All posts by Donna Drew Sawyer

It’s STEAM Not STEM!

Granville Sawyer, Higher Education, Mentoring Students, Non-traditional Students, Parents, Student Success, Students, Success In College, Uncategorized

A few weekends ago, I went with my wife to a conference sponsored by Americans for the Arts in Sundance Utah.  My main reason for being there was to accompany her and enjoy the resort.  I learned some things there too.  In talking with other arts administrators from around the country, I realized how important knowledge and appreciation for the arts is for all students regardless of their major. Something I experienced when I was in college.

As an undergraduate engineering student, I had to have 223 quarter hours to complete my degree.  Only three of these were for a free elective.  I took the easiest sounding course I could find – music appreciation.  It wasn’t what it sounded like at all!  Our teacher started with the Gregorian Chants from 900 AD and went right up to the present day popular music at that time including the classics.  She really challenged us.   I took the time to study and learn to appreciate all the music we listened to.  In addition to passing the course, I developed an appreciation for classical music I still have today.  We are subscribers to the Baltimore Symphony and go at least three or four times a season.  I have thanked my teacher many times for helping me learn and appreciate the arts.  Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are all very important areas of study but no student’s education is complete without developing an appreciation for the arts.  It’s STEAM not STEM.  The arts are important too.

An Enlightening Evening With David Brooks

Events, Higher Education,

Here’s a picture of David Brooks and me at his talk last night here in Baltimore.  My wife suggested we go even though he is a “conservative” columnist at the New York Times.  He characterized this position as like being the chief Rabbi in Mecca since the New York Times is not a conservative newspaper.  So I didn’t know what to expect.

I’m glad I went.  Mr. Brooks is one of most insightful people I have talked to.  He is excellent at seeing connections between events and people today and putting them together in ways that are easy to understand and help make what is happening in the world today more understandable.  I’m going to start reading his column in the paper regularly now.

Is Passing The Course Enough?

First Generation College Students, Granville Sawyer, Higher Education, Mentoring Students, Parents, Student Success, , , ,

© Stephen Coles on flickr

Having been in higher education for almost forty years, I have heard many reasons for students to go to college – some good and some not so good.  The focus is pretty much on getting a good paying job after graduation.  To do that, students take and pass courses until they’ve completed their requirements for graduation, so this is the focus – not learning anything or being able to use what was learned in the real world or even how to use it.

As an educator, I think we must shoulder some of the blame for this.  Too often, we present information to the students without really helping them understand why it’s important other than that it may be on the next test.  Because of this, the students retain information well enough to repeat it on the test and then forget it never really understanding its value.

This is not what we should do and this is not how learning takes place.  I tell my students that they are smart enough to learn the material, my job is to put it into context for them so they know how it fits with what else they should have learned and how to use the information after they graduate.  Put another way, I want them to be able to recognize an application of knowledge they obtained and know how to use that knowledge to solve real world problems and answer real world questions.  In the long run, this is what makes them valuable to an employer and to society in general – not what grades they got in college.  A few years after graduation, no one will ask them about their college experience any more.  They will want to know what they’ve done with what they learned since graduation.  Graduating may get them employed but what they learned while they were in school and how well they can use it will keep them employed.

Is Artificial Intelligence Going To Change Education?

Higher Education, Mentoring Students, New Technology For Education, Parents, Student Success, Success In College, Uncategorized, , ,

I’m reading a book on artificial intelligence (AI) that has made me think about how it will impact the future of education at all levels from k-12 to college.  What AI is doing is creating “thinking machines”.  That is, computers that are capable of original thought, not just executing instructions that they have been given.  Now I don’t want you to think I’m talking about Terminator type evil robots because I’m not.

I’m talking about a tremendously valuable resource for teachers and students.  It’s obvious that one teacher can’t custom tailor his/her teaching style for each student in every class even if they knew what worked best for each student.  To assist teachers, we have developed computer aided instruction which will quiz students and change questions asked based on what they get correct and what they get wrong but these systems can’t learn why students perform the way they do.  This is the wonderful potential of AI in education.  Thinking learning machines may be able to understand why students learn as they do and custom tailor a curriculum just for them that is dynamic so it can change with the student’s preferred learning style day to day even hour to hour even if the student or teacher can’t clearly state what that learning style is.  This will give educators a capability we have only dreamed about having.  It will also give students learning opportunities they have never had before.

This truly is disruptive technology which can make people uncomfortable.  Let’s push through the discomfort and realize the potential AI can have to radically improve education for all students everywhere.

The Real World Revisited … Ultimate Reward

Uncategorized

Vanguard Visit
In May I wrote a post about taking a group of my existing students on an exploratory visit to a large financial services company. The event was hosted by one of my former finance students who is now a rising star at the firm.

In order for the students to take advantage of this opportunity they had to  do their homework on the company first; they had to show up dressed and ready to play in the big leagues because on this visit,  four reputations on the line – theirs, the university’s, their host’s and mine.

A few days before the trip, we had a phone interview with our host  to ensure they were well prepared. When he asked if the students had any questions about the company, the trip or his position at the firm. One student asked about proper dress and that was all – not one question about the company. After the phone conference, I emailed all the students and told them I was disappointed with their level of preparation and knowledge of the company and the fact that they didn’t even know what to ask our host to get ready for the visit. They took my comments to heart and got to work.

We had a two hour bus ride from the school to the financial services firm; departure time was  six a.m.so I had planned to sleep on the way. However, my students had another idea of how I would spend my time. One-by-one, each student came to me with his/her questions for review and advice. They had all done extensive research and had good questions to ask and were ready to do more research on the bus if needed. They performed excellently during the visit.

Our host recently emailed me to let me know that one of the students who had been in the group received and accepted a job offer at his company. He was so excited that he had helped create a positive image for Bowie State University students at the company. He demonstrated his commitment to the university and our students by sharing his success with them and creating a network within his firm to ensure others get and share the same opportunity the way he has. As an instructor/mentor/coach for my students, my job is to ensure that my students are well prepared when they are presented with a great opportunity; there is no better reward than confirmation that the job you’re doing directly contributes to your students’ success.