December 14, 2004

• It’s a work in progress…please give any first impressions about the direction of this essay

  
  

  GAP YEARS TO A BETTER DEMOCRACY

  
  

   

  
  

  “I regard it as the foremost task of education to insure the survival of these qualities: an enterprising curiosity, an undefeatable spirit, tenacity in pursuit, readiness for sensible self denial, and above all, compassion.” –Kurt Hahn

  
  

   

  
  

              The role of higher education in developing students to be active citizens in a democracy, is not a new role.  What is new, is the growing movement to address the reality that institutions of higher education have not been addressing or fulfilling that role.  The lack of moral and civic education on college campuses has been readily documented.  The decrease of civic and political engagement, especially among youth, has been noted as well.  While the movement to address these crises has grown, the barriers to institutional change have continued to grow, and their acceleration challenges the values of a liberal education.  The task is further daunted by important topics left out of the mainstream conversation.  Largely missing, is a visual understanding of the student experience, and therefore, discussion about how to engage today’s students, not theoretical or historical students.  As we come to see many of today’s college student as anti-students, politically ignorant Americans, and personally lost high school graduates, we may allow ourselves to think outside the box, and discuss more creative solutions to developing college graduates who possess the values of a liberal education.

  
  

   

  
  

              To understand the crisis of higher education, we must first and foremost understand today’s students.  Many students, by the time they’re 17 years old and finished with high school, have been turned off to learning, and have not been turned on to the idea of the larger role they play as citizens in a democracy.  As long as the number one adjective used by students to describe school is, “boring,” we know this problem exists.  Students have become numb through a system of traditional education that demands rote memorization of facts and theories, promotes grading as a measure of success versus real learning, has sacrificed personal and civic development in favor of test-taking, teaches history that is often ethnocentric, inaccurate, and incomplete, and that has framed education as a means to a job, rather than as an end in itself.  It should come as no surprise that student apathy is often a major topic on just about any college campus.

  
  

   

  
  

  To be certain, not all college students experienced K-12 schooling as I’ve just described it.  Many high school graduates come across one or more teachers who shape their lives in positive ways.  Many have been developed into strong thinkers, motivated learners and active citizens.  For many of these students, a quality K-12 education, coupled with parental support and values leads to a successful college experience.  In addition, a growing number of students benefit from a campus culture intentionally designed to foster academic and civic engagement among its students, whether through the offering of service-learning, learning communities, strong advising, or specially designed freshman-year experiences. 

  
  

   

  
  

  While there are many successes to note of both K-12 and higher education, we still find that many college students are products of the type of K-12 education that I described earlier.  Students who go directly from high school into college, often go with fresh learning scars.  For many of these students, the dread of a high school education,  the cries of “boring,”  becomes the dread of college.  Others discover that their positive experiences from high school (small classes, learning communities, teachers who knew their names), are lacking on their college campus.  We find that many campuses lack intentionality in their campus culture, curriculum, and pedagogies to foster student engagement.  In order to fulfill the dream of providing an engaging education that develops moral and civically engaged college graduates, requires acknowledging and discussing the reality of those students who have been allowed to slip through the cracks.

  
  

   

  
  

  So, as a recent graduate, who myself was largely unengaged both academically and civically while at an “elite,” and expensive university, what do I suggest?  While I would love to see many fundamental changes in education, (doing away with the US News and World Report College Rankings, more schools giving students written evaluations instead of grades, more experiential learning to compliment academic learning, better and more personal advising, admitting students based on potential development rather than SAT scores), I believe one of the most effective ideas is the one that would require the least effort and change; We should encourage gap years for high school seniors. 

  
  

   

  
  

  As demonstrated in many foreign countries such as Australia, England, and South Africa, gap years can exist as a popular and powerful form of experiential and cultural education, personal growth, and social awareness.  Whether finding a job or traveling the globe, students are liberated to learn and experience life without the responsibilities and restrictions of traditional schooling.  Students can find powerful experiences from partaking on an Outward Bound course, to volunteering, to an infinite amount of cultural immersion opportunities.  In addition, students who attend college after taking a gap year are more likely to be mature and motivated in their studies.  Surely, this is a solution to developing civically and intellectually engaged students that can be achieved and intertwined with the principles of a liberal education.

  
  

   

  
  

  I recognize that this is a small and limited solution, however, with the support of educators, parents, schools, and students, we can turn an unmotivated student who lacks direction, into an inspired life-long learner, and an active citizen.  In the process, we can ensure students make the most of their years.  As we start to accept the many absurdities with which the average college student brings to college (stifling K-12 education, the circus of the SAT and college admissions, paying for a diploma and a college’s name more-so than the education provided, the many students who squander their time pursuing a degree with little interest in what they’re learning), we realize that innovative and inspiring solutions are needed.  

  
  

   

  • 7:50 pm
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