Quality of Education

One of the concerns that we have raised in the petition and elsewhere in the potential loss of "quality education" in the classrooms of the Academic Forum. That's rather vague, I suppose, so let me also explain it this way:

Bloom's Taxonomy is a theory of cognitive skill levels that nearly every teacher and psychologist is familiar with. The six levels, and some of the words that represent the relevant intellectual activity, are as follows:

1. Knowledge: define, duplicate, label, list, memorize, name, order, recognize, recall, repeat,
   
2. Comprehension: classify, describe, discuss, explain, identify, indicate, locate, recognize, report, restate, review, select, translate,
3. Application: apply, choose, demonstrate, dramatize, employ, illustrate, interpret, operate, practice, schedule, sketch, solve, use, write.
4. Analysis: analyze, calculate, categorize, compare, contrast, criticize, differentiate, discriminate, distinguish, examine, experiment, question.
   
5. Synthesis: arrange, collect, compose, construct, create, design, develop, formulate, manage, organize, plan, prepare, propose, write.
6. Evaluation: appraise, argue, assess, attach, choose compare, defend estimate, judge, predict, rate, core, select, support, value, evaluate.

In large classrooms, the primary, if not exclusive, method of assessment is the scantron test. Unfortunately, the only cognitive skills that are required for such a test are knowledge, and comprehension if the question is worded cleverly. In Academic Forum classrooms, it will be very difficult for students to gain anything more than the most basic cognitive skills. There is little chance that a student will "interpret, analyze, criticize, experiment, question, compose, design, formulate, assess" or "evaluate" in these new classrooms.

"The machine... makes men active and uniform - but in the long run this engenders a counter-effect, a despairing boredom of soul, which teaches them to long for idleness in all its varieties."

Posters

Coming soon to a campus near you (assuming the campus near you is Kutztown University): These posters!

40 Seconds/Student
Forum: A Definition
The Forum and You

Feel free to print these out and use them as you see fit. If you'd like to help distribute them around the campus, that would be great. Other possible uses include, but are certainly not limited to: Door decoration, bookmark, placemat, stationary (maybe write on the back?), and giftwrap (the holidays are coming!).

Petition

Dr. F. Javier Cevallos,

We, The Undersigned, are asking for one thing: we request an opportunity to discuss our concerns related to the implementation of larger classrooms at Kutztown University in an open forum with you and the rest of the administration. We are worried about the consequences these larger classes will have for our education, for our development as individuals, and for valuable relationships between students and faculty: the very qualities that drew us to this institution and, we hope, will continue to draw new students in the years to come.

The Vision Statement of Kutztown University declares that we will, “enhance communication with all stakeholders”, and for this reason, we are coming to you. We are all stakeholders in the success of this learning community, so we ask you to let us share in the discourse concerning that community’s future. We want to understand your position, and we want you to understand ours. Give us the chance to create unity, not division, between students and leadership at this institution. Please join us in an open forum to discuss the Academic Forum.

Sincerely, The Undersigned.

Sign the Petition

Voice Your Concerns

There are a number of options available to you if you are interested in vocalizing (or the typing equivilant of vocalizing, whatever that might be) your concerns about large classes. You may want to consider writing to:

• The creators of this blog. You can reach us by writing to kutztownforum@yahoo.com. We are always interested in hearing your comments. Also, we will try to use your statements, with permission, in other publications, on the blog, and in letters/petitions to presidents/governers/deans/directors, etc.
  
• Dr. F. Javier Cevallos - President of Kutztown University.
• Gerald L. Zahorchak, D.Ed. - Pennsylvania Secretary of Education.
  
• Pennsylvania Governer Edward G. Rendell
• Dr. Judy G. Hample - Chancellor, Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education