a liberal education does not make you a liberal or a conservative, but it can help you decide….....

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Page 1: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology
Page 2: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It

Can Help You Decide…..

Prof. Jennifer KinneyDepartment of Sociology and Gerontology

The Meaning of a Liberal Education

Page 3: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those

who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.

(AMR research, inc.)

Page 4: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Agenda

Define “liberal education”

Provide a brief history and philosophy of

liberal education at Miami University

Discuss how you can promote liberal

education at Miami University

Page 5: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

What is a Liberal Education?

“A truly liberal education is one that prepares us to live responsible, productive, and creative lives in a dramatically changing world.”

“It is an education that fosters a well-grounded intellectual resilience, a disposition toward lifelong learning, and an acceptance of responsibility for the ethical consequences of our ideas and actions.”

(The Association of American Colleges and Universities)

Page 6: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

The Risks of Getting a Narrow Education

Prepares students for jobs that might not exist when they graduate

Doesn’t prepare students for new jobs that will emerge

Does not prepare students for the challenges of citizenship or professional life

(Higdon, 2005)

Page 7: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Why is Liberal Education Important?

Society is changing rapidly Students are no longer “guaranteed” a job just

because they have a college degree World politics have made a global society a

fact of life A liberal education is a practical solution to

the changing needs and concerns of society

Page 8: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

What Do Employers Look For?

Communication skills

Quantitative reasoning

Orientation to innovation

Sophistication regarding diversity

Grounding in cross-cultural and global

learning (Schneider, 2005)

Page 9: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

“Liberal education may be more relevant today than at any previous

time due to the current social, cultural, and economic challenges facing

college graduates.”

(Kuh & Umbach, 2005)

Page 10: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Liberal Education at Miami University

Liberal education is not unique to MU

The Miami Plan for liberal education was

implemented in 1992; it took 4 years to implement

The Miami Plan is not a distribution requirement

The Miami Plan includes a pedagogy for liberal

learning

The Miami Plan continues to evolve

Page 11: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

The Miami Plan

All divisions of the University offer liberal education courses

Students are required to take courses in English composition; fine arts; humanities & social sciences; U.S. & world cultures; natural science; and mathematics, formal reasoning & technology

Page 12: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

The Miami Plan (continued)

Students are required to take at least one course that is taught from a “non-dominant perspective”

There are three levels of courses in the Miami Plan--Foundation, Thematic, and Capstone

Page 13: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

The Goals of The Miami Plan

Thinking critically

Understanding contexts

Engaging with other learners

Reflecting and acting

Page 14: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

What The Miami Plan Provides Students

Exposure to areas of knowledge/endeavors from a variety of disciplines, with an emphasis on critical thinking

Preparation to be literate in the 21st century; to be lifelong learners who are prepared to meet the challenges of personal, professional, and community life

Page 15: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Your Role in The Miami Plan

“Don’t look at me--I just got here!”

Social breakdown syndrome (sort of)

Empower the student to take ownership for her/his educational choices

Page 16: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Our responsibility is to provide students with opportunities

It is each student’s responsibility to take advantage of these opportunities

The Miami Plan can be used to help students develop and integrate their

unique sets of interests

Responsibility for the Miami Plan is a Two-Way Street

Page 17: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Focus vs. exploration

Faculty attitude regarding the Miami Plan

Rigor of courses

The Miami Plan: Conceptual Challenges

Page 18: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Too few Miami Plan courses

All units offer Miami Plan courses, but some units offer more than others

Some Miami Plan courses have restrictions

Students like to “double dip”

The Miami Plan: Logistic Challenges

Page 19: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

Understand the goals and objectives of the Miami Plan, and be sufficiently familiar with it that you can advise students about the “nuts and bolts”

Encourage students to make their own decisions about the plan

Helping Students to Successfully Navigating The Miami Plan

Page 20: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology

“Students need to become intentional architects of their own learning, actively setting goals, exploring, reflecting, and integrating acquired knowledge and experiences into existing world views.”

(AAC&U, 2002)

Living The Miami Plan

Page 21: A Liberal Education Does Not Make You a Liberal or a Conservative, But It Can Help You Decide….. Prof. Jennifer Kinney Department of Sociology and Gerontology