4 votes
I disagreeEmphasize the need for creative - and critical - thinking, and that you are never "done" learning! Solutions to the problems of present and future will require innovation and imagination. Creativity is by no means limited to the arts, so much can be learned and applied through creative thinking methods.
192 votes
I disagreeSupport for college libraries. We are seeing a generation of 'instant' everything. Students are settling for a 'good enough' information that search engines results bring forth, feeding the frenzy and impatient minds. The information seeking skills and scholarly research has long been undervalued, since we are witnessing underfunded libraries and unsupported libraries. With the gamut of 'instant' information (some misleading, ...more »
Support for college libraries. We are seeing a generation of 'instant' everything. Students are settling for a 'good enough' information that search engines results bring forth, feeding the frenzy and impatient minds. The information seeking skills and scholarly research has long been undervalued, since we are witnessing underfunded libraries and unsupported libraries. With the gamut of 'instant' information (some misleading, others downright erroneous) appearing online, now more than ever we need community college libraries to provide authoritative, timely information needs as well as lifelong learning skills to our students and prepare them for the 21st century job market. We are fortunate at our institution having support from our administrators but it is a sad fact that many colleges across the nation are not so lucky.
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134 votes
I disagreeLook at libraries, libraries, libraries as the site for continual lifelong learning. Where do you learn how to use them at the community colleges that they attend. Yet libraries are under attack from all sides. People can just use the internet. What if you don't have a connection or know how to find the information that you need to do what you have to do everyday? Libraries in community colleges deserve a voice at this ...more »
Look at libraries, libraries, libraries as the site for continual lifelong learning. Where do you learn how to use them at the community colleges that they attend. Yet libraries are under attack from all sides. People can just use the internet. What if you don't have a connection or know how to find the information that you need to do what you have to do everyday? Libraries in community colleges deserve a voice at this summit.
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41 votes
I disagreeCC need to focus more on ensuring students have the technical skills needed - not only when they leave the CC environment, but perhaps more importantly, when they enter the CC environment. If they do not have the technical skills needed to succeed in their classes, they will forever be behind. Unfortunately, many instructors/admin ignore this important step and instead "dumb" down the technology level or remove it completely ...more »
CC need to focus more on ensuring students have the technical skills needed - not only when they leave the CC environment, but perhaps more importantly, when they enter the CC environment. If they do not have the technical skills needed to succeed in their classes, they will forever be behind. Unfortunately, many instructors/admin ignore this important step and instead "dumb" down the technology level or remove it completely believing that focusing on the concepts on the class are the ONLY thing the students need to focus on. However, while the students may have concepts, they cannot move forward to a 4 yr school or into the private sector successfully without the technical skills to communicate those thoughts. Forcing them to take another class is not the answer. They need on-demand assistance.
This lack of technological skills greatly affects not only their being able to do their work well (they tend to focus more on the technical and not the content) but as libraries are trying to increase information literacy for lifelong learning, again, more time is spent on basic technology skills than on learning. (Note: when I say technical skills I am talking about basic word processing, research/search skills, etc - maybe even using a mouse or accessing their email. Online entertainment skills very rarely transfer to the educational arena.)
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