Viewing by month: March 2010
Educating Citizens
Educating Citizens, published in January, reports on how some American colleges and universities are preparing thoughtful, committed, and socially responsible graduates. Many institutions assert these ambitions, but too few act on them. The authors demonstrate the fundamental importance of moral and civic education, describe how the historical and contemporary landscapes of higher education have shaped it, and explain the educational and developmental goals and processes involved in educating citizens. Read the book's preface in this month's issue of Learning Abstracts.
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Do Teachers Expect Enough of Students?
The latest research from the MetLife Survey of the American Teacher study includes findings that point to two interesting conclusions: while educators express strong belief in the importance of high expectations and high standards for all students, those standards and expectations fall short in practice for many students. There are also significant gaps in teacher and student perceptions about academic success, particularly evident in schools serving high proportions of low-income students, secondary schools, and between girls and boys. The second of three reports, Part 2: Student Achievement, from the MetLife study includes the views of teachers, principals, and students on student goals and aspirations, the influence of teacher expectations, and factors educators believe would improve academic success.
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Student Success 2020: REACH
Student access and student success have always been central to the mission of the country's community colleges. Last summer, President Barack Obama challenged the nation's colleges to graduate more students with degrees, certificates, and workforce credentials in order to ensure the country's global competitiveness and citizens' quality of life. Anne Arundel Community College is responding to the president's call to action with Student Success 2020, a multi-tiered initiative driven by the goal of doubling the number of degree, certificate, and workforce credential recipients by 2020.
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