2.2 Discussion Board I: Reflection (Required to earn certificate)

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  Posted by CUNY Mindset Initiative on March 11, 2024 at 10:58 am

  💬  Discussion:

  • What is the purpose of higher education? What is its value? What are your thoughts on requiring students to take General Education courses outside their chosen field of study? What purpose does it serve? What is its value?
  • What are your thoughts on the sentiment that some students bring motivation with them into their learning & some do not; where does the responibility lie when it comes to student motivation? What is the relationship between student engagement & student motivation?

• Narendra Saini (He)

  Member

  March 21, 2024 at 12:13 pm

  Main purpose and value of higher education to teach or learn any particular skills that can be used in future life or at workplace.
  Irene Dascher

  Member

  March 28, 2024 at 12:05 am

  “Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school.” —Albert Einstein

  This quote answers the first question – What is the purpose of higher education?

  If I were to use a metaphor, I would say that education, in general, is a great castle with many rooms and countless opened windows. Good education offers you the intellectual tools for building the house, and a great teacher opens the windows in your house and shows you how to imagine the unimaginable. A great teacher will help you keep a clear view on the ultimate prize (outcome), while fanning the wind below you in helping your reaching this prize. Effective teaching must keep a fine balance between helping students develop a “growth” mindset to appreciate their learning process, and reinforcing the high standards and outcomes for students to achieve.
  Jean-Yves Plaisir (He/him/and/his)

  Participant

  March 30, 2024 at 7:52 am

  Society cannot function without education of some kind (formal or informal), Life itself is an educative process-as John Dewey would put it. The purpose of higher education is to increase human potential for transforming the world into a better and safer place for all. General education courses help students to expand their horizons by providing them with access to inexhaustible funds of knowledge while also giving them opportunities to create and contribute new types of knowledge to existing ones. When students start seeing themselves as contributors rather than consumers of knowledge they might be motivated to engage more and invest more efforts into their education.
  Jean-Yves Plaisir (He/him/and/his)

  Participant

  March 30, 2024 at 7:59 am

  The true purpose and value of higher education are contingent upon what the learner decides/intends (disposition) to do with the knowledge, skills, and experience they possess, including shaping and taking control of their own lives.
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  April 2, 2024 at 2:07 pm

  That is a valuable part of higher education, but what if a student sees no direct application from what they are learning to their future lives? (I teach college algebra, so I get asked this question a lot.) How can we help students find value in their education even if there is not a direct link to future career skills that they will need?
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  April 2, 2024 at 2:13 pm

  I like what you shared here at the end because an often-expressed sentiment towards growth mindset is that it can be used as an excuse to relax high standards of learning. High academic standards are important in a good education, yet the ultimate goal is not merely gaining information but also fostering imagination, creativity, and innovation so that education continues to advance.
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  April 2, 2024 at 2:19 pm

  Speaking to the second discussion prompt, I see a high correlation between student motivation and student engagement in my class. (I suspect there is also a correlation between my motivation on particular days and my students’ engagement!) I’m not sure which comes first – it seems like a student must first be motivated in order to engage with their learning, but I wonder if for some students a deliberate choice to engage by being present, removing distractions, and participating in class discussions and assignments may actually provide a boost of motivation to do more of the same in the future. Any thoughts?
  Danesh

  Participant

  April 9, 2024 at 9:08 am

  The purpose of a general education class such as the one I teach (Critical Thinking) is to help students build basic skills that they can apply to their personal, academic, and professional lives.

  Through the years, I have tried to make lesson plans that involve material and activities that are useful and practical.
  Seth Lehman

  Member

  April 9, 2024 at 1:45 pm

  Hi Danesh,

  Have you found that students are motivated to learn in your course? Do you see a connection between the use of relevant, practical material and the students’ motivation levels?
  Catherine Monchik

  Member

  April 10, 2024 at 6:33 pm

  Higher education is critical to students since it gives a perspective of education outside their major. It can build and create more skills to develop their future.

  The student’s motivation and engagement start in the classroom, but they need to understand why they need to understand the material. This keeps them involved and wants to learn.
  Carrie Gheith (she/her)

  Member

  April 11, 2024 at 9:56 am

  • What is the purpose of higher education? Depends on the student.  At least I feel it should be.  Higher Education is providing students a broad range of experiences to enrich student’s life experiences, primarily through academics, but the social and emotional learning and growth is such a big part of the overall college experience.  Learning those adult life skills and how to be independing decision-makers and giving them the space to explore how they want to engage in the world is just as important as the academics.
  • What are your thoughts on requiring students to take General Education courses outside their chosen field of study? I think it can contribue to student’s overall learning.  There may be general subjects they have to take that they did not see as a strength or have an interest in, so it brings a challenge to them.  Plus, there can be some general skill building from many general education courses that can contribue to their specific field of study.  
  • What are your thoughts on the sentiment that some students bring motivation with them into their learning & some do not; where does the responibility lie when it comes to student motivation? What is the relationship between student engagement & student motivation?  The motivation has to come from the student (or external factors in the students life outside of the academic environment), but student engagement can be a way to help students develop some self-awareness on their motivation and explore ways they can use this as a starting point to enhance their motivation.  
  Faiza Peetz

  Participant

  April 11, 2024 at 11:36 am

  Your succinct definition underscores the instrumental role of higher education in equipping students with skills for their future careers. It’s a vital reminder that while the knowledge gained is important, the ultimate measure of education’s value is in its practical application in real-world settings.
  Faiza Peetz

  Participant

  April 11, 2024 at 11:37 am

  You raise an essential point about the relevance of course content to students’ perceived future needs. Finding ways to demonstrate the applicability of foundational subjects like college algebra in various life and career contexts can indeed be challenging. Strategies that contextualize abstract concepts in real-world problems could help bridge this gap and enhance student appreciation for the subject matter.
  Faiza Peetz

  Participant

  April 11, 2024 at 11:38 am

  Your metaphorical depiction of education as a “great castle” is both vivid and inspiring. It beautifully illustrates the expansive and transformative nature of learning. The role of educators in this metaphor, as both builders and visionaries, highlights the profound impact they have on students’ educational journeys and their ability to see beyond the immediate horizon.
  Faiza Peetz

  Participant

  April 11, 2024 at 11:39 am

  Your reflection on education as a means to enhance human potential and transform society captures the broader, often overlooked, purpose of higher learning. Encouraging students to view themselves as contributors to knowledge rather than mere consumers can indeed be a powerful motivator, fostering a deeper engagement with their studies.