“liking”a cause onFacebook. A problem solver, on the other hand, notices that something is wrong, studies the situation,develops potential solutions, and then takes action to address the problem.Daniel R. Porterfield, president of Franklin and Marshall College, provided an example of problem-solving student activism on his campus in response to ugly racist remarks posted on Yik Yak. I have found thisexample worthy of discussion with students who are contemplating how to deal with similar issues. Instead ofseeking to delete or ignore the racist posts, a group of F&M student activists took screenshots of the posts andmounted them on a large canvas with the headline,“You can no longer deny our experiences.”Then theydisplayed their public art, creatively named“Black Yak,”in the student center and included ample b
Sorry about all of the highlighting, for some reason it is acting up. However, a similar situation happened at my high school and it sparked wide discussion about what we are posting on on social media and the consequences that has.
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confrontational action, such as a demonstration or strike
I don't think it always needs to be confrontational....I think providing a differing opinion can be a form or student activism.
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can help us create a campus environment that encouragesand supports constructive student activism.
I think that even in my short time at Wake I have found that more of my classes encourage constructive student activism. I feel that as a senior, I have many more classes that involve discussions where we give our opinions and talk about change. As a freshman, it felt like all of my classes were one sided lectures.
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slacktivists,
I myself, am definitely a "slacktivist." I just genuinely don't believe I have the time and or energy to promote and create change on campus. For example, this winter I had some issues with the administration in terms of the amount of courses I was taking. I complained and appealed their decision, but I didn't go any further with it in terms of trying to change the ridiculous rules that are in place (even thought I knew a few of my friends were having the same troubles). Ideally, I would love to be a problem solver, but at a place like Wake, it feels almost impossible to drive change. Again, I am not sure if this is me being cynical , or if there really was nothing I could do about it.
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To be brave means“being vulnerable and authentic, speaking our truth evenwhen we are unsure. To be brave also means to listen and be open to others even in the midst of discomfort”(Rollins,2016, para. 1). It is in brave spaces where the deepest learning occurs.
I agree with this statement, in order to have the deepest amount of learning and most influential change, there needs to be a brave space. In this brave and psychological safe space, one is able to be vulnerable and authentic, while also being open minded to others opinions. This concept is much more important than implementing and ensuring safety on campus all of the time.
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what is the role for those of usas service-learning educators who believe that service-learning itself is a form of activism whose ultimategoal is to dismantle the systems and structures—including higher education—that perpetuate unequalpower and privilege
There is irony in this, that as an educator or teacher of activism, one inherently possess more power than the "student" of activism. Is there a right or wrong way to be an activist? Is successful activism measured on the basis of what is achieved, or how it is achieved?
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press has called student activists“crybullies,”who are good at identifying problems, making demands,and expecting administrators to meet them, thus absolving themselves of responsibility
Beyond the press, certain political groups and age groups also use the term (now commonplace) "snow flakes."
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n a more personal note, how can we help our students understand their own values with greater depthand clarity, to integrate their core beliefs and values into their own complex set of ethics and priorities, even inthe midst of conflict or ambiguit
I think this is an especially important point. Before one can truly become an agent of social change, it's important to clarify core beliefs and values rather than merely adopt them based on the notion that they are "supposed to." Without this clarification, the passion required for successful change to be brought about in the midst of conflict, is lacking or even absent entirely.
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“Critical reflection is the active, persistent, andcareful consideration of any belief or supposed form of knowledge in the light of the grounds that support itand the further conclusions to which it tends”(
I like the distinction the author makes between reflection, which in itself sounds like a sort of passive act, and "critical reflection" which embodies action and purpose. More often than not I have found true knowledge to come from this type of critical reflection process she references. It is through actively examining and reevaluating knowledge or a set of decisions that furthers growth in an individual.
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My students all have remarked that theywant to be social change agents and are on a quest to figure out what that means for them.
I think this statement is an accurate summation of how I feel as a student on Wake Forest's campus. With information being more accessible than ever, it can be somewhat overwhelming to process and reflect upon. I often have difficulty deciding what exactly my stance is on a subject.
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“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I amchanging the things I cannot accept.”
I think this quote really embodies what one should think about when wanting to be an activist. Student activism can be criticized for only pointing out the problems but not giving any ways to change them. While this quote does make it seem easier said than done, I do think there is an immense truth to it. While it is daunting to try to make change in a big world, it is the only way to address things that you do not agree with. Simply by pointing out the wrongs in society will not make them go away, but rather one needs to take those problems and work to fix them.
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There is a lot of complexity in where one’s free speech ends and another’s begins. What if activismmeans banning speech you do not want to hear? What would be the short term and lasting implications ifall our demands for silencing voices and removing symbols we find offensive were totally met? How canwe help students understand the complexity of issues surrounding free speech?
In my opinion these are groundbreaking questions that need to be given more attention to in the context of student activism. One forgets at times that free speech extends to those who have a different opinion and therefore should not be barred from being heard. Additionally, as the author discusses in the above paragraphs, it is important to deliberate and discuss opposing views rather than only listening to one sides opinion. A lot of the time in our society we do not truly discuss everything going on, but only focus on parts of what is going on and I do not think that operating in that way will ever create full social change that is beneficial. Rather, doing so creates a fragmented picture for an audience that may or may not understand the topic at hand.
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They have access to Internet and social mediatools we never imagined. In addition, they are far more broadly and deeply engaged in community service,through student organizations, faith communities, service-learning courses, alternative breaks, and numerousother organized activities.
As the author notes here, I think that the Internet and social media outlets has changed the scope of student activism entirely. Additionally, such media sources combined with engagement in community groups has led to a new thinking and imagining for students in this day and age. Whether these new sources can be deemed good for impacting social change is all about how one uses them and that is something I believe needs to be discussed more. For example, one can look to many different college campuses and see how social media has been used for good and has been used for bad.
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The more I thought about it, the more I came to realize that what I am passionate about is helping studentsto understand and utilize the various levers of social change available to them as well as the essential role ofcitizen activism in a democracy.
What are some of the "levers" we can pull here on campus and in our community?
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brave spacesin classrooms and on campus,environments where there are trust and belief that students, anyone actually, can take the risks to share theirviews and explore big complex questions openly and authentically (Arao & Clemens,2013).
psychological safety in the exchange of ideas is much more important than being politically correct
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Is demanding the purge of racist symbols and figures in effect denying our history and stiflingthe free exchange of ideas? If we try to erase all traces of Wilson, who goes next? Perhapssomeof the names andimages should be removed? How do we decide? Where does it all end?
This is difficult because on one hand, we are allowing artifacts to remain that represent dark periods in history, however, by removing them, we are in a way diminishing the very fact that such atrocious acts even happened/existed which paints an unfinished picture of the past (out of sight, out of mind).
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student activism has increased substantially on campusesacross the country following the election of Donald J. Trump as President.
Due to the extreme nature of Trump's political views, I think his presidency invigorated a wave of activism and an urge to make opinions be heard more clearly. Millennials are definitely outspoken, however, it is interesting to see how Trump's controversial administration has unearthed this new sense of responsibility to ardently rally for what people believe in and motion change instead of sitting in silence and letting issues persist.
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Although I generally do notpromoteWikipedia
Boo to disparaging Wikipedia
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People in positions of power, I think they believe nothing is going to happen....We’re just going to yell andscream and hold up signs and nothing’s going to change. But you’ve got an entire generation of people thatrealize something is wrong and something has to change because the system is wrong
I believe this quote is more important than ever considering what has occurred in the past few years. Reflecting back on Charlottesville, Sandy Hook, or even Parkland it is clear to see the importance of student activism. Not only did a few of these incidents occur in schools, but after there was a nationwide out cry for gun protection. Even on our own campus this discussion occurred after the barn shooting back in 2018. But while these discussions have occurred, this quote is sadly accurate in saying that nothing may change. However, our current generation knows something is wrong and is advocating for this silence to end and for change to happen across the nation. I believe student activism is crucial to incidents like the ones mentioned above to help create real change. But here raises the question, how can student activism lead to this crucial need for change? I think our generation needs to use our resources available (online platforms, student organization, and etc.) to continue this discussion on how to get the ball rolling for change.
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medium.com medium.com
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We plan to accomplish our goal of increasing resources for students hoping to go to graduate school through creating a pamphlet of some sort. The pamphlet would include why we are doing the project in the first place, how we think the current resources are being used, and give ideas on how to elevate and add resources for students wanting to go to graduate school. Finally, we intend to show this pamphlet to the OPCD and potentially department heads of all subjects in order to raise awareness of what needs to be done, as well as to make more known the resources that are available to students.
This sounds like a great plan! As I said on Carson's post, we'll need to make sure your pamphlet or pitch is based on sound research about what kinds of support for graduate students produces the best outcomes. I love that you've identified a project that's relevant to you now and will benefit students that come after you!
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carsonbuckthal.blogspot.com carsonbuckthal.blogspot.com
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We are hoping to start this discussion by creating a powerpoint or pamphlet that directly states solutions to this problem. Creating a presentation or a pamphlet will directly show the OPCD and administration what changes need to be made to help develop programs for students wanting to seek higher education.
How are you hoping to deliver this? Are you intending to actually get some time with OPCD leadership and make a pitch? That'd be amazing. At any rate, we'll need to make sure that your argument is based on solid evidence. We'll talk more about what you'll need in our consultation. Great job!
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lack of resources/guidance for those wishing to attend a graduate program after Wake Forest
Great problem to address, and definitely relevant to your current situation! Love it.
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www.seanmichaelmorris.com www.seanmichaelmorris.com
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There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for teaching
I think this goes for in person classes as well as online classes. Each professor should be able to teach the way they think will be the most effective but they should be open to change especially as technology changes
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Because digital spaces are not private spaces, we need to understand what compromises we’re making,
I think this is a really important point that Morris makes. When classes are moved from the physical space to the digital space we take a leap of faith that the information and thoughts that we share will not be exploited or even taken by others. In a regular classroom environment, much of your physical work (like essays, and annotations) are only really shared with the professor. Therefore, we instill a great deal of trust in the digital learning space.
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Let me say that again: It’s regular human communication astride a new medium.
I am really intrigued by this statement and I think in some ways I agree. For example, it reminds be of the use of social media and the debate surrounding the types of human connection and communication it prompts. Although tools like Instagram and Facebook do not replace face to face connection, they provide an additional method of human connection that some may argue can be even more valuable.
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someone who could be there to help make sense of out of what she was learning.
After taking many classes both on and offline, I believe the isolation does not stem from the method of teaching (digital or nondigital), but instead it has to do with the professors true willingness to oversee their students and truly be available as a resource. I have felt much more connected and assisted by professors of online courses in certain cases than professors of a typical lecture class. Thus, I believe this isolation can be mainly attributed to the dedication of the professor of the course.
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It’s regular human communication astride a new medium. There’s no need to make it more than it is.
This point is particularly interesting to me because I feel as though we understand the concept of human interaction over the Web very well (as evidenced by our various social media websites). However, it seems that we struggle to put this same concept into online learning practices.
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There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for teaching with technology, and the decisions about what the right tools are depends as much on the job as it does the laborers.
I think this is a very important concept in education in general. I think we often get caught up in doing things in the way that works for some and not for all. The beauty of online learning is that you can tailor the curriculum to the teacher and the students.
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Online is different, in the sense that bringing people fully into an experience requires some explicit scaffolding that face-to-face tends not to. And yet online is no different at all, in the sense that it is teaching and learning for all the same reasons as any other teaching and learning experience, and we need to approach it with our whole selves, not just as mediators of technology.
I really like how Bonnie worded the teaching/learning experience. I agree, the digital platform is only a "doorway into the classroom"
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I watched the videos alone. (Paused, rewound, and replayed.) There was no way for me to stop the lecture to ask the professor a question. There were no office hours. There were no classmates with whom I could study
I personally would not perform well in this type of learning environment. I believe we learn as much through communication as we do through reading textbooks. A classroom set up that harnesses both the communicative aspects of learning as well as the independent studying would be an optimal learning environment. Furthermore, the communication aspect is not exclusive to face to face interaction. Digital communication is just as effective of a tool.
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limiting structures
I have heard from multiple instructors over the course of my college career who have made the argument that LMSs are restricting. It is difficult to see on the student end because we haven't been exposed to anything other than Sakai, but as far as teaching goes, it makes sense for instructors to feel limited by these LMSs.
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There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for teaching with technology, and the decisions about what the right tools are depends as much on the job as it does the laborers.
Very important to remember in terms of online teaching tools. Somethings will work better than others, especially as technology continues to evolve it is important to explore new ways to interact online, and not become too attached to things that could be obsolete in the near future.
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e use of digital technology to widen the parameters of human interaction and knowledge production is still in its most experimental stage.”
This is very true and applicable to our class! Now more than ever we have to try to expand upon the up and coming tools that allow us to achieve the kind of intimacy we do in person, such that learning, teaching, and other discussions evoke similar feelings of presence.
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your data belongs to the platform you are using
I recently learned that professors can view what you do and when you do it on Sakai. Therefore in a way, your data and activity belongs to your teacher as well.
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But unlike in class when you can see the introverted learner listening and comprehending, online their presence is, well, absent.
One can easily assume that an introverted learner would be better suited for online learning. However, after reading this paragraph I can clearly see how false that can be. This statement shows how an introvert, by nature, would not want to appear at all in an online learning classroom and therefore no one would know or care to know if they were learning like they would in a face-to-face classroom. As someone who was very quiet at the start of college, I gained confidence to speak up through my face-to-face classes and not in online learning classes I took.
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but how to reach students, how to create rigorous, invigorating discussions, how to build opportunities for peer-driven learning, how to grow academics in that space, or how to incorporate those more boundary-pushing pedagogies into digital teaching.
I think that this is something that needs to be prioritized in some face-to-face classes as well. For example, there are courses that are taught in a classroom that are taught lecture style with power points that are posted online so some students do not even take notes or pay attention and do not even speak to the students in their class. Therefore, there is no peer-driven learning or collaborative exercises. While I do agree that online teaching needs this more than face-to-face courses, I think that all learning environments should strive for this.
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Teaching online and in hybrid spaces must be considered an academic field in itself; it is an academic pursuit. Digital teaching and learning is scholarship.
I think this is an interesting point to note. I agree that it takes a lot of learning and patience in order to understand a online teaching environment; however, I believe it is completely possible with the references we are given today. For instance this software right here that pinned to my search bar and allows me to participate in a public classroom settings. You do not have to be a scholar to use this software, just a curious and open minded individual.
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It would, in fact, be a mistake to think that what any of us do is digital. The endeavor of education—even outside Humanities fields—is human. Immediately upon recognizing this, we have to ask: what approach to digital (environments, tools, learning, networks, etc.) allows us to reach through the jargon and the hype and the code to find the human?
I think this paragraph is accurate in the point that it makes regarding a digital teaching platform and a human being. I think at the core of teaching no matter what the platform is, is the human behind it. The question then becomes what forms of technology will we use to continue teaching in a more digital and less analog world, all while keeping the human being the center of the teaching process. No matter what though, I do think the human will continue to be the center behind the technology. It is interesting to see the multiple ways a degree can be earned these days through the use of technology- whether thats a completely online institute or just a few online course here and there.
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Because digital environments provide more mystery than answers, inquiry into how to teach online is key—and not just how to load up content into an LMS, but how to reach students, how to create rigorous, invigorating discussions, how to build opportunities for peer-driven learning, how to grow academics in that space, or how to incorporate those more boundary-pushing pedagogies into digital teaching.
To reiterate my point from earlier, I think the place I interned has mastered this. They have created a digital classroom environment where a professor can call on students who are physically raising their hands. The human connection seems visible as professors have the opportunity to read body language, respond to concerns, etc. I think the benefit of this medium is that many of the students who participate live in places where they would not normally have access to this type of education.
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The digital isn’t magic. It isn’t mysterious. It’s regular human communication astride a new medium. Let me say that again: It’s regular human communication astride a new medium. There’s no need to make it more than it is.
I think this point is really interesting. I have never thought of digital as a medium of communication. I am curious as to how we can strengthen this medium to improve the human connection? I wonder if this is something that will become better or worse overtime?
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There were no classmates with whom I could study.
I agree with this point completely and often find that I learn just as much through study groups and working with other students as I do from my professor.
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The real problem here is not that quality suffered, but that people mistook what they were doing within the LMS as pedagogical. It may be teaching—in the same way that reading from a handout is teaching—but simply slotting your pre-written materials into an online framework and calling it a class is not interesting or sound pedagogy.
Maybe I have not read far enough through this yet, but I personally disagree with this statement. For 2 summers, I interned at Harvard Business School's online education program (https://online.hbs.edu/?c1=GAW_SE_NW&source=US_BRND&cr2=search__-__nw__-__us__-__branded&kw=harvard_business_school_online_phm&cr5=324048267748&cr7=c&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrNjM2dmO4QIVElqGCh3ZAwQ8EAAYASAAEgIFQ_D_BwE).
This small start up within the biz school has created a unique, online classroom platform and has been incredibly successful. I think it is the opposite of "slotting pre written materials and calling it a class."
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www.alfiekohn.org www.alfiekohn.org
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the more students are led to focus on how well they’re doing, the less engaged they tend to be with what they’re doing.
I think this is a problem with a lot of my classes. I've made a bigger effort to not think about the grades, but instead how I felt about my preparation and how I felt taking it.
I also think classes with real life applications are better. For example, in my tax class we have to volunteer and file tax returns for underprivileged people in the community. Because I was doing people's real tax returns (very scary at first!!) I was more motivated to master the material.
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I was writing for a grade — I was no longer exploring for me.
I totally relate to this. When I was in elementary school, I wanted to be an author when I grew up. Writing was fun and creative to me! In middle school, when our writing began to get graded, I suddenly started disliking it. Compared to my other classes, I didn't do as well on my writing assignments, so still to this day I get really anxious whenever I have to write anything!
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replace letters or numbers with labels
I strongly agree with this sentiment because I experienced this type of grading from prekindergarten until the start of six grade. Our teachers used labels like "excellent, good and satisfactory" in order to describe our achievement in the classroom and on tests. I found this system to be just as detrimental as grading because, those labels, still define you as a student and even as a person which inherently takes the enjoyment out of school.
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the graded group remembered fewer facts a week later
I find this statement to be incredibly alarming. If the point of education is to produce knowledgeable and curious young adults, then why are we deliberately choosing a method that will create a more weakly informed population. As a student, your goal is to receive the best grades in order to get into the best college. Then, once you get into college, you also need to get the highest grades possible in order to get the best job or gain entry into graduate school. Therefore, instead of learning how to enjoy the process of learning itself, we worry ourselves so much about grades and resort to basic memorization of facts and figures in order to get by.
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till, it takes courage to do right by kids in an era when the quantitative matters more than the qualitative, when meeting (someone else’s) standards counts for more than exploring ideas, and when anything “rigorous” is automatically assumed to be valuable.
I think the part about meeting someone else's standards is a particularly strong point. Grades push us to strive for what os seen as good and knowledgable by others rather than what we ourselves find interesting.
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Extrinsic motivation, which includes a desire to get better grades, is not only different from, but often undermines, intrinsic motivation, a desire to learn for its own sake (Kohn 1999a).
My mom says that all of the time. We lack curiosity in the world around us and learning for a letter grade seems to be draining that from us even more
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They’re less likely to wonder, say, “How can we be sure that’s true?” than to ask “Is this going to be on the test?”
I think this is something that is very obvious with people being educated right now. There is a severe lack of creative new thought and a larger emphasis on being able to quote old thought. Furthermore, I think learning for a test results in people learning very little and retaining even less- because if there is no test, why remember it?
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Grades tend to diminish students’ interest in whatever they’re learning. A “grading orientation” and a “learning orientation” have been shown to be inversely related
This is something that I completely agree with. I think everyone who has been a student has found themselves flipping through a reading looking for the answers to a worksheet or a particular quote to use as evidence in an essay. You can almost avoid reading the actual document if you just find what you need from it. You get the right answers but learn very little.
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If it isn’t, then our obligation is to work for its elimination and, in the meantime, do what we can to minimize its impact.
I do not believe grades/evaluations will ever be eliminated, just because it is so engrained in the way the education system works. However, I am in full support of an updated system of evaluating that takes a more holistic approach to assessing a students understanding of material.
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the more students are led to focus on how well they’re doing, the less engaged they tend to be with what they’re doing.
This sentence, in essence, captures much of how I view the system of higher education, at least at the undergraduate level. Many students are definitely more engaged in performance than pure learning.
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They may skim books for what they’ll “need to know.”
This sentence sounds all too familiar. Skimming readings for the important information that will most likely be on the test is essentially the cookie cutter recipe for success most students follow. There's less of an incentive for students to read for the sake of learning, this could in part be due to the lack of time students have to engage in every assigned reading in depth as well.
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We need to collect information about how students are doing, and then we need to share that information (along with our judgments, perhaps) with the students and their parents. Gather and report — that’s pretty much it.
I find it hard to imagine school without a system of grading or evaluation. I do think grades are an agent of good when it comes to motivating students to invest the time and energy required for learning material. I guess where it goes wrong is when the numerical score becomes more important than the learning process.
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I was writing for a grade — I was no longer exploring for me.
I feel like a lot of people stress out when professors assign them papers because they want it to be perfect and meet the professors criteria. Even when I talk to my friends, they tell me that they dread writing papers because they often have to follow prompts and aren't allowed to freely explore. If a lot more of the things we did in classes weren't for grades, I believe students would enjoy and appreciate the process more.
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If nourishing their desire to learn is a primary goal for us, then grading is problematic by its very nature.
Unfortunately, while nourishing a desire to learn may be the goal of many (good) teachers, the reality of our educational system is to separate high-achievers from low-achievers, such that a number of career opportunities beyond school are structured only to be available to those which meet certain "high-achiever" requirements.
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mpress upon students that what they’re doing will count toward their grade, and their response will likely be to avoid taking any unnecessary intellectual risks.
This point really resonates with me and how I've learned to study and adapt for certain classes. Particularly, some teachers do not just stress that the goal is to get a good mark, but that the goal is to get what they subjectively believe is right. For example, in writing papers, or answering free response questions, it is often easier to simply write about what I know the teacher would like, rather than a dissenting opinion or choosing a riskier topic that may actually be of more interest to me.
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Sure enough, the children who were told to think about their performance now wanted to know how they had done relative to their peers; those who had been allowed to become immersed in the task were more interested in seeing what their peers had done.
This evidence shows a scary reality that grading systems make individuals care more about their own personal performance, which then hinders them from learning from their peers. From experience, exercises where we were peer evaluated but not given a grade made me more interested to see what my classmates had written in order to build on my own work. However, when I thought I was getting a grade regardless of the peer review comments, I cared more about what the teacher gave me than what my fellow classmate thought of my work.
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because they’re “unmotivated” but because they’re rational.
I think that this statement provides a new insight to what could be perceived as a negative connotation towards students who do this. Often we hear the phrase "taking the easy way out", and view it as something that makes that person less intelligent or less motivated, as stated here. However, this reveals that really people are just being rational and using their own benchmark for how to achieve success.
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success matters more than learning
I feel like so many of us feel the pressure to be successful by getting good grades that it hinders our ability to learn. I think that this causes students to feel competitive towards other classmates, rather than using them as a source to learn.
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avoid taking any unnecessary intellectual risks
I have personally exhibited this behavior in my academic career. When completing assignments I often find myself taking the "safer" route instead of pushing my thought boundaries because my main focus is to earn a high grade. I am content to limit my intellectual efforts and simply follow what is outlined by the assignment, because I am afraid deviating from the outline will harm my grade.
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Grades tend to reduce the quality of students’ thinking.
I think this point is very interesting to note. Many college students just read for what they think they "need to know." This limits the students ability to learn- knowing, that they are just memorizing or reading information. I have been in countless classes here at Wake were students will ask teachers "Is that reading going to be on the test?" "Do we need to know that?" I think this is the norm for our generation as the classroom has become so competitive and students want to get the best grades with minimal work.
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I believe that grades do have the inverse affect than they should. Students tend to focus on the end goal (the grade) rather than learned and digesting the material of the course. Grades allow students to work around actually learning the material and instead, memorizing it so it can be recited on a test or paper. The motivation behind grades is not always learning, it is the outcome and number that is shown in a GPA rather than knowledge stored.
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Without grades, “I think my relationships with students are better,” Drier says. “Their writing improves more quickly and the things they learn stay with them longer. I’ve had lots of kids tell me it’s changed their attitude about coming to school.” He expected resistance from parents but says that in three years only one parent has objected, and it may help that he sends a letter home to explain exactly what he’s doing and why. Now two of his colleagues are joining him in eliminating grades.
I think the fact that eliminating grading has had an impact on attitudes about attending school is very impressive. In terms of dealing with parents, I wonder if the teacher could provide the parents with updates/comments instead of grades? I can imagine parents feeling frustrated if they had no updates on their children so this could pose as a solution?
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Teachers report that students, for their part, often just turn to the grade and ignore the comment, but “when there’s only a comment, they read it,” says high school English teacher Jim Drier.
I actually find myself thinking differently when this happens. If a teacher leaves a comment that they loved my paper and gives me a grade of an 85, I get disappointed. I then want to argue with them because I feel like their comment does not align with the grade I received.
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Maybe so, but I’d argue that too much attention to the particulars of implementation may be distracting us from the bigger picture — or at least from a pair of remarkable conclusions that emerge from the best theory, practice, and research on the subject:
I found this quote really interesting because it reminded me of an experience I had during one of my first writing courses at Wake. During my English Literature course, my Professor explained on the first day that she never wanted us to submit a 5 paragraph essay to her. I was shocked by this because practically all of my high school writing involved perfecting the 5 paragraph essay. My Professor felt that this "attention to the particulars" did "distract us from the bigger picture" which hindered students from producing quality writing.
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