11

Ivory Tower Blues: Rescuing the Liberal Arts.

Ivory Tower Blues: Rescuing the Liberal Arts.

The crisis System

overload

Disengagement Grade inflation

What to do?

The crisis System

overload

Disengagement Grade inflation

What to do? www.ivorytowerblues.cowww.ivorytowerblues.comm

22

The benefits of a university education

(research conducted from 1950s thru 1990s)

The benefits of a university education

(research conducted from 1950s thru 1990s)

Monetary 10-30% annual rate of return $1,000,000 over lifetime (average)

Non-monetary Liberalism & technical skills Long-term career success

Humanities vs. Applied Degrees

Citizenship roles, intellectual growth, and a broad awareness of the world?

Monetary 10-30% annual rate of return $1,000,000 over lifetime (average)

Non-monetary Liberalism & technical skills Long-term career success

Humanities vs. Applied Degrees

Citizenship roles, intellectual growth, and a broad awareness of the world?

33

The crisis The crisis These benefits in jeopardy because

of a system overload The liberal arts are being diluted and

degraded by a flood of unmotivated students expecting high grades for little effort

Liberal arts benefits come from the ability to critically analyze arguments and communicate ideas Not the memorization of facts and

procedures (~vocational training)

These benefits in jeopardy because of a system overload The liberal arts are being diluted and

degraded by a flood of unmotivated students expecting high grades for little effort

Liberal arts benefits come from the ability to critically analyze arguments and communicate ideas Not the memorization of facts and

procedures (~vocational training)

44

… crisis… crisis

Lower human capital production because of lower standards of performance Disengaged students learn/retain little

Moderate ability students not transformed High ability students less likely to reach potentials

Credibility Employers

Disengaged students are conditioned to become poorly motivated workers

Professional and graduate schools Skeptical of the integrity of grades

Lower human capital production because of lower standards of performance Disengaged students learn/retain little

Moderate ability students not transformed High ability students less likely to reach potentials

Credibility Employers

Disengaged students are conditioned to become poorly motivated workers

Professional and graduate schools Skeptical of the integrity of grades

55

1. System overload1. System overload

Introducing job training mentality into liberal arts programmes capitalizes on their cachet, but dilutes their value Creates massive problems in student-environment

fits A source of confusion over the role of exams and

what grades mean (contributes to inflation) “consider the social justice implications of X in the

context of Y, by contrasting theory A and B”

Vs. “here what you need to know about X and Y for the

test”

Introducing job training mentality into liberal arts programmes capitalizes on their cachet, but dilutes their value Creates massive problems in student-environment

fits A source of confusion over the role of exams and

what grades mean (contributes to inflation) “consider the social justice implications of X in the

context of Y, by contrasting theory A and B”

Vs. “here what you need to know about X and Y for the

test”

66

2. Academic disengagement2. Academic disengagement

A source Attempts to retain most students in

academic programmes by: dropping standards increasing immediate rewards (easy grades)

Both lead to grade inflation (compression)A downward cycle ensues

Students expend less effortBut expect high rewards Faculty lower standards further

A source Attempts to retain most students in

academic programmes by: dropping standards increasing immediate rewards (easy grades)

Both lead to grade inflation (compression)A downward cycle ensues

Students expend less effortBut expect high rewards Faculty lower standards further

77

Liberal Arts and Research-intensive universities (NSSE 2006)

Liberal Arts and Research-intensive universities (NSSE 2006)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

25+ hours 10-25 hours 10 or fewer

Liberal Arts 1st year

Research Intensive1st yearLiberal Arts Seniors

Research IntensiveSeniors

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

25+ hours 10-25 hours 10 or fewer

Liberal Arts 1st year

Research Intensive1st yearLiberal Arts Seniors

Research IntensiveSeniors

88

… ripple effect… ripple effect

The attempt to reduce high-school dropout using this approach has infected many universities as students have arrived expecting high grades for little effort Universities in turn reduce standards

to attract and retain students Result

Less human capital development Less personal transformation Less is value added by higher education

The attempt to reduce high-school dropout using this approach has infected many universities as students have arrived expecting high grades for little effort Universities in turn reduce standards

to attract and retain students Result

Less human capital development Less personal transformation Less is value added by higher education

99

A student from York Universitywho wanted a more engaging education

(Psynopsis, 2007):

A student from York Universitywho wanted a more engaging education

(Psynopsis, 2007): Total challenges from 2nd and 3rd

year courses: 1 essay, 1 report, 3 literature reviews, 2

group projects, 2 research proposals, and 26 multiple-choice tests

Feels his BA in Psychology qualifies him for “Jeopardy or hitting the North American Trivial Pursuit circuit”

Resents paying $20,000 for what he “could have acquired by reading an encyclopaedia”

Total challenges from 2nd and 3rd year courses: 1 essay, 1 report, 3 literature reviews, 2

group projects, 2 research proposals, and 26 multiple-choice tests

Feels his BA in Psychology qualifies him for “Jeopardy or hitting the North American Trivial Pursuit circuit”

Resents paying $20,000 for what he “could have acquired by reading an encyclopaedia”

1010

3. Grade Inflation: Changes in university student grade expectations (Runté, 2006)

3. Grade Inflation: Changes in university student grade expectations (Runté, 2006)

1111

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE, 2004):

% of students reporting As or Bs

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE, 2004):

% of students reporting As or Bs

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1st Year 4th Year

U of CalgaryU of AlbertaG10US Equiv

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

1st Year 4th Year

U of CalgaryU of AlbertaG10US Equiv

1212

Grade compression: The case of Harvard University

Grade compression: The case of Harvard University

Over 90% are now awarded honours grades (A or B)

Summa cum laude now limited to top 5% but this requires a

cut-off at 3 decimal places

might as well use a lottery to determine the top honours

Over 90% are now awarded honours grades (A or B)

Summa cum laude now limited to top 5% but this requires a

cut-off at 3 decimal places

might as well use a lottery to determine the top honours

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

1313

An ex-student from Calgary(“My best marks were in partying 101;

Globe & Mail, 2006):

An ex-student from Calgary(“My best marks were in partying 101;

Globe & Mail, 2006): “Taking only one step up a mountain,

when there are thousands more to go, and then being told that one step is more than enough, seems to cheat one out of reaching the summit and seeing the valley below.”

“It is my own fault for not taking more steps and getting closer to the mountaintop, but it is not my fault for receiving a higher mark than I deserved. I was not given a chance to work hard for something, because slight efforts were enough.”

“Taking only one step up a mountain, when there are thousands more to go, and then being told that one step is more than enough, seems to cheat one out of reaching the summit and seeing the valley below.”

“It is my own fault for not taking more steps and getting closer to the mountaintop, but it is not my fault for receiving a higher mark than I deserved. I was not given a chance to work hard for something, because slight efforts were enough.”

1414

The slow boil of grade inflation and disengagement:

It is time to pay attention

The slow boil of grade inflation and disengagement:

It is time to pay attention

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

QuickTime™ and aTIFF (Uncompressed) decompressor

are needed to see this picture.

WHAT TO DO? WHAT TO DO?

Solutions require acknowledging the problems and a willingness to address them Getting past denial and massaging

the facts We need about 20% of the labour

force to exercise critical thinking and high-level verbal/written communications

Solutions require acknowledging the problems and a willingness to address them Getting past denial and massaging

the facts We need about 20% of the labour

force to exercise critical thinking and high-level verbal/written communications

1616

Reactive strategiesReactive strategies

Solutions with current resources:End the disengagement compact

Require more of students beginning in first yearReturn to core curricula (reasoning

abilities)add capstone coursesoffer electives in applied topics

Require more of professors through curriculum control (essays, tutorials, better teaching methods)

Solutions with current resources:End the disengagement compact

Require more of students beginning in first yearReturn to core curricula (reasoning

abilities)add capstone coursesoffer electives in applied topics

Require more of professors through curriculum control (essays, tutorials, better teaching methods)

System-wide measures to restore the credibility of the undergrad

education

System-wide measures to restore the credibility of the undergrad

education

Audit individual high school standards for admissions Convert grades to a common standard

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) 10% As; 25% Bs = 1/3 above average

Set system-wide grading standards (e.g. ECTS)

Reward teachers for high standards Quality control of student assessment

Higher-order intellectual capacities; oral and written communication skills

Audit individual high school standards for admissions Convert grades to a common standard

European Credit Transfer System (ECTS) 10% As; 25% Bs = 1/3 above average

Set system-wide grading standards (e.g. ECTS)

Reward teachers for high standards Quality control of student assessment

Higher-order intellectual capacities; oral and written communication skills

1818

Proactive strategiesProactive strategies

Call for additional resources by pushing the envelope

E.g., Nation-wide lobbying of governments as one voice Threaten admission cut-offs at 15-1

student-teacher ratios Would almost double youth unemployment

rate Governments know it is cheaper to fund

education than to deal with a massive youth unemployment problem

Call for additional resources by pushing the envelope

E.g., Nation-wide lobbying of governments as one voice Threaten admission cut-offs at 15-1

student-teacher ratios Would almost double youth unemployment

rate Governments know it is cheaper to fund

education than to deal with a massive youth unemployment problem

1919

Toward 2023: Long-term strategies

Toward 2023: Long-term strategies

Market on the basis of quality Base branding strategies on academic

strengths Agree on division of specialties among schools

Admissions strategies Deemphasize grades Bolster recruitment systems

PSE sector set up educational and career-goal counselling in high schools

Establish individualized entrance exams in competitive programmes

Assess motivation and willingness to engage

Market on the basis of quality Base branding strategies on academic

strengths Agree on division of specialties among schools

Admissions strategies Deemphasize grades Bolster recruitment systems

PSE sector set up educational and career-goal counselling in high schools

Establish individualized entrance exams in competitive programmes

Assess motivation and willingness to engage

2020

Market qualityMarket quality

Schools that promise personal & intellectual transformation can tap different markets Western - has the “best student experience”

but is it intellectually stimulating?Exit surveys: only 65% find it so

Target motivations in recruitment that will bring in students willing to meet the system “halfway” …

Schools that promise personal & intellectual transformation can tap different markets Western - has the “best student experience”

but is it intellectually stimulating?Exit surveys: only 65% find it so

Target motivations in recruitment that will bring in students willing to meet the system “halfway” …

2222

Give students the chance to find purpose and direction

Give students the chance to find purpose and direction

“Help me find my way.”

Establish lived educational missions to help students find their purpose and direction, and lay a basis for them to reach their goals

2323

Take engagement to a new level

Take engagement to a new level

Think of the whole student as a total package, from recruitment through to their careers

Connect recruitment with later alumnae involvement

Establish a quid pro quo with each student (e.g., personal supervisor-of-studies) Personally transformed graduates will be

loyal and generous alumni

Think of the whole student as a total package, from recruitment through to their careers

Connect recruitment with later alumnae involvement

Establish a quid pro quo with each student (e.g., personal supervisor-of-studies) Personally transformed graduates will be

loyal and generous alumni

3535

Thank you for your attention

Thank you for your attention