Since I am in the process of registering for the fall (I still have to appeal 1 course) and finishing up the insanity of this semester, I felt the need to do a bit of musing… I guess it comes in two parts:
1. My vote is that colleges are getting more and more insane in their requirements. I’m an El Ed major. I’m planning to take at least 9 credit hours for the next 2 summers and I hope to do 20 credit hours next fall, and I’m still going to be running tight to get done on time. Now, granted, I came in a few credit hours short, but this seems a bit silly. One of my friends, a nursing major, reported that she is taking 12 credit hours next semester, but is required to do an extra 20 hours of non-credit practicum every week. More and more “professional” programs seem to be upping their requirements.
2. Has anyone else noticed the explosion of group learning on their college campuses? This semester I have been assigned to a group for all five of my classes. Group activities range from one massive project to daily reflection and discussion times. Having grown up in a rather traditional school environment and having had only limited exposure to group learning experiences (most of it negative), this semester has been a real shocker to me. I know that studies are showing group learning to be more effective in many cases, but what are these profs trying to do to me? Ah, the horror of change! On a more positive note, my group experiences this time around were overall far better than those of my high school and grade school days.
Sheri
May 06 2003
03:53 pm
Since I am in the process of registering for the fall (I still have to appeal 1 course) and finishing up the insanity of this semester, I felt the need to do a bit of musing… I guess it comes in two parts:
1. My vote is that colleges are getting more and more insane in their requirements. I’m an El Ed major. I’m planning to take at least 9 credit hours for the next 2 summers and I hope to do 20 credit hours next fall, and I’m still going to be running tight to get done on time. Now, granted, I came in a few credit hours short, but this seems a bit silly. One of my friends, a nursing major, reported that she is taking 12 credit hours next semester, but is required to do an extra 20 hours of non-credit practicum every week. More and more “professional” programs seem to be upping their requirements.
2. Has anyone else noticed the explosion of group learning on their college campuses? This semester I have been assigned to a group for all five of my classes. Group activities range from one massive project to daily reflection and discussion times. Having grown up in a rather traditional school environment and having had only limited exposure to group learning experiences (most of it negative), this semester has been a real shocker to me. I know that studies are showing group learning to be more effective in many cases, but what are these profs trying to do to me? Ah, the horror of change! On a more positive note, my group experiences this time around were overall far better than those of my high school and grade school days.
Anyone else care to reflect?