Examination of Current Institutional and Classroom Practices - Essay Example

 Examination of Current Institutional and Classroom Practices The landscape of education system in the United States (US) is characterized by diversity. Included in this is the diversity in the socioeconomic profiles of students, size of classes, curricula, types of programs, and resources obtainable to the schools. The said diversity is generated, to some extent, by the customs and tradition of local control as well as management of schools by the boards of education, that are composed of members selected all through local elections. It is these boards of education which bear the responsibility for magnifying the funding of schools. In the country, whole class instruction is being observed, as well as the utilization of cooperative learning groups. Talking about resources, some schools had the most up-to-date model computers. However in the previous years, United States (US) undergraduates are going away from enrolling graduating studies in the field of engineering and science (Paldy, 2008; par 2). The students prefer to be immersed in social websites like Youtube and Facebook than be hard working and attain a degree for a good career in the future (par 4). The country is practically relying on the enrollment of foreign students. In fact, about 40% of doctoral scientists in U.S. are born in other countries and one predicament foreseen is, when foreign University graduates leave the country because they no longer find necessary to stay (par 3). Lately, public schools in several cities are hard pressed, struggling and underfinanced in terms of meeting the needs of their students. As an offshoot to the cultural attitude problem of the country’s young people as well as under pressured economy, scientists (Summers and Hrabowski, 2006, par 1) felt the need to motivate students more effectively. Thus, programs such as student recruitment from underrepresented minorities are adapted by various states and exposed the said minorities to Distinguished Scholar Symposium and visit Universities to acquire ideas about advance degree programs. The undergraduates are also given opportunity to interact with scientists and visit labs at Research University (Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, 2006). Moreover, the National Institute of General Medical Science’s “The Minority Opportunities in Research Division” aims to level up the diversity of undergraduates in the field of biomedical sciences. Students under this program are mostly African Americans, Native Americans, Hispanic Americans, and natives of the U.S. Pacific Islands. In addition, Postdoctoral Fellowship Program of The Seeding Postdoctoral Innovators in Research and Education (SPIRE) is financially supported by the Minority Opportunities – Research Division. Beginning of year 2000, annual Distinguished Scholar Symposium was hosted by SPIRE, and in the year 2004, students from partner institutions have been encouraged to attend the occasion. SPIRE intends to achieve the following goals: 1) Learn how to discover a supportive mentor, one who distinguish the challenges for Underrepresented Minorities; 2) Collaborate or network with community biomedical and biological scientists; 3) Acquire exposure to the extensive variety of biological as well as biomedical research areas; 4) Start writing a sturdy application to be submitted for professional or graduate school; and 5) Attend seminars by a reliable and competent scientists. To bring students from underrepresented minorities who were taking into consideration the advance degrees (like intensive research) in the field of biosciences is the ultimate goal of the student-centered program. The program continued in 2005 and in the succeeding years, slight modifications in the program format have been done. Further activities of the program and analysis of the experiences are conveyed accordingly. Several activities have been identified and carried out which complemented with the curricula. This was made possible because of the ongoing collaboration among partner institutions. To concretize the interventions of the program, students who desire to become physicians were exposed to wide-range of introductory topics in biology, state-of-the-art laboratories as well as various scientists. Students had the opportunity to meet lab technicians who they can work with the moment they finish their college education. This way, students could appreciate the excellent experiences when in tech positions and will grasp an idea whether to continue advance studies in their desired field. Collaboration among educators was witnessed by the students. Activities include study group, seminars and trainings, formal and informal seminars as well as faculty presentation during conferences. Students have also observed that collaboration serves as setting for teachers to bear each other’s strengths, converse their weaknesses, and verbalize of pool of ideas, approaches and materials. Other than that, the necessity of a strong base of support and a good mentor were emphasized to demonstrate how successful scientists relate with their mentors (DeWhyse 2004, Summers & Hrabowski 2006). Although not homogeneously good, scientists who provides time to work with others could attain some extent or significant improvements to students’ academic performance, achievements, attitudes and behavior, and attitude. In view of the fact that, mentors are living examples of partnership behavior for their students, be it in academic endeavors or extracurricular activities, students could be influenced by them. As soon as teachers communicate with one another regarding several experiences with students who discloses student learning as well as behavior problems, they could also acquire ideas as to how to deal with appropriate interventions. Aside from collaboration, the team designed roundtable discussions to motivate open dialogue among Underrepresented Minorities and the visitors at different levels of graduate programs. Moderators answered undergraduates as openly and honestly as they could, encouraging open dialogue on some personal experiences. The activity provided students with the opportunity to expand linkages with other minority scientists, at the same time started building mentorships. Roundtables are usually informal, and literally carried out in around a table. It is observed as being led by "facilitators" or "conveners," however unlike traditional seminar leaders, the facilitator’s primary role is to stimulate at the same time guide discussion. In the discussions among Underrepresented Minorities, visitors and scientists more specific topics are being shared and ideas from each one are being threaded through. Unlike conventional lectures or seminars, roundtables put forward the opportunity to unreservedly share experiences, inquire questions of new participants, and offer new ideas as well as information for discussion. For the team collaborators and organizers, the program seemed to be the greatest opportunity by which experts and fellow countrymen could have given undergraduates. Indeed, each person who continues college and post-college educational programs confronts challenges, however Underrepresented Minority Groups face more challenging obstacles than anyone else (DeWhyse, 2004; Summers & Hrabowski, 2006). The organizers recommend symposium format for recruitment of Underrepresented Minorities. The experiences and type of open communications fostered wide opportunities to expand connections with experts, educators and scientists and begin establishing mentorship. This is a more productive way to be connected with students, for the most part, the undergraduate universities, community colleges and even high schools. Nevertheless, important recommended points must be incorporated in the planning of educational programs as well as its activities; 1) Modify the event to students, emphasize points needed to be learned and be guided by the feedbacks or responses initially given as it will provide idea which activity would have most impact to the participants; 2) Be adaptive to the kind of format which will suit the resources; 3) Create an environment which will be conducive for learning, encourage networking and mentorship. As one can see, the Minority Opportunities Research Division designed a framework on how to build a strong social support network, one that is particularly crucial to the success of Underrepresented Minorities (Quick 2002; DeWhyse 2004). Several Underrepresented Minorities Students the program who have benefitted the program have appreciated and expressed that the symposium conducted aided them in selecting choices to advance graduate school. Indeed, The Distinguished Scholar Symposium made a conducive environment that is very inspiring on the part of the Underrepresented Minorities to pursue their education even after college. The mixture of lectures, discussions, traditional experiences and hands-on trainings enabled to address the diverse concerns of students. The program is a very useful model for other universities, where school administrators may support recruitment of Underrepresented Minorities in their respective regions to any academic degree at different educational levels. WORKS CITED Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching “Basic Classification description” Accessed March 02, 2009. http://www.carnegiefoundation.org/classifications/index.asp?key=791 DeWhyse, M. “Peer mentoring” Accessed March 02, 2009. http://www.sciencecareers.sciencemag.org/career_development/previous_issues/articles/3220/peer_mentoring_1_why_we_must_lift_as_we_climb. Paldy, L. “A Challenge for the new president”, Journal of College Science Teaching, December, 38; 2 p.10. 2008. Quick, Q .“African Americans in biomedical sciences:New solutions to old problems” Black Issues in Higher Education 19 (21):38 2002. Summers, M.F. and Hrabowski, F.A. “Preparing minority scientists and engineers”. Science 311 (5769): 1870-71, 2006. Read More