Precious Mettle: Alchemic Aspiration as a Metaphor for Learning

Horizons ◽  
1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 279-289
Author(s):  
Ronald Quillo

AbstractRecent criticism of higher education challenges professors to facilitate learning which involves critical thinking, self-awareness, social consciousness, creativity, and interdisciplinary perspective. The ancient art of alchemy, which antedated post-Newtonian scientific categorizations, was directed toward much more than the transmutation of base metals into precious ones. As a process involving philosophical and religious views brought to bear on self-improvement as well as the improvement of all creation, alchemy may function as an appropriate metaphor for learning which is transformative of both learners and their environments. A psychological interpretation of alchemical pursuits facilitates an understanding of transformation in this way. Higher education is thus directed toward and affirmed in its mission of fostering in students a holistic and interdisciplinary approach to knowledge and skills which may be utilized both personally and socially.

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 221258682110062
Author(s):  
Olga Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia

Higher education in Germany is characterized by specific historicalcultural traditions stemming from von Humboldt’s humanistic understanding of education. In this context, higher education focuses on a variety of multi-perspective goals. Accordingly, higher education focuses on both the acquisition of knowledge and skills in specific domains (e.g., medicine, economics) and on the development and promotion of generic (interdisciplinary) skills (e.g., problem solving, critical thinking), whereby the latter aspect is becoming increasingly more important in the 21st century. This paper analyses ten years of competence research in higher education in germany, and considers advances and perspectives.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (5) ◽  
pp. 345-356 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denise Jackson

In response to the continuing disparity between industry expectations and higher education provision, this study examines the self-assessed capabilities of 1,024 business undergraduates in employability skills typically considered important by industry in developed economies. The findings indicate relative perceived strengths in ‘social responsibility and accountability’, ‘developing professionalism’ and ‘working effectively with others’, and weaknesses in ‘critical thinking’, ‘developing initiative and enterprise’ and ‘self-awareness’. Although these findings align with those of recent employer-based studies, undergraduates rate themselves considerably higher than their industry counterparts. The implications of this overconfidence in personal ability, commonly associated with so-called Generation Y graduates, for persistent graduate skill gaps are discussed from the perspectives of industry, higher education and the graduates themselves. Possible ways of encouraging undergraduates to evaluate their capabilities more critically and accurately are discussed. Variations in perceived capability as students progress through their degree programmes are also examined.


2016 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Manosalvas Vaca ◽  
Luis Manosalvas Vaca ◽  
Ruth Barba

La presente investigación, analiza los conceptos más importantes del pensamiento Crítico, así como su importancia y utilidad en los procesos de formación profesional a nivel de Posgrado. Se hace un análisis detallado de los conceptos más ampliamente aceptado y de los factores inmersos en el desarrollo y aplicación de este tipo de pensamiento. Finalmente se propone un modelo que engloba los conceptos y factores analizados y como se interrelacionan entre ellos; el objetivo final es brindar a los docentes y directivos de Instituciones de Educación Superior, una herramienta que posibilite la inclusión de este tipo de pensamiento en sus procesos enseñanza-aprendizaje con el fin último de mejorar la calidad de los procesos de formación. Palabras Clave: Pensamiento Crítico, Educación Superior, Educación ABSTRACT This research analyzes the most important concepts of critical thinking as well as their importance and usefulness for the educational processes at graduate level. A detailed analysis of the most widely accepted concepts and factors involved in the development and application of this kind of thinking has been made. Finally, a model that includes the concepts and analyzed factors and their interrelations is proposed; the ultimate goal is to provide teachers and directors of Institutions in Higher Education, a tool that enables the inclusion of this type of thinking in their teaching and learning processes with the ultimate intention of improving the quality of the training processes. Keywords: Critical thinking, Higher Education, Education Recibido: mayo de 2016Aprobado: septiembre de 2016


2020 ◽  
Vol 1 (3) ◽  
pp. 120-124
Author(s):  
Latofat Tajibayeva ◽  

This article discusses the importance of Furkat's work in the semantic renewal of classical literature. Furkat's work, which played a special role in the development of enlightenment literature, has a strong place in the history of culture in the second half of the XIX century and the beginning of the XX century. Critical thinking prevailed in the poet's lyrics, which glorified universal ideas. The expression of social consciousness in an objective and truthful way, the stabilization of realistic principles, begins with Furkat's poetry.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1-5
Author(s):  
Andrew M. Wender ◽  
Valerie J. D’Erman

ABSTRACT Teaching and learning in higher education is occurring, unavoidably, within the broader civic context of today’s extraordinarily polarizing political times. We seek to help students situate themselves with respect to and, above all, thoughtfully assess others’ as well as their own perspectives on issues of profound contention, without contributing to exacerbated polarization ourselves. Specifically, we offer students in our first-year exploratory political science course a vital tool—critical rigor—for navigating but not being inundated by the storm. This article discusses our experiences in teaching the course titled, “The Worlds of Politics,” as we attempt to help students deeply engage in cognitive processes of critical thinking and analysis, without undue infringement from their own—and least of all our own—personal political biases. Our focal learning objective is the cultivation of critical-thinking skills that promote students’ drawing of distinctions between advocacy and analysis, as well as their discerning civic engagement.


2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 119-128
Author(s):  
Martin Nakata ◽  
Vicky Nakata ◽  
Andrew Day ◽  
Gregory Martin ◽  
Michael Peachey

This article presents an analysis of statements from Indigenous students in an Australian university that describe how they use supplementary tutors. The analysis provides some evidence that students use tutors for much more than the prescribed remedial purpose to assist with gaps in assumed academic knowledge and skills to prevent subject failures. Students also use tutors to access hidden knowledge and develop capabilities that assist their progress from dependence on assistance to independence in learning. Our analysis has implications for the conceptualisation and management of supplementary tutoring for Indigenous students.


2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (3C) ◽  
pp. 741-753
Author(s):  
Tran Duc Tai ◽  
Le Thi Thanh Truc ◽  
Nguyen Thu Phuong ◽  
Dau Thi Phuong Uyen ◽  
Nguyen Thi Kim Lien ◽  
...  

This study primarily unearths measure and evaluate the determinants influencing business students' learning motivation at universities in Ho Chi Minh City through the self-administered questionnaires with 257 students. The results show all seven factors of (1) social factors; (2) learning environment; (3) lecturers’ behaviour; (4) family and friend influence; (5) students’ self-awareness; (6) student’s willpower and (7) student viewpoint have impacted on learning motivation of business students. In addition, suggestions and recommendations are proposed to enhance student motivation in higher education.


Author(s):  
Svetlana Antonova ◽  
Tatyana Pletyago ◽  
Anna Ostapenko

There is a demand for transformation in higher education. Undergraduates need to be taught critical thinking, an essential skill that should be central to the mission of all educational institutions. Critical thinking is a key focus of academic interest among researchers in the field of pedagogy and methodology. Despite this, there is still a lack of sufficient information on approaches, methods, techniques, and means of incorporating critical thinking skills in the classroom environment at the tertiary education level. The purpose of this paper is to provide a comprehensive review of the hands-on experiences of some European and Asian universities in promoting critical thinking education using a range of academic models. The review shows that critical thinking has already been integrated into many major tertiary education programmes in both European and Asian universities. Further, majority of the academic models implemented are transferable and flexible. The results confirm that in terms of content, methods, and technologies, university education is focusing on cultivating the higher order skills necessary for innovative professional activities in modern world.


2021 ◽  
Vol 1 (195) ◽  
pp. 18-22
Author(s):  
Hanna Karas ◽  

The article is devoted to the use of interdisciplinarity as an innovative approach in the educational process of art institutions of higher education on the example of studying the discipline «Evolution of artistic styles in art» included in educational master's programs. This discipline is based on the theory and practice of professional development of a teacher-musician, who provides the Master of Arts education process, shapes their professional development necessary for their future musical and pedagogical creativity, skills, and pedagogical culture. The content of the discipline consists of the introduction of artistic styles’ scientific and theoretical fundamentals to the future specialists. The objectives of the course are 1) the theoretical generalization of the historical experience of the evolution of artistic styles, 2) acquaintance with the best examples of artistic culture, representing different styles and directions, 3) mastering complex problems of stylistic analysis. The aim of the course is the establishment of a strategy for a professional growth as part of the vocational training of masters in the following educational areas «Secondary education. Musical Art» and «Musical Art»; mastering the scientific and theoretical foundations of the artistic styles’ analysis as a formative student course of the music and pedagogical education in higher education. The interdisciplinary approach can be implemented in two main formats. A. Kolot believes that with the help of the first format he builds bridges between different sciences, brings them together on an informal basis without violating their individuality and uniqueness. In this format, the discipline «Evolution of artistic styles in art» «builds bridges» with such disciplines as: philosophy, history, foreign languages, general psychology, culturology, sociology, art culture, aesthetics. In the second format, interdisciplinarity is presented as a real tool for unifying sciences, and the emergence of integrative products. In this format the course «Evolution of Artistic Styles in Art» involves an organic combination of such disciplines as history and theory of music, theater, ballet, art history, philosophy, art culture and literature, analysis of musical form, choral class, music psychology, and others. Therefore, we propose to define the student course «Evolution of artistic styles in art» as a complex, interdisciplinary field of knowledge and consider the application of an interdisciplinary approach in the practice of a teacher of artistic institutions.


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