Friday, December 20, 2013

Thank you so much Harriet for providing all of us this opportunity to discuss the core proposal.

One of the issues that I'm concerned about is the interaction between the LLC program, the preceptorial program and the new core. 

I think it would be very useful to hear from current precptors about their experiences in the LLC program, what is working, what isn't working, what might improve the program.  I think it would be also useful to hear how faculty feel about the changes proposed.

Please note, it is possible to comment on this (or any post ) on this blog anonymously.

Jane Friedman

7 comments:

  1. I'm very supportive of the current LLC program--with two qualifications. First, I would not like to see it go in a direction where the content of our courses would be affected. Secondly, much of the business of running LLCs can and should be done by student services personnel--not faculty.

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    1. I actually would like to see the content of the courses changed.

      I would like to see the courses in each LLC be designed to fit the theme. With courses such as the one I typically teach, Calculus I, be outside the LLC. I think this would provide a more integrated experience for the students.

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    2. And more work for faculty.

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    3. The question for me is, how much work for how much benefit and for how much compensation.

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    4. First, I'm not convinced that the extra work provides any significant benefit to students. Secondly, NOTHING can compensate for the erosion of our professional autonomy and the time and effort taken away from research and, for that matter, from course preparation.

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  2. Its true our time is precious, as is our students' time. However, we need to prepare for our preceptorial classes no matter what the content, and in terms of autonomy, we can still choose the content of our course, we just would need to be more intentional about connecting it to the theme. Many of our courses already have constraints on their content. For example, a person teaching Econ 101, Chem 151 or Bio 190 or Calculus I, is already constrained in what they cover, since there are some essential topics that must be covered in those and many other courses.

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  3. Honestly? I have not taught in the LLC, so I would be interested to hear from people who do (or advisers of freshman who are in these) how this is working for people. Is there extra work attendant to this? Do the students thrive?

    I would like to hear from people in response to Jane's questions: How does the LLC interface with preceptorial program? And even more specifically, how do the proposed core revisions promise to impact or minimize professorial and student autonomy in designing classes and taking them?

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