In Pierce’s answer to, “What does Society Need from Higher Education?” he argues higher education is a resource that can aid in solving society’s problems. He lists six needs that he believes society requires from higher education; emphasizing the importance of each need in society. Pierce stresses the impact of higher education on the workforce; also adding the necessity of “sustaining a living culture” (Pierce 122). He explains that community colleges should educate their community to be aware of the general issues; the problems may be able to be solved through political processes. He lightly touches the significance of a respectful society due to diversity. Pierce concludes his reasoning by discussing that higher education is a resource for solving problems and emphasizing the support of programs to assist in providing higher education.
I agree with what Pierce had described in his discussion. His emphasis about the needs of Society from Higher Education is very logical. In response to question one, I do understand what Pierce means by moving from a “manufacturing and industrial economy” to a “service and information economy”. He is saying that society is no longer in the “blue collar” era, where manual labor is performed; it is moving towards the “white collar” era, where knowledge work is being used. My answer to question two is Pierce believes sustaining “a living culture” as a goal of higher education produces controversy because many ideas clash: the new ideas and the old traditional ideas. In reply to question three, Thomas Jefferson is saying that a country cannot claim to be free when it does not realize the issues within itself and try to solve those issues, when he says that a nation would not be both ignorant and free. My answer to question four is, the relationship I see between this reading and the two previous readings in this chapter with respect to the societal expectations of college is that society expects many of the issues expressed in society be solved in colleges; so graduates can enter the work force with knowledge of how to solve the problems in real life. My reply to question five is I do want my own college purposes based on ideas from this reading because I want to learn more than just the basics about my intended major.
In Atwell’s address to “What Does Society Need from Higher Education”, he states what he believes a base society needs. He stresses the importance of teaching values in the age of information and active citizenship in society. Atwell criticizes that colleges and universities are supposed to be critics of society, but they fail the role they are supposed to play. Atwell ends his answer with the emphasis of higher education acting as agents of social change through their activities.
In Atwell’s address to “What Does Society Need from Higher Education”, he states what he believes a base society needs. He stresses the importance of teaching values in the age of information and active citizenship in society. Atwell criticizes that colleges and universities are supposed to be critics of society, but they fail the role they are supposed to play. Atwell ends his answer with the emphasis of higher education acting as agents of social change through their activities.
I concur with Atwell’s description of what a society needs. Although his response to “What does Society Need from Higher Education?”, is brief, his stance is very strong and compelling. My answer to the first reflection question is I agree that the needs Atwell had identified as college purposes are important in a democratic society. I see that values are being overlooked due to how society is steering towards each individual’s own benefits. Also, many people/citizens choose to ignore the issues in society, which usually leads to bigger problems. I also agree that higher education should be agents of social change, because it is the first step that many individuals take as the first step into the real world. In response to question two, Atwell’s goals for a college education are different from those in the previous two readings relating to the experience of various cultural and ethnic groups in our society because he does not address or mention anything specific about different ethnic groups, instead he emphasizes what he thinks is the general purposes of colleges. My answer to question three is that no, the goals I have identified so far in my college education does not include anything that is related to my role as a member of society. If I was to add such a goal, I might state that I want to be able to inform younger generations to further their knowledge other than just a high school education.