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Critical Skills Low Among Arts

By Laura Connell The Varsity University of Toronto

Liberal arts students are not being taught how to think critically and analytically or to communicate effectively, ac- cording to a study from York University’s Institute for So- cial Research.

The report surveyed first and final year arts students at York for their skills ina variety of areas including communi- cation, critical, and analytical skills. Graduating students were found to have better so- called generic skills than first- years. However, the report found no correlationbetween good grades and the acquisi- tion of these skills.

The study suggests arts programs at universities should be spending more time focus- ing on how they are going to teach these skills instead of assuming they will be learned

as a by-product ofa liberal arts education.

York’s Dean of Arts, George Fallis, agrees. “The question is whether we can do a better job as professors by thinking more explicitly about how these skills might be ac- quired through the study of liberal arts disciplines,” he said.

It is precisely these per- sonal skills such as critical and analytical thinking that are widely thought to be the hall- marks of a liberal arts educa- tion. They are also sought out by businesses when hiring new recruits.

“Obviously students are interested in the application of the skills for their future em- ployment prospects. I don’t think this needs to be in con- flict with a basic liberal [arts] education,” said Fallis.

York’s study points out that arts programs should not be geared towards teaching job skills. However, the criti-

October 29, 1996

Grads

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Pat Binns speaks with UPEI Students. UPEI to host debate -- details on page 3

cal, analytical, and communi- cation skills it says are not being explicitly taught in the classroom are precisely those used in the workplace.

“T think the reality is that employers look for those ex- act skills in all the hiring they do, whether they’re hiring en- gineers [or] liberal arts [stu- dents],” said Marilyn Van

Norman, of the University of Toronto’s career centre.

In her experience, the only complaint employers have about university students is a lack of communication skills. This applies to all disciplines, though, not just the arts.

“If [employers] would have any skills strengthened it would be communication, both

College May Make Laptops Mandatory

a sa

Mount Royal College

Mount Royal College could become the second postsecondary institution in Canada to make owning a

laptop computer mandatory for all students.

Royal vice-president Larry Dawson says it is too early in the process to release many facts. He is, however expect-

ing more information from the committee within the next cou- ple of weeks.

The program could be instated on a pilot basis next year said Dawson. "We have to examine whether this thing is even feasible.”

The cost of the comput- ers for students is not yet known. They will most likely be made available through leasing, renting or purchasing if students wish.

How much can students afford to spend on a compu-

ter? With tuition costs ranging between $1,000 and $3,500 a year, most students don't have a whole lot of extra cash to spend.

Student response to the idea is varied. Some feel it was a great idea, but others feel it isn't really necessary.

They say students should take advantage of the compu- ter labs available in the school. Also, many students already have a computer at home.

"It's a great idea, but I wouldn't be able to spend more

than a thousand dollars," said Kathleen Hill.

Renee Benstead won- dered why more money would go towards computers. "Our tuition fees already go towards the labs already available,” she said.

As of September, all first year students at Acadia Uni- versity in Nova Scotia are re- quired to lease a laptop and software from the university. The computer costs students $1,200 per year.

oral and written, but that would be true across the board, not unique to liberal arts,” Van Norman said.

She adds that arts stu- dents are not at a disadvan- tage when it comes to generic skills.

“T don’t think it’s been our experience in talking to employers that liberal arts stu- dents didn’t have those skills. I haven’t seen it, I haven’t heard it,” she said.

U of T’s Dean of arts, Marsha Chandler, disagrees that arts programs aren’t fo- cusing enough on teaching their students critical, analytical, and communication skills. She feels these skills are in fact the driv- ing force behind liberal arts programs.

“Indeed one of the ob- jectives of the faculty of arts and science is to not be filling students with facts that may become out of date. The pri- mary objective of what we do is just that-critical thinking,” she said.

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