Professors and politix
so i survey my students each week through the semester. i pose questions about the previous week’s work (e.g., how difficult, how long did it take) and i ask about the technology students use as well as what they liked and didn’t like. i even get a few questions in that get to the heart of the previous week’s objectives (sort of like a quiz that isn’t graded). well, on my last survey i asked how my students viewed me politically. i try and teach from a Devil’s advocate-type perspective and make sure many sides of various issues are discussed/debated, etc. here’s the results:
if that’s all it was i might draw certain conclusions and not know whether my conclusions are accurate or not. so, my next question asks, “Was there anything specific that lead you to respond the way you did on that last question?” and most students left this blank. however, the most commonly cited reason for choosing “liberal” was that i am an education professor and that i use a Macintosh computer. even those these results are skewed, nobody really had anything substantive for why they chose the response they did. i think most students selected the option that represents their own thinking. i also noted that nobody chose “strongly liberal” or “strongly conservative.”
i guess that means i do a good job of staying neutral. my question to myself is this . . . is that a good thing? should i stay neutral or should i come out with a position and say that i try and teach from a neutral perspective, but my actual position on issues may seep into discussions from time to time? i know i have colleagues who tell their students right up front. hmmm.
December 17th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Hi Sean! Just found your blog…
Doesn’t Sayer (1992) argue that social scientists should not be neutral? Social scientists must be critical. Otherwise we are just like journalists that believe in order to be “fair” they must give equal time to unsupported and inaccurate views. Thus the rise of such sites as factcheck.org
Sayer, A. (1992). Method in social science: A realist approach. New York: Routeledge Publishing.
December 24th, 2007 at 1:05 am
Christine, it’s great to hear from you.
I can assure you that I am not neutral on issues that I don’t think warrant it (e.g., Intelligent Design being taught in science classes). I think you raise an interesting point because I hate it when journalists go out of their way to give equal time when some issues don’t deserve equal time. For example, when scientist where overwhelmingly saying that global warming was happening yet journalists would have Crossfire type panels making it seem like there was a big debate in the science field on the issue (these days, the debate has shifted more to how much people contribute, but everyone now seems to realize global warming is happening). Fwiw, I try and not do that kind of equality, but not a lot of my issues are that controversial so I can be more of a devil’s advocate.
Have a nice x-mas. we’re in kansas and just experienced a blizzard yesterday on our way here and had to stop mid afternoon just 90 miles from my parents because of white-out conditions. This made Michigan seem mild so far this winter. ;~)
January 4th, 2008 at 8:09 am
The global warming issue was exactly one of the prime issues that I was thinking about at the time. I know you are not neutral in class having experienced your wonderful style of teaching many times
Don’t change it!
I’ve had one snow day and just about every day pray for another so that I can catch up on homework (about done with coursework for my doctoral program in educational technology- yeah!). You are a major role model for me. (I don’t need to suck up anymore so you gotta know I mean it.)