Teaching and Learning Collective hosting conference on liberal arts education
Andrew Delbanco is forthright in his views on the shortcomings of the American college system.
Students, faculty and staff had an opportunity to hear from Delbanco in September during a "Speak Up, Speak Out" forum on the future of college.
In response to Delbanco's lecture, the Teaching and Learning Collective is set to host a conference from 8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday in the Powers Hall ballroom to discuss the value of preserving liberal arts.
TLC, is a grass-roots faculty initiative to improve students' academic achievement by improving their higher-order thinking skills, according to the group's flier.
"Delbanco said that the liberal arts education is dwindling, and is in danger of becoming only available to students in very privileged universities," said Merlyn Mowrey, a professor of religion at Central Michigan University. "It is a terrible thing to lose because of the benefits in a global world. We are interacting across continents, time and space much more quickly and fluidly than ever before, yet we still have a very small understanding of countries and cultures that are not our own."
The conference features presentations such as "Game-Based Learning in Liberal Arts," "Writing as Collegial Practice,"and "Recovering Liberal Arts Education: Obstacles and Opportunities."
Since 2011, TLC hosted several speakers and conferences, including presentations by Richard Arum, Josipa Roksa and Stanley Fish. The spring semester conference always responds to the presentation in the fall, Mowrey said.
"I'd like to see some energy into making our undergraduate education the best that it can be, primarily, as well as focusing on the important aspects of a liberal arts education, such as good communication skills, critical thinking and problem solving," said Marcy Taylor, an English professor at CMU and member of the TLC.
The event is free and open to faculty, staff and students at CMU, but registration is required to attend the all-day conference.
"Our students often think they've done enough if they learn new information, but they need critical skills like problem solving, critical thinking, and as the ability to learn on their own," Mowrey said. "If they develop those in the classroom, they can apply them to any new situation that comes their way."
Students might switch career paths many times during their lives, Mowrey said, which means they will need to be able to leave the university with the skills necessary to make it in the world.
"(Students) need to be able to learn on their own, train themselves and get ready for a dramatic, quickly changing world," she said.
