Subject: More on honors...
From: "Marc Carter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Fri, 10 Oct 2008 07:56:47 -0500
X-Message-Number: 4
Hi All, again, and thanks for the replies I've gotten (both on- and
off-list).
Most of the replies have been something along the lines of "our honors
graduates do X very well," where X is get into grad school or med school
or get good jobs.
My concern is that there's a selection bias, here. Using the students'
success after college as a measure of the value added by an honors
program assumes that the honors students represent the larger population
before doing the honors program, and that's clearly not so -- they are,
after all, in an honors program whereas the majority of college kids are
not.
What I am really searching for is evidence on the other end: graduate
admissions people or employers who will show how they use knowledge of a
student's honors degree to give the student some benefit that non-honors
kids don't have.
And we just can't find any in the literature.
Here's what our honors programs says:
" ...designed to encourage talent and ability in highly motivated
students as they begin their academic studies and prepare to transfer to
a four-year college or university.
Students who complete the Honors Program and meet all major transfer
requirements will have priority consideration for admission to specific
four-year institutions.
Honors Program classes are taught by faculty interested in enriching your academic
experience with special projects, readings and class activities... "
I have no idea which "specific four-year institutions" grant this priority admission (I suspect Texas State and possibly the University of Texas).
However, for my money, the real value of honors (which I had questioned until
now) is to provide those who want to explore the subject matter more deeply the
opportunity to do so. I used to think that if honors was of any value then all
course should be taught that way. Now I've finally come to see that all
students are not interested in delving deeper into the subject and really just
want to get the grade and go. So I guess honor's has it's place...even in a
community college. However, it seems to me that it's more important to the
student's development and academic experience rather than what school they get
into afterward.
--
Herb Coleman,Director
Instructional Computing and Technology
Adjunct Professor of Psychology
Austin Community College
Highland Business Center
5930 Middle Fiskville Rd.
Austin, TX 78752
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
512-223-7746
*************************************************
“I, and every other professor on this campus, are
here to help you to find, take back, and keep your
righteous mind.”
---Professor Melvin Tolson
from the motion picture "The Great Debaters"
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