The Educated Person: A Student Survey Possibility

Here’s a brief sample of what a university or college might do as an educated person project. If an institution wanted to know something about first year students’ attitudes about the educated person (. . . even faculty attitudes), developing items similar to those listed below might prove useful. A survey on the educated person holds possibilities for improving teaching and learning, faculty development, and assessment projects.

Sample Items:

1.   What now defines an educated person will likely change in the future. Answers to the educated person question “reflect institutions, cultures, and historical circumstances within which it is raised."

strongly disagree ___disagree somewhat___neutral___agree somewhat___strongly agree

2.   An educated person aspires to an understanding and appreciation for other cultures in the world and different groups within our own society

                    

strongly disagree ___disagree somewhat___neutral___agree somewhat___strongly agree

3.   An educated person can objectively determine the difference and articulate to another what makes a work of artistic creation (music, theatre, film, literature, etc.) “good” or “bad.” 
              
strongly disagree ___disagree somewhat___neutral___agree somewhat___strongly agree

4.   An educated person can “work up a new subject, find the information, separate the relevant from the trivial, and express it with his/her own language.” 
                    
strongly disagree ___disagree somewhat___neutral___agree somewhat___strongly agree

5.   The educated person is not  "a memorized treasure chest of  facts, opinions, and information. Such a treasure chest is worthless without knowing how to solve problems, make connections, and reach conclusions.”

                          
strongly disagree ___disagree somewhat___neutral___agree somewhat___strongly agree

How would you rate the following areas/themes of a general education in terms of how valuable each will be to your growth as an educated person:

Written Communications   
       

 no value ___           very little value___       neutral___     some value___           high value ___

Human Diversity 
      

 no value ___           very little value___       neutral___     some value___           high value ___

The Humanities 
      

 no value ___           very little value___       neutral___     some value___           high value ___

(Note: Those surveyed also could be asked to rate areas/themes of a general education as to their value for (a) providing transferable skills and understandings for success in a career or profession, (b) understanding and participating in community issues, political decision-making, etc., (c) enhancing imagination and creativity, (d) broadening intellectual perspectives and interests, (e) understanding and appreciating cultural diversity, (f) enabling someone to “learn how to learn” and (g) preparing for lifelong learning.)

In your opinion, what is the:

1. most important characteristic of an educated person: _______________________________________

2. most important skill of an educated person: _____________________________________________

3. most important understanding of an educated person: ______________________________________

A Caveat   I used a survey based on this idea at a private liberal arts college a few years ago as part of an orientation program for first year students. The idea was to use the survey information for assessment and a faculty development workshop. Several members of the arts and sciences faculty had what might be called a "colossal academic conniption fit." The curriculum and department border guards went on full alert, and any such future surveys were banned as toxic threats to the status quo.