Bob- But doesn't the set of questions assume that the students are aware of what has influenced them? :) There is a rather large literature that suggests we often do not. (Oops- that's one of those sentences I jump all over my students for- "large literature", "researchers say", "data clearly show", those kinds of statements). BTW- I do tend to agree with your assessment (data) though- and as "unscientific" as you state this is, it is more data than I've seen from those who argue that we are *domineering* and attempting to control our students opinions/beliefs. Perhaps there is such literature but no one has ever presented any when making those arguments to me. (The occasional anecdote yes, but that's all).
I think a *few* professors engage in a kind of, "If you are rational/intelligent/etc you will agree with me on this" which doesn't tend to support the students really thinking about the material they are "learnin". :) And a few(er) of those profs aren't quite so fair minded about it. I, for example, don't mind talking issues that might be political in class provided it is actually something the material in the class informs us about. And I'm much more open to such discussions outside of class. But I personally choose not to wear or post political things on my self or office for the most part. That's just me though. I may be just avoiding the confrontations wearing an Obama button might provoke (though it probably wouldn't very much on campus). Tim Shearon ------- Marc L Carter Associate Professor and Chair Department of Psychology Baker University College of Arts & Sciences ------- > -----Original Message----- > From: Dr. Bob Wildblood [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] > Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 6:56 AM > To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS) > Subject: [tips] Re: [tips] Professors' Liberalism Contagious? > Maybe Not - NYTimes.com > > Last week I did and informal, completely uncontrolled, > completely anonymous, and off-the-cuff survey of three > classes that I teach with a total N=108. I asked three questions. > > 1. Do you know what my political beliefs are? > 2. Do you care what my political beliefs are? > 3. Have may political beliefs caused you to change your mind > about the upcoming election? > > The completely unscientific results were. > > Yes No > 1. 40 68 (This in spite of the fact that I have been > wearing political buttons almost every day. > 2. 20 88 > 3. 0 108 > So, from the point of view of a person who lives in a > conservative swing state, it seems that my beliefs are nearly > completely irrelevant to my students. > > > Bob > > Bob Wildblood, PhD, HSPP > Lecturer in Psychology > Indiana University Kokomo > Kokomo, IN 46904-9003 > [EMAIL PROTECTED], [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > We have in fact, two kinds of morality, side by side: one > which we preach, but do not practice, and another which we > practice, but seldom preach. -Bertrand Russell, philosopher, > mathematician, author, Nobel laureate (1872-1970) > > > > --- > To make changes to your subscription contact: > > Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) > --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED]) --- To make changes to your subscription contact: Bill Southerly ([EMAIL PROTECTED])
