Robin et al
I'm actually feeling pretty good about my students now. :) I'd have to agree 
with you on most of what you said (I did have to pause for a second on manga). 
:) On the other hand, what it sounds like is bothering many is the perceived 
passivity of today's students. I can imagine that students might not 
specifically ask about some things, like Head Start or fly-fishing. Just trying 
not to look bad, you know. "If I should know this then someone else would ask" 
or the opposite, "If it isn't obvious someone will ask"- which makes perfect 
sense within the social psychology context (pluralistic ignorance?). 

But I seem to remember that we'd look it up after class if we didn't know. 
Maybe I'm "rosying" up the picture in my head a bit (or, perhaps this is what 
makes us the weirdos in the class!). I know that our students are pretty good 
about stopping me to ask. I do tell them on the syllabus that they should and I 
do not make fun of them and actively discourage others from doing so. (I've 
been here going on 18 years). Hmmmmm. 

Maybe students elsewhere are developing the kind of strategy they use in a 
video game- if I need to know it it will come up again or I'll stubble across 
it on a cheats list somewhere. :) All in all, maybe living in Idaho I'm just 
less likely to run into a student who doesn't know what fly-fishing is (our PE 
department offers activities courses in fly-tying, fly-fishing, fly-rod 
construction, skeet shooting, etc. No more than three of those or other PE 
staples like life-fitness, rowing, swimming, badminton, etc count toward 
graduation). :) We have a social position open if anyone's looking! (I think 
I'm also feeling a bit better than normal for this time of the term because I 
start sabbatical in three weeks!)
Tim

_______________________________
Timothy O. Shearon, PhD
Professor and Chair Department of Psychology
The College of Idaho
Caldwell, ID 83605
email: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

teaching: intro to neuropsychology; psychopharmacology; general; history and 
systems

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