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Educational Philosophy
By Thomas Landefeld
I truly believe that graduate education is the cornerstone of academe as it represents a culmination of the application of a person's undergraduate studies coupled with the appreciation of the true value of research as the ultimate teaching tool. In fact, it is the exposure to research that really provides the means for analytical thinking, which is the basis for learning and understanding. In fact, I believe that it is impossible to dissociate research from teaching if one is going to be effective. Initially, I thought this to be only true for the sciences but after working for the past several years with programs in the College of Arts and Sciences, I believe that this applies to all disciplines and this is not surprising as true learning comes from the application of what is learned.
For the sciences, this is demonstrated best from the laboratory experiences that students receive as undergraduates preparing them for graduate/professional schools. Since the graduate degree is truly a research-based degree, the experience that the student receives as an undergraduate is critical for their entry and success in graduate school. Although not all students are destined for post baccalaureate education, my vision in that regard is to provide as much information as possible to all undergraduate students, including career choices, salaries, benefits, potential, so that their decision is an informed one. I have seen many students make a decision that if they had the appropriate information they would have made a better one.
Thus, teaching has to be more than just what is in the syllabus and the text book. We, as academicians, have to take the responsibility of advising and counseling students about what they can do with their education. Research aids significantly in doing exactly that, not only in that the experience is a practical application, but also because research forces analytical thinking which cannot be taught as effectively in the classroom.
In addition, teaching through research usually leads to better retention, which in turn results in better success, i.e. graduation, which is really what education has to ultimately be about.
Graduate education similarly promotes independence in learning that is separate and unique from the conventional type of undergraduate learning. Since graduate education is a preparation for many for lives in the professoriate, this is an essential feature, i.e. professors, as role models, mentors and advisors, must demonstrate the ability to think independently and in a critical and analytical manner.
Furthermore, if the individual continues to be engaged in research, success in that endeavor is totally dependent upon the ability to think analytically and independently. Thus, the role of graduate education is critical to the future by developing academicians, scholars, scientists, and other academic professionals. Moreover, the environment in which the graduate student is educated plays an immeasurable role in that development.
Another key component of the graduate education experience is individualization and personalization of the students. I have spent many years working in the area of under representation of minorities, particularly in the sciences and the recognition of the personalization of the students' needs is by far the most important component in addressing this problem.
Similarly, graduate education must individualize the students and their needs for them to achieve success. Since as discussed above, graduate education must include a fostering of independence, recognizing individuals as individuals is the first step in achieving that. Correspondingly, also as mentioned above, the environment in which the student learns is essential to achieving that goal. That is why the administration of the graduate program, as established by those in charge, i.e. Dean, Associate Dean is a key component in those programs that are successful.
An excellent example is the recognition of the importance of the criteria for acceptance into graduate school, specifically; letters of recommendation and previous research experience should almost always weigh more heavily than standardized test scores. With regard to the graduate studies office in any institution, it goes without saying that the importance of graduate education must be recognized and acknowledged from the very top of the Institution, whether it is the President and/or the Provost. This is essential for the graduate program to be effective and successful.
Still another important component of graduate education is the overlapping, collaborative nature of many of the disciplines, particularly in the area of the biomedical sciences. Once again, the environment, as established by the leadership of the Graduate Division, is critical in this aspect. A recognition by, as well as an encouragement for, students to take advantage of the overlaps in the disciplines and therefore the similarities in the learning will contribute significantly to their graduate education. In the case of the biomedical sciences this is essential as their exposure and experience to the different disciplines with overlapping technologies and methods/approaches will provide the type of broad training required for a PhD to be successful in future positions.
With these philosophies and administrative styles, let me state that I believe that my previous experience as Assistant Dean for Research and Graduate Studies at the University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS), coupled with my extensive commitment and experience with under represented minority students, provides me with the type of experience that is needed for a graduate school office to be successful.
The Program at UMMS included about 300 students in the biomedical sciences departments and programs, and as Assistant Dean, I was most involved in the operations of the departmental graduate committees and again responsible for guiding them with effective minority student recruitment and retention.
In that regard, and relating to my philosophy as to the importance of individualization, one of my most significant accomplishments was establishing a minority student group (i.e. Association of Multicultural Scientists (AMS)). Not only did this group help to recruit and retain students in the various programs, but also had a representative on the Dean's council to voice concerns unique or special to minority students. And, very importantly, at a recent national minority conference, I saw that a representative from the AMS group was present in the University of Michigan booth, recruiting students to UMMS!
In summary, in academe, and especially the areas of graduate studies and minority affairs, I believe that compassion and commitment are the two most important attributes for administrators to have successful programs.
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