Washburn Women's Venture Partners: Proposal for Grant Funding: the iRead Common Reading Program Purpose: The iRead common reading program at Washburn University was developed to enhance the educational experience of the students and the greater Washburn/Topeka community. • Common reading programs merge the curricular and cocurricular components of college and reinforce the message that learning occurs both inside and outside the classroom.* • Such programs help students understand that reading, critical thinking, discussion, and other activities are expected in college and contribute to learning.* • Reading can promote more meaningful learning. According to results from the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE, 2004), students who spend more time reading outside class score higher on the deeper-learning scale.* • It encourages interdisciplinary connections. • It creates "environments and experiences that bring students to discover and construct knowledge for themselves, and helps make students members of communities of learners that make discoveries and solve problems," according to researchers Barr and Tagg (1995).* Need: The program began in 2007 and was primarily funded by the Center for Undergraduate Studies and Programs (CUSP), the Washburn Student Government Association (WSGA), and the Office of the Vice President for Academic Affairs (VPAA). A campus-wide committee formed, selected a book, marketed it across campus and especially to the freshman students and instructors, and celebrated the culmination of the project by bringing in the author for a speaking engagement. In 2008 we were able to bring in some additional donors with the help of the Washburn Endowment Association. Then the economy fell into ... ... middle of paper ... ... noted in the previous section. However, the campus-wide online evaluation given near the end of the fall semester will provide specific information and statistics. Budget: (see page 26 in monograph) Sustainability: I have three goals for this program and its funding future: • Have the program placed in a line of the university budget. • Seek endowment funding specifically designated for iRead. • Provide the book to students at New Student Orientation (via part of an Orientation fee that would pay for the book and also put a small amount toward the iRead programming budget). Funding: This request for funding seeks to provide a replacement for prior university funding. The committee believes this program is a worthwhile endeavor and one that puts Washburn University in line with what many other colleges and universities do across the nation.
Pearson UK (n.d.) stated “Evidence suggests that children who read for enjoyment every day not only perform better in reading tests than those who don’t, but also develop a broader vocabulary, increased general knowledge and a better understanding of other cultures. In fact, reading for pleasure is more likely to determine whether a child does well at school than their social or economic background.”
How imperative is it that one pursues a traditional college experience? Although it might appear that Charles Murray and Liz Addison are in agreement that the traditional college experience is not necessary for everyone, Addison provides a more convincing argument that higher education is necessary in some form. This is seen through Addison’s arguments that college is essential to growing up, that education is proportional to the life one lives, and that community college reinvents the traditional college experience. Not only does Addison have her own opinions about college, but Murray does as well.
Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum, Brief Edition (2nd Edition) (2 ed., pp. 413-429). New York: Longman.
"It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education" (Albert Einstein). Today, college classes are furthest from the minds of the very students enrolled in them; their curiosity and thirst for knowledge is dwindling. There is more importance placed on the interactions, parties, and other dorm life experiences than the degree needed for a successful career. In Rebekah Nathan's article, "Academically Speaking.." she explores the apathy that students feel towards college classes and suggests that the current structure places too much emphasis on personal experience. This system affords too much freedom to students by allowing them to decide what information is most relevant. Nathan voices many valid concerns surrounding the notion that classes are not as important as they once were. She correctly fears that the devolution of college's traditional learning ambition leads to a loss of class participation, preparation, and ultimately matriculation.
Entry to community college allows just that. Addison explains, “just follow any one of the 1,655 road signs, and pop your head inside—yes, independent film, a first independent thought, a first independent study” (212). Many potential college prospects are turned away because this self-discovery found in community college cannot be found in private college; however, Addison insists that community college is the golden ticket to regain these would-be scholars. To begin, acceptance is necessary for admittance to many colleges—not community college. In the words of Addison, “down at X.Y.C.C. it is still possible to enter the college experience as a rookie” (213). Any student desiring education, preparation, and self-discovery does not need to look any further than community college, which, for some students, is the only shot at the college experience. On top of this, community colleges provide opportunities like no college—public or private—could. Community colleges provide introductory courses that could not be found in regular institutions; this allows students to explore and get their feet under them. To find and pursue an interest proves more difficult at a college because intense classes are provided from the beginning, whether students have declared a major or have yet to decide. In sum, Addison claims that an atmosphere designed
Begrens, Laurence; Rosen, Leonard J. Writing and Reading Across the Curriculum. 7th ed. New York, Longman, 2000. 320-322.
The first grant proposal addressed the effects of meditation on life-span cognitional developmental processes. From my understanding, there is a strong connection to the mindset and self-awareness, as one chooses to mediate for their own reason. Based on the informed information, meditation is used to decrease stress and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The provided background information and predicted research study will help determine the pros and cons of the process, using the meditation techniques.
Sarah Balistreri is a coordinator in the Office of Academic Initiatives at the College Board. F. Tony Di Giacomo is a director in Research & Development at the College Board. Ivanley Noisette is a Mitchell Scholar. Thomas Ptak is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Oregon. 2012, The College Board. College Board, Advanced Placement Program, www.collegeboard.org.
Bird, Caroline. “College Is a Waste of Time and Money”. The Norton Reader: Shorter. 13th ed. Ed. Linda H. Peterson, Joseph Bizup, Anne Fernald, Melissa Goldthwaite, and John C. Brereton. New York: W. W. Norton & Co, 2012. 217-225. Print.
When I was younger, I didn’t like reading much at all. I always questioned my teachers what was the purpose of reading; I never got an answer from either teacher until I was in the seventh grade. Starting junior high school was different from elementary. In seventh grade, we were in our reading class for two hours a day. I asked the teachers why didn’t we have the privilege to stay in our other classes for two hours; I never received an answer from my teachers.
The objective of this lesson is to discuss the best practices for operating a financially stable and cost-effective library media program including planning, budgeting, and evaluating resources. Money has long been known to bring out the best or worst in mankind. It can bring out sinful greed or kind charity. Like or loathe it, money is a necessary evil. This is true in both a personal and professional context.
It also gives students a chance to unlock unfulfilled potential. We would have a variety of knowledge because by learning new things, we will be able to have more information and be able to have more ideas. Children always want to learn more, they want to find something new so they can tell their family all about it. We need to be taught on how to use this information outside of high school as well. If we prepare early on and learn a variety of things,
engage different learning styles, provide hands-on opportunities for use of specialist tools or equipment, reinforcing learning, supporting and motivating individual learning, fostering independent learning through extended learning.
Nowadays, many people think reading is not necessary, since there are so many sources of information and types of entertainment, such as TV, cinema and the Internet. I believe they are wrong because reading is very beneficial in many ways.
Does it help students to adopt lateral thinking and form their opinions about a particular topic or concept?