The Idea of University

“This journey of education is lifelong it began in your family and your place of worship and in your earlier schools and in the spaces of your soul that are yours alone..” (293).

“education is a higher world it implies and action permanent, and is commonly spoken of in connexion with religion and virtue” (289).

“it allows students to practice roles unfamiliar to them and fully immerse themselves in experiences that generate authentic knowledge” (44)

Prior to actually entering college, I underestimated exactly how much of an impact this transition would be. And not just in terms of the physical move from high school to college, but also the depth of knowledge that is covered in contrast to our previous education. High school consisted of AP analytical summaries and memorizing functions of the human cell, almost shallow in comparison to the new level of education embraced at UT.  Because of this, I never garnered a natural fervor for learning. School was just an obligation, rather than an opportunity to seek intellectual enlightenment. In A. Bartlett Giametti’s speech he says, “This journey of education is lifelong it began in your family and your place of worship and in your earlier schools and in the spaces of your soul that are yours alone” (293). But what we should also recognize that this innate “education” is in fact always transforming and changing. As a child, a majority of our learning is through observation. We take after our parents. Follow our siblings. And model the characters of our favorite storybooks and movies.

           

            The next stage of education, middle school and high school, consisted of how well we retained information. The “smartest” student was one who could effectively recollect and memorize facts and data. Once again, I never truly appreciated this approach to an education, because frankly, it was uninterested and rather dry. Finally coming to college, I feel that Plan II has uncovered a new interpretation of what an “education” really is.  Now, “education is a higher world it implies and action permanent, and is commonly spoken of in connexion with religion and virtue” (289). Rather than being coerced to take required classes, I am free to learn what I willingly choose to. From Philosophy to Microeconomics, for once in my institutional education, I am able to acquire the “liberal knowledge” (288).

            As far as stages of education go, this is what would be the Experiential learning. It’s considered most meaningful because “it allows students to practice roles unfamiliar to them and fully immerse themselves in experiences that generate authentic knowledge” (44).  So as I have entered this new institution of education, I have my harbored fascination with knowledge will meet its needs.