Professor Owen
ARW Section AI
29 April 2007
Reaction to Meiland's "New Types of Intellectual Work"
Summary
According to Meiland, there is a difference between high school and college attitude toward materials. First, college work demands of students the more intellectual work different from high school. What is demanded of high school students is to understand the materials. It is demanded equally at university. But, what’s more, college work requires a different and higher type of understanding. It is critical examination and evaluation on the material. It is named new types of intellectual work by Meiland. College students need examine and evaluate it that the materials are really right. Second, there is difference of how to present the materials between high school and college. In high school, materials are presented as if they are authoritative and unchanging fact. So students believe and are satisfied with that the materials are true. But in college, materials are presented as beliefs or conclusions that have been reached on basis of investigation. Generally, people consider that the person who believes something should have a basis for such beliefs. So students have to examine and evaluate the materials and find evidence. That is why college work requires new kinds of intellectual work. Once students make shift from authority to rational evaluation, the mode of presentation of the material, and the way in which students regard the material also changes. And it is useful after having graduated from college. So students have to improve the skill of “new types of intellectual work”.
According to Meiland, there is a difference between high school and college attitude toward materials. First, college work demands of students the more intellectual work different from high school. What is demanded of high school students is to understand the materials. It is demanded equally at university. But, what’s more, college work requires a different and higher type of understanding. It is critical examination and evaluation on the material. It is named new types of intellectual work by Meiland. College students need examine and evaluate it that the materials are really right. Second, there is difference of how to present the materials between high school and college. In high school, materials are presented as if they are authoritative and unchanging fact. So students believe and are satisfied with that the materials are true. But in college, materials are presented as beliefs or conclusions that have been reached on basis of investigation. Generally, people consider that the person who believes something should have a basis for such beliefs. So students have to examine and evaluate the materials and find evidence. That is why college work requires new kinds of intellectual work. Once students make shift from authority to rational evaluation, the mode of presentation of the material, and the way in which students regard the material also changes. And it is useful after having graduated from college. So students have to improve the skill of “new types of intellectual work”.
Discussion
Meiland says “college work requires new types of intellectual work, because the way in which materials are presented in high school and college is different. In high school, they are presented in authoritative manner-almost as if they were absolutely and eternally true. And this way is wrong.” But I think he misunderstands high school work. Because I think high school students need to study in that way. Firstly, students don’t know much about any subjects yet. They don’t have enough knowledge to examine and evaluate materials. So high school teachers should teach them with an authoritative material. Secondly, if high school work takes the way like critical exam and exam, there might be no time to study general subjects. Therefore high school work in authoritative way is needed by college work. And college students should get down to college work as they make the most of their experience in high school work.
Meiland says “college work requires new types of intellectual work, because the way in which materials are presented in high school and college is different. In high school, they are presented in authoritative manner-almost as if they were absolutely and eternally true. And this way is wrong.” But I think he misunderstands high school work. Because I think high school students need to study in that way. Firstly, students don’t know much about any subjects yet. They don’t have enough knowledge to examine and evaluate materials. So high school teachers should teach them with an authoritative material. Secondly, if high school work takes the way like critical exam and exam, there might be no time to study general subjects. Therefore high school work in authoritative way is needed by college work. And college students should get down to college work as they make the most of their experience in high school work.
Work Cited
Meiland, Jack W. College Thinking: How to Get the Best Out of College. New York: New American Library, 1981. (The ELP Reader, 2006.7-10)
Meiland, Jack W. College Thinking: How to Get the Best Out of College. New York: New American Library, 1981. (The ELP Reader, 2006.7-10)
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