One thing that has struck me this semester is that many of my students
seem to take little pride in their work in my courses. I began to wonder
about what it is that causes us to take pride in something. It seems to
me that we take pride in something when we consider it to be a valued
activity--when either we ourselves personally value that activity or
members of an important reference group value it (I think that often
these two overlap a great deal). Furthermore, we feel proud when we
believe we have performed that activity well.
Thus, it seems to me that the relative lack of pride that I perceive
many of my students to have with respect to their educational activities
may have one of two sources: (1) they don't feel that they have the
resources (intellect, time, etc.) to perform their educational
activities well (i.e., self-efficacy); (2) education is not personally
valued by them nor is it valued by important reference groups. (What
does seem to be highly valued by many students are the things that they
perceive an education can get for them, especially jobs paying large
amounts of money that will allow them to buy vast quantities of consumer
goods; but education itself is not valued in this case.)
Lest one thinks I am picking on students, I also see the same problem
with some of my colleagues regarding teaching--not so much, though, as I
have seen at other places I have worked (especially at major research
universities where teaching seems to be considered by many to be one
step above janitorial duties). But I am not concerned here with such
colleagues (I'll just continue to glare at them and mutter obscenities
under my breath): I am trying to figure out what I might do to help my
students to take pride in their work in my courses.
I'm not sure what or if I am asking anything of you. I was just thinking
about this issue as I rode my bicycle in to work this morning. I should
have titled this "random neural firings."
Jeff
--
Jeffry P. Ricker, Ph.D. Office Phone: (480) 423-6213
9000 E. Chaparral Rd. FAX Number: (480) 423-6298
Psychology Department [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Scottsdale Community College
Scottsdale, AZ 85256-2626
"Science must begin with myths and with the criticism of myths"
Karl Popper
Listowner: Psychologists Educating Students to Think Skeptically (PESTS)
http://www.sc.maricopa.edu/sbscience/pests/index.html
