Download Introduction to HCC Best Practices Spring 2007

“And now, for something
completely different…”
Or, why is general education
important? Or is it?
Apart from parking, what are our
major concerns?
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
A frequent faculty complaint is, “Why can’t my
students think?”
This comes from faculty members in many
subjects; it is not confined to any discipline.
“Once upon a time…
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most students learned the ‘old logic’, and
they could think, read, write, organize, and argue
much better, at a younger age, and more
naturally, than they can today.
If you believe these two things are not
connected, you probably believe storks bring
babies.”
- Peter Kreeft, Socratic Logic
The goal of general education:
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
To provide our students the intellectual
wherewithal to succeed in the modern world.
Certain intellectual tools form the basis for this
success: they include,
An ability to read critically and with understanding
 An ability to recognize and dissect logically flawed
arguments
 An ability to formulate a solution to a problem
 An understanding of our place in the larger world

What’s the problem? Too often,
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students can’t offer a coherent explanation of
the difference between a fact and an opinion
they often are indifferent to evidence and have
no appreciation of its importance
they are completely unable to recognize a
fallacious argument, much less construct a
sound one
A well educated person is NOT one
who …
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knows how to solve a quadratic equation
can name all 50 state capitals
can name the bones of the inner ear
can recite the birth and death dates of all the
pre-nineteenth century English monarchs
An educated person…
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Can construct a logically sound argument
Can communicate that argument effectively in
writing or orally
Understands their place in the larger world
around them
Can analyze a problem and propose a rational
approach to solution
What can we do?
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We do our students a disservice unless we teach
them to be better readers, writers, and thinkers
The skills of reading with understanding, logical
analytical thinking, clear writing and speaking,
and understanding other perspectives are
essential elements of an effective general
education.
HOW?

So we should focus on strengthening these skills.
How and where?
An Obvious Answer:
Begin with the Cornerstone
Courses
Cornerstone Courses

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In Fall 2005: there were 1509 new HCC students
Of those, 862 were “full time”: that is, they
enrolled in nine or more credits in Fall 2005.
And 1382 of the new students enrolled in three
or more credits that semester.
What was their course taking pattern? Was there
a pattern at all?
Results for 2005-2006
Nine or more Fall Credits
862 students
Cornerstone Courses
450
400
Completions
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
ENGL
101
PSY
101
SOC
101
MATH
087
ENGL
102
MATH COMM HUMA
096
101
101
Results: Part II
Three or more Fall Credits
1382 students
Cornerstone Courses II
500
450
400
Completions
350
300
250
200
150
100
50
0
ENGL 101
PSY 101
SOC 101 MATH 087 ENGL 102 COMM 101 MATH 096 HUMA 101
An Action Plan
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Provide stronger emphasis on logical thinking in all
courses
Let us make principles of logical thinking an integral
part of every course, but especially the cornerstone
courses. In brief, let us be explicit and direct:
LET US JOIN TOGETHER TO
TEACH OUR STUDENTS TO BE
BETTER THINKERS.
First steps…
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Develop a program of course modification or
redesign that embraces these principles.
Its goal: to instill a better appreciation for and
understanding of clear thinking and logical
principles in our students from the first moment
they enter the College.
This is not an unfunded mandate: resources will
be made available to restructure curricula.
 Let’s
begin.
Why is this important?
“If a nation expects to be
ignorant and free, in a state of
civilization, it expects what
never was and never will be.”
--Thomas Jefferson
Carpe Diem
“There comes a time in the
affairs of men when one must
take the bull by the tail and face
the situation.”
--W. C. Fields