The Professional Schools

Author(s):  
Morton Keller ◽  
Phyllis Keller

Harvard’s graduate and professional schools were where the tension between social responsibility and teaching the technical skills demanded by a complex society most fully emerged. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the traditional Big Three of Law, Business, and Medicine continued to dominate the Harvard professional school scene (though the Kennedy School of Government was coming up fast). From 1940 to 1970, they and the smaller schools took on their modern configuration: meritocratic, intensely professional, intellectually ambitious. From 1970 to 2000 they faced a variety of internal challenges to that academic culture, as well as constant competition from their counterparts in other universities. After he became president in 1971, Derek Bok devoted his first annual report to Harvard College, his second to the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. This was not surprising: the closely linked College and Graduate School were Harvard’s traditional academic core. What, he asked, was GSAS’s essential mission? Now as before, it was to train scholars and add to basic knowledge. But the Graduate School was in trouble. One problem was student attrition. Up to half of those who entered failed to get their Ph.D.s, compared to a drop-out rate of less than 5 percent in Law and Medicine. The fault, Bok thought, lay in the lack of structure in many doctoral programs, and he prodded the faculty to do something about that. Another concern was the Ph.D. job shortage. Nonscientists had to be ready to have careers in colleges, not just in research universities. That meant that the Graduate School would have to teach its students how to teach. At his urging in 1976 the Danforth Center for Teaching and Learning (renamed the Bok Center in 1991) was set up to tend to the pedagogical instruction of graduate students.1 Declining academic job prospects cast the longest shadow over GSAS in the 1970s. More than 1,000 students entered in the peak year of 1966–67; by 1971–72 the number was down to 560. The humanities were particularly hard hit: the 1975–76 entering class in English Literature was 16, compared to 70 a decade before.

Author(s):  
Morton Keller ◽  
Phyllis Keller

Harvard’s nine professional schools were on the cutting edge of its evolution from a Brahmin to a meritocratic university. Custom, tradition, and the evergreen memory of the alumni weighed less heavily on them than on the College. And the professions they served were more interested in their current quality than their past glory. True, major differences of size, standing, wealth, and academic clout separated Harvard’s Brobdingnagian professional faculties—the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Schools of Medicine, Law, and Business— from the smaller, weaker Lilliputs—Public Health and Dentistry, Divinity, Education, Design, Public Administration. But these schools had a shared goal of professional training that ultimately gave them more in common with one another than with the College and made them the closest approximation of Conant’s meritocratic ideal. Harvard’s doctoral programs in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences (GSAS) were a major source of its claim to academic preeminence. As the Faculty of Arts and Sciences became more research and discipline minded, so grew the importance of graduate education. A 1937 ranking of graduate programs in twenty-eight fields—the lower the total score, the higher the overall standing—provided a satisfying measure of Harvard’s place in the American university pecking order: But there were problems. Money was short, and while graduate student enrollment held up during the Depression years of the early 1930s (what else was there for a young college graduate to do?), academic jobs became rare indeed. Between 1926–27 and 1935–36, Yale appointed no Harvard Ph.D. to a junior position. The Graduate School itself was little more than a degree-granting instrument, with no power to appoint faculty, no building, no endowment, and no budget beyond one for its modest administrative costs. Graduate students identified with their departments, not the Graduate School. Needless to say, the GSAS deanship did not attract the University’s ablest men. Conant in 1941 appointed a committee to look into graduate education, and historian Arthur M. Schlesinger, Sr., “called for a thoroughgoing study without blinders.


Author(s):  
Morton Keller ◽  
Phyllis Keller

Meritocracy flourished most luxuriantly in Harvard’s professional schools. The Big Four—the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and the Schools of Law, Medicine, and Business—threw off the constraints of lack of money and student cutbacks imposed by World War II. The smaller professional schools—Public Health and Dentistry, Education, Divinity, Design—shared in the good times, though their old problems of scarce resources and conflicted missions continued to bedevil them. The major alteration in the Harvard postgraduate scene was the establishment of the Kennedy School of Government. By the time Derek Bok—as well disposed to the Kennedy School as Conant was to Education and Pusey to Divinity—became president in 1971, this new boy on the Harvard professional school block was well situated to capitalize on his good favor. The Graduate School of Arts and Sciences remained, as in the past, rich in renown, poor in fund-raising and administrative autonomy. Between 1952 and 1962, fewer than 5 percent of GSAS alumni donated a total of about $60,000; during the early sixties giving went down to $3,000 a year. Its dean had little or no budgetary or curricular control; its faculty, curriculum, and student admissions were in the hands of the departments. In 1954 Overseer/Judge Charles Wyzanski grandly proposed that admissions to the Graduate School be sharply cut back. The reduction, he thought, would free up the faculty for more creative thought, improve undergraduate education, and upgrade the level of the graduate student body. But the post–Korean War expansion of American higher education led to boom years for the Graduate School. In 1961, 190 male and 60 female Woodrow Wilson Foundation Fellows, more than a quarter of the national total, chose to go to Harvard or Radcliffe; 80 of 172 National Science Foundation grantees wanted to go to Harvard. A 1969 rating of the nation’s graduate programs gave Harvard Chemistry a perfect 5, Mathematics 4.9, Physics, Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, History, and Classics 4.8, Art History and Sociology 4.7, English and Spanish 4.6, Philosophy and Government 4.5. Impressive enough, all in all, to sustain the faculty’s elevated impression of itself. But in the late sixties the Graduate School bubble deflated. Government aid, foundation fellowships, and college jobs declined; student disaffection grew.


2001 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 219-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Q. Huang ◽  
B. Shen ◽  
K. L. Mak

TELD stands for “Teaching by Examples and Learning by Doing.” It is an on-line courseware engine over the World Wide Web. There are four folds of meanings in TELD. First, TELD represents a teaching and learning method that unifies a number of contemporary methods such as Problem-Based Learning (PBL) in medical education, Project-Based Learning (PBL) in engineering education, and Case Method (CM) in business education. Second, TELD serves as a Web server for hosting teaching and learning materials especially based on the TELD method. A variety of on-line facilities are provided for editing and uploading course materials such as syllabus, schedule, curriculum, examples of case study, exercises of mini-project, formative and summative assessments, etc. Third, TELD is a courseware search engine where educators are able to register their course materials and search for materials suitable for a particular course. In contrast with general-purpose search engines, TELD is set up for the special purpose of education. Therefore, the time and efforts spent on surfing are expected to be reduced dramatically. Finally, TELD is an on-line virtual classroom for electronic delivery of electronic curriculum materials. In addition to providing the lecture notes, TELD not only provides discussion questions for conducting in-class discussions and homework as formative assessment but also provides facilities for students to plan and submit their group work. This article presents an overview of the TELD courseware engine together with its background and underlying philosophy.


2004 ◽  
Vol 38 (3) ◽  
pp. 302-313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Marshall ◽  
Nicola Cartwright ◽  
Karen Mattick

2018 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-158
Author(s):  
Zulfetriani Zulfetriani

Basic education aims to provide basic skills to learners to develop their lives as individuals, community members, citizens and members of the human race and prepare learners to follow the next education. Primary education is organized to develop skills attitudes and provide the basic knowledge and skills necessary to live in communities and prepare learners who are eligible for secondary education (UU Sisdiknas No. 20 Year 2003 article 13). In teaching and learning activities, a teacher would have hope of desire for learners can get the maximum value possible, in accordance with the learning objectives created or desired but what can be in word, reality. For special mathematics subjects, field findings such as EBTANAS, summative test results and daily test scores and report scores indicate that the learners' learning outcomes are still below the numbers that may be unsatisfactory in both low and class high. From some study results and opinions of experts, the low mathematics learning outcomes of students is not because they are not able to perform calculations, but because they do not understand the problems contained in the problem. Hudoyo (in Laily Hasbullah: 2000: 1) states that questions related to numbers are not so difficult for learners, but the problems that use sentences are very difficult for learners who have less or less ability.  


Author(s):  
Michael S. McPherson ◽  
Francesca B. Purcell

For all of the doubts raised about the benefits of a college education, it delivers on its promises of greater individual and social prosperity. This article provides an overview of work by the American Academy of Arts and Sciences’ Commission on the Future of Undergraduate Education Progress, which offers a national strategy to improve the college student experience. It argues that teaching and learning need to be prioritized so that all students have high-quality postsecondary educational experiences that incorporate a blend of liberal arts and vocational skills. Efforts around improving completion rates and making college more affordable need additional action and there are promising practices to lead the way.


Author(s):  
Chesco Aloyce Motto

This study intended to explore the school environmental factors influencing female pupils’ academic performance in public primary schools at Iringa Municipality. A cross-sectional study design was used where structured questionnaire using open and closed ended questionnaire as well as interviews to participants were used to collect primary information from 123 girls’ pupils and 36 key informants from seven selected public primary schools. Data analysis was done through descriptive statistics (SPSS). The study findings revealed that harsh environmental factors contributing to poor academic performance through sexual harassment by pest teachers, longer distance of a female pupils form schools that affect pupils attendance and drop out, Shortage of teaching and learning resources as well as facilities i.e. text books, library and shortage of latrines  while teaching and learning it is difficult for them to deriver pedagogical principal of teaching following large class size 68-80, and the bias attitude of the teacher towards subject matter that girls are always do performs poor in science subjects than boys. Finally, the study recommends that the government should build hostels for standard six and seven female pupils for solving the issue of long distance and drop out. Good and enough latrines should be built for girls and boys. Teachers should be well trained in order to handle girls well and also government should organize regular workshops for teachers. Either girls pupils should all the time helped by both male and female teachers in their problems and academic matters openly to avoid bias and mistrust among male teachers.


Techno Com ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 164-181
Author(s):  
Dawam Dwi Jatmiko Suwawi

This paper proposes a definition of Creative Learning Community (CLC) that is enabled with technology and its conceptual model in Graduate School of Telkom University. As rooted to learning community term, CLC is defined as a teaching and learning approach within a learning community that consists of a group of students and faculty member that uses creative learning concept. This study adapts the Design Science Research Framework in Information System by Hevner et al to build the conceptual model. First, the study synthesizes existing literature on learning community and creative learning community to define CLC term. Second, based on a review of previous studies and books on learning community, creative thinking, group creativity, engaged learning, student learning outcomes and technology supporting creative learning community, the author analyzes construct candidates of the model. Third, after selecting constructs from the candidates, the study continues by designing the conceptual model of technology-enabled creative learning community. The model was tested the implementations of learning community in Graduate School of Telkom University. The findings provide several conceptual and managerial insights into the role of technology in supporting creative learning community. Future work will need to evaluate the model in the context of other engineering.


2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 80
Author(s):  
Arney Sapaat ◽  
Maryati Mohamed ◽  
Mohd. Noh Dalimin

Under the Malaysian Universities Act 1971, Higher Learning Institutions are encouraged to set up museums that could support teaching and learning at the institution. With that provision, the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Natural History Repository was formed in 2014, to support the newly developed BSc Program called Biodiversity and Conservation. Under the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Centre of Research - Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources (CoR-SUNR), develops and organizes the repository. Currently the repository is sited at a shoplot building in Parit Raja Campus that had been modified as part of campus expansion plan. The process of converting this shoplot building into functional gallery/storage space introduced a new challenge in pest management. The goals were to ensure whatever pests already present are eradicated, determine ways to seal out future pests, stabilize the condition to decrease pest infestation, and establish a monitoring program. Baseline pest data were collected via trapping throughout the repository spaces before, during, and after retrofit construction. Data from trapping were used to assess pest problems, and actions to eliminate these pests were initiated. A year-long survey of pests was performed after staff and collections occupied the building. The results showed variation in pest diversity and populations.  Having succeeded in controlling insects pest problems at UTHM Natural History Repository would lead to better teaching/learning experience for graduates as well as promoting public awareness and education especially among young public on biodiversity.Under the Malaysian Universities Act 1971, Higher Learning Institutions are encouraged to set up museums that could support teaching and learning at the institution. With that provision, the Universiti Tun Hussein Onn Malaysia (UTHM) Natural History Repository was formed in 2014, to support the newly developed BSc Program called Biodiversity and Conservation. Under the Faculty of Applied Science and Technology, Centre of Research - Sustainable Uses of Natural Resources (CoR-SUNR), develops and organizes the repository. Currently the repository is sited at a shoplot building in Parit Raja Campus that had been modified as part of campus expansion plan. The process of converting this shoplot building into functional gallery/storage space introduced a new challenge in pest management. The goals were to ensure whatever pests already present are eradicated, determine ways to seal out future pests, stabilize the condition to decrease pest infestation, and establish a monitoring program. Baseline pest data were collected via trapping throughout the repository spaces before, during, and after retrofit construction. Data from trapping were used to assess pest problems, and actions to eliminate these pests were initiated. A year-long survey of pests was performed after staff and collections occupied the building. The results showed variation in pest diversity and populations.  Having succeeded in controlling insects pest problems at UTHM Natural History Repository would lead to better teaching/learning experience for graduates as well as promoting public awareness and education especially among young public on biodiversity. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasreen Aslam Shah

Social work is a professional and academic discipline that committed to improve the quality and prosperity of individuals, groups, and communities through scientific knowledge, policy, community organizing, direct practice and teaching. Pakistan is very fortunate to have a good start of professional Social Work; the first social work training began in the year 1953. Social work education in universities started in 1954 and its aim is to provide trained social workers equipped with the basic knowledge and skills to assist government and private agencies in the development and implementation of social welfare programs. This study presents an overview of the brief history, current issues and future opportunities of social work education in Pakistan. This study emphasizes some of the significant issues that cause concern, such as the social work education and practice appropriate for Pakistan society, teaching and learning, fieldwork and supervision, certification and licensing for social workers. It’s important to talk about some issues of concern and the direction in which a strong and sound social work education can be developed.


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