Where are the Scholars?

As I began the readings for this week I was reminded of my first "real" job out of college--the Instructional Design Assistant for Northwestern College's Graduate & Continuing Education Department (try typing that title over and over again!)  One of the first assignments the Dean of Graduate Studies gave me was to research critical thinking.  

"This is something we really need to teach our students; they're struggling with it," he said.  He wanted me to figure out how to effectively weave critical thinking into the program. 


What I thought at that point in my life I find myself thinking again this week:  Can you really teach critical thinking?  

I don't want to sound snobbish about this.  I believe there genuinely are people in this world who struggle to grasp deep thinking, or who are, perhaps, not old enough to go beyond the surface level.  

But honestly, I think what half of what these chapters are talking about come down to is not being a lazy person.  

Before you begin thinking that this is going to be some sort of post about our "modern tech age" where nobody can look up from their iPhone to even give the librarian the time of day, let me state: It goes both ways.  

I'm talking about lazy instructors as well as lazy students. 

Some of the best instructors I had as an undergraduate were those that kept learning.  I was a teaching assistant for one of my favorite professors for two years.  I loved being his student and employee not only because of his wit and charming bow ties, but because every time he taught King Lear, the PowerPoint looked a little different.  He brought artifacts to class that he picked up in London or Turkey.  He taped articles to his office door.  He was a learner.  

That is an element of reflective practice that I resonate with--constantly learning, growing, and changing as you discover new knowledge in your field.  

And, yes, the same goes for the hat-backwards-on head, sweatpants-wearing, smirk-faced, laughs-at-the-librarian freshman that I had the pleasure to observe during my first librarian observation for this class.  

What that sort of student is doing in college to begin with is a rant for another day.  

Students are asked to think critically--dig deep.  The students who are just attending college for the degree and a good time are not going to do this and do not want to do this.  To many, critical thinking means nothing, since they just want to turn the paper in on time with some sort of regurgitated version of a professor's lecture poorly written in their own words. 

To others, it is their passion.  

Can I take the reluctant ones by the hand and lead them to the stacks, throw my arms open wide and exclaim, "The knowledge of the greats is here!  Accessible!  Run, students!  Read!  Go discover information that is free to use in this institution that you are privileged to attend!" 

Well, no. 

Teaching a student to dig deep is teaching them to care.  Critical thinking is caring.  And some students could care less.  

But perhaps. 

Perhaps deep within some library information session you will present a student with a nugget of truth that causes them to open their eyes wide and want to know more.  Behind glazed-over eyes a brain will begin to activate, question, yearn.   Can this transformation happen?
 
Sadly, not all who attend college today are scholars, in the romantic sense of the word.  

But can we create them? 

Can we make them care?