[Xmca-l] Re: WaPo article on higher ed: "Elitists, crybabies and junky degrees"

Thu Nov 30 03:12:05 PST 2017

This thread of emails seems to be fading away. I’ve been quietly following
it because the "Elitists, crybabies and junky degrees" heading catches my
eyes and resonates within me in many ways. Here, I’d just like to say
perhaps one thing before this thread finally disappears!

Higher education in the UK is increasingly becoming rampant due to widening
participation. This has created a distinction between research-intensive
universities (the Russell Group institutions) and teaching-intensive
universities (the post-1992 institutions, i.e. former polytechnics or
colleges of higher education that were given university status in 1992 or
thereafter). It seems that, when it comes to theory, the road begins to
fork: in one direction, theory-laden and academic; in the other,
practice-driven and vocational, coupled with (what can be) a resistance to
thinking endowed with philosophy and reasoning. These two directions can
contrast sharply, almost to the point of mutual exclusion, given their
differing ontological and epistemological positions.

For me, learner autonomy and the potential for transformation must be
deemed vital to the student experience. Knowledge and scholarship is to be
situated at the core of teaching and learning. However, a utilitarianist
approach to British higher education is seemingly looming up especially in
an environment where *how-you-are-smart* predominates *how-smart-you-are*;
this may have deepened an existing ontological chasm between what might be
termed traditional and non-traditional academic staff. Might such an
approach create psychological conflicts within a practice-dominant
orientation – in particular, when the contradicting ego state struggles to
find a balance between the existing self and compliance with what is,
supposedly, an academic norm?

As far as academism is concerned, theoretical knowledge is of universally
crucial importance, albeit variably constructed in different cultures.
However sharply critical or critically sharp an individual mind may be
(either in learning or in teaching), with an absence of theoretical
engagement, the university world – here I like to quote what Charlotte
Bloch says in her book *Passion and Paranoia: Emotions and the Culture of
Emotion in Academia*: “generally associated with rationality,
methodological principles, objectivity and logical argument” – can
represent a dead end.

Last year I wrote an article for *Social Semiotics*: “Semiotising the
student perception of learning outcomes in British higher education”
https://doi.org/10.1080/10350330.2016.1189234, in which I argue for
intellectualism as central to the ethnography of university life.

Finally, on a different note, I hope Vera is getting better soon. I still
remember her talking with me about my PhD in 2001 during her visit to
Bristol University and how much I benefited from her 10 lectures on
Vygotsky.

James

*_____________________________________*

*James Ma*  *https://oxford.academia.edu/JamesMa
<https://oxford.academia.edu/JamesMa>   *

On 27 November 2017 at 05:58, Goncu, Artin <goncu@uic.edu> wrote:

>
>
> Dear Vera,
>
> One of the paths of influence goes through here, the city of Istanbul.  I
> just talked with hundreds of young people in Turkey about the significance
> of supportive childhood environment in the later development of creativity
> in arts and sciences.  "Notebooks," are in our minds..  Thinking of you
> and missing you, Artin
>
> Artin Goncu, Ph.D
> http://www.artingoncu.com/
> Professor Emeritus,
> University of Illinois at Chicago
> College of Education M/C 147
> 1040 W. Harrison St.
> Chicago, IL 60607
>
>
> On Sun, November 26, 2017 4:43 pm, Kris Gutierrez wrote:
> > “We are all Vera” as they say; as your influence, Vera, continues to
> > be profound and wide.   We are all indebted to you.  Thinking of you,
> > Abrazos, Kris
> >
> > Kris D. Gutiérrez
> > Carol Liu Professor
> > Graduate School of Education
> > Prolepsis Design Collaborative
> > Member, National Academy of Education
> > University of California, Berkeley
> > 5629 Tolman Hall
> > Berkeley, CA 94720-1670
> > gutierrkd@berkeley.edu
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >> On Nov 26, 2017, at 8:07 AM, mike cole <mcole@ucsd.edu> wrote:
> >>
> >> A LOT of people are thinking of you Vera. Generations of scholars are in
> >> your debt, and
> >> Working to continue along the paths you have us to.
> >>
> >> Mike
> >>
> >> On Sun, Nov 26, 2017 at 4:38 AM Peter Smagorinsky <smago@uga.edu>
> wrote:
> >>
> >>> I second that emotion!
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:
> >>> xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Alfredo Jornet Gil
> >>> Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2017 6:24 AM
> >>> To: 'eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity' <xmca-l@mailman.ucsd.edu>;
> >>> vygotsky@unm.edu
> >>> Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: WaPo article on higher ed: "Elitists, crybabies
> >>> and
> >>> junky degrees"
> >>>
> >>> Best wishes for you, Vera; for many of us seeing your name in a message
> >>> is
> >>> also always a joy.
> >>> Alfredo
> >>> ________________________________________
> >>> From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu <xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu
> >
> >>> on behalf of Vera John-Steiner <vygotsky@unm.edu>
> >>> Sent: 26 November 2017 07:59
> >>> To: 'eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity'
> >>> Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: WaPo article on higher ed: "Elitists,
> >>> crybabies
> >>> and junky degrees"
> >>>
> >>> Annalisa,
> >>>
> >>> I was glad to see your name on a message. I have been doing very
> >>> poorly, I
> >>> am now in hospice. They are very kind. Cathrene just visited, and I am
> >>> particularly tired. He has recovered well.
> >>>
> >>> I just wanted to let you know that I am thinking of you.
> >>>
> >>> Do let me know what is new with you.
> >>>
> >>> Love,
> >>>
> >>> Vera
> >>>
> >>> -----Original Message-----
> >>> From: xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu [mailto:
> >>> xmca-l-bounces@mailman.ucsd.edu] On Behalf Of Annalisa Aguilar
> >>> Sent: Saturday, November 25, 2017 3:39 PM
> >>> To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> >>> Subject: [Xmca-l] WaPo article on higher ed: "Elitists, crybabies and
> >>> junky degrees"
> >>>
> >>> Hi fellow Xmcats,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Saw this in the Washington Post. It's not a short read.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Basically encapsulates the conservative mentality that is shaping the
> >>> future of US universities these days.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/
> elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/
> >>> <
> >>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/
> elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-
> main_rigged-college-131pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstor
> >>>>
> >>> <
> >>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/
> elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-
> main_rigged-college-131pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstor
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> <
> >>> http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/national/2017/11/25/
> elitists-crybabies-and-junky-degrees/?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-
> main_rigged-college-131pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstor
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>> What safeguards are in place to secure liberal arts education? Why must
> >>> everything be centered around creating revenue? Ugh.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> There is also mention of a Pew study here:
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> http://assets.pewresearch.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/5/
> 2017/07/11101505/07-10-17-Institutions-release.pdf
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> (Though I figure that you likely have already seen it from last July,
> >>> given how connected everyone is on this list! 😊)
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> And also mentioned:
> >>> http://news.gallup.com/poll/216278/why-republicans-down-higher.aspx
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> If you haven't seen these, forewarned is forearmed? At least in terms
> >>> of
> >>> the soundbytes, you may want to get used to hearing them so the shock
> >>> wears
> >>> off and you can then get behind the mule and plow.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Just I thought I would pass this on.
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Kind regards,
> >>>
> >>>
> >>> Annalisa
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >
> >
>
>
>
>
>