I know that I should post a blog about the virtues of blogging and networking for the GRAD 5114. I know that network learning is important and changing the paradigm for learning in the higher education setting is important in today’s digital age.
Yet, I am hung up. Through all the Week 1 readings and youtubing (that’s a verb right), I keep hearing Michael Wesch’s What Baby George Taught Me About Learning video discussion of was it worth it? I have been going to graduate school now part time for 5 years now at the age of 41. That comment keeps running through my head. Is it worth it? I have an established career for the last 20 years. It wasn’t all roses and parades. There was a lot of sweat and lumps of being in the professional world. Yet, here I am with classmates that 1/2 my age or could be my own children. The questions have not changed that was expressed by Michael Wesch.
I went through my undergraduate and masters twenty years ago. I look around and the only thing that is different is the internet. I had a notebook and a pencil. Now, everyone has a computer that gets puts in front of them. Instead of doodling in the notebook, the distraction is surfing the web or looking at the instragram. Everything else is the same. The vast majority of the students don’t want to be there and just want to check the boxes off so they may graduate someday.
I read recently that only 4.5% of all undergraduates will pursue a higher degree. Does that mean that 95.5% are just checking the boxes for that sheepskin? I don’t know. Being in the real world, my employer wants master’s degrees to show that the potential employee is smart but the PhDer is an egg-head. Personally, I feel that the vast majority of the undergraduate degree is learning the jargon of the degree and what the “elders” of the profession feels that everyone should learn that they will not use again. The learning comes in the halls of graduate school or out in the real world of the chosen profession. So, the 95.5ers are not learning their craft in the haloed halls of academic institutions but in the hustle and bumps of the real world.
John's Blog 
Hi John,
These are good questions that I think we all debate about higher education. On one hand, I’m not sure it’s fair to group 95.5% of undergraduates and categorize them as box-checkers because they don’t desire an advanced degree. Some professions just don’t need it; and you’re so right about the bulk of learning one’s trade/craft/profession comes through their lived experience in the workforce. On the other hand, the 95.5% are gaining the context required for them to start their careers during their undergraduate experience. I don’t think any employer expects that someone wrapping up an undergraduate degree is going to know it all, but they do expect them to know enough about the discipline to function in their respective entry-level position.
I think a lot happens that is easy to dismiss because of what we may perceive to be irresponsible student behavior. Of course want our students to pay attention and engage. We want them to absorb everything we share with them, but the reality is that it’s probably impossible for anyone to pay perfect attention all of the time OR that they will remember every lesson. Sometimes, there’s just stuff going on with students that we simply don’t know about and can’t understand (especially if they’re not sharing), so it’s hard for me to pass judgement on why or why not a student might be mentally checking out on me. (And of course if by the end of the term, the student can’t demonstrate that they’ve accomplished the learning objectives and gained something from the class, then it’s a no-go.)
So, I think part of the answer lies in an instructor’s approach. When we are genuine and work hard to provide meaningful learning experiences, students can’t help but pay attention and participate. Sure, there will always be those who blow off their education, simply checking boxes and passing time. BUT, for the rest of them, there is so much opportunity for us to capture their imagination and attention when we take a pro-student learning approach in our pedagogy and praxis.
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