Date of Defense

4-12-2002

Department

English

First Advisor

Dr. Gwen Tarbox

Second Advisor

Dr. Allen Carey-Webb

Third Advisor

Dr. Peter Saunders

Abstract

In a recent report On the state of higher education in America, David Hanson and Daniel Apple contend "changes in society, technology, and the world economy are occurring at increasingly faster rates. It is essential that we in higher education provide our students with opportunities to acquire the knowledge and skills that they will need to survive and be successful in this increasingly dynamic environment. Our students will need to be quick learners, critical thinkers, and problem solvers to survive" (1). Faced with this challenge, educators are attempting to change the environment in the traditional classroom. As the amount of information students must know increases, time allotted for instruction remains fixed. Thus, traditional education is destined to leave students ill prepared for experiences beyond the classroom. Our culture continues to support passive learning, despite the evidence that suggests experiential learning will better enable our students to retain information. The educational focus must shift to creating students who are life long learners, willing to take responsibility for acquiring knowledge beyond what is simply reiterated in classroom lecture. Process Education, a new development in academic circles, is designed to address these concerns.

Access Setting

Honors Thesis-Campus Only

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