Editor's Note, April 2003
Karen Heise
M.A. Student, University of Northern Colorado
E-mail: Kheise2000@Yahoo.com
We turn this month to perception--vision, discernment, acumen, impression, awareness, understanding, knowledge, judgment, insight, intuition--all of which we hope translate into wisdom. If you scan the above list of synonyms again, you'll be aware of subtle differences in how you perceive each of these words--some positively, others not quite so. Perception is the living cohesiveness of all we see, think, feel, imagine, hope, and dread. It is all we have, and though universal in function, it is anything but universal in its significance.
One needs look no further than the radical differences in perceptions of the war with Iraq; President Bush and Saddam Hussein, a Republican Guard soldier and an American Marine, the "embedded" reporters traveling with the American troops and any Iraqi woman--each of these offers an astoundingly different assessment of this war. Add to that list the day-to-day changes, the bloodshed, and the victories, and the American public's perceptions of the war--as well as the world's--will constantly be up for revision.
Is there a way to integrate all our sensory information into a new way of perceiving? To answer that question, I am pleased to bring you, in our Main Feature, Livia Marly Sa's insightful paper on changing the perceptual world, beginning with education. Sa asserts that education's aim should be changed from "breaking out of the box" to "breaking into the box," and that our limited senses can in fact be trained to interact with each other through a shift in the teaching of perceptions.
At no other time have we had so many ways to view our world. Yet, we are often no more willing to have our perceptions changed because of it. Because we are a visual culture, perhaps more so than at any other time in our history, what we see profoundly affects what we feel about others and how we will treat them. Art has always been a powerful force in shaping the impressions and awareness of cultures, and you'll find a fascinating study from Susan McGury and Betta LoSardo. These two women bring their considerable experience in evaluation of the visual arts to bear upon a group of adult students in an Asian business setting, who, through the analysis of art collections from businesses, private institutions and individuals, have their impressions and awareness changed. The practical aspects of their study reach far beyond the classroom, as all true education should.
In another facet of perception, Hardson Kwandayi brings us a look at why the Human Capital Theory does not always translate into higher-paying jobs. He argues that higher education's curriculum education must be "retooled" as capability education so that rather than "churning out graduates," institutions will infuse the workforce with those who are truly ready to meet the demands of the 21st-century's fast-paced and ever-changing workplace. You'll find an interesting comparison of the different perceptions students have as they graduate versus their bosses' perceptions of them after they've been on the job. (As I said, it's all about perception!)
We also have poetry this month from Ron Rubin, who is a Safe Schools Consultant and Coordinator of the Crisis Prevention & Management Project for the Vermont Department of Education. His long and varied career in teaching and administration gives him the central insights of one who is deeply concerned over the increasingly difficult job to protect our young ones. You'll also find insights on the nature of photography and perception from Lynne Fukuda's "The View from Here," her regular column.
I hope you enjoy this month's issue, and keep in mind that the government and the population of any country rarely agree on their perceptions.
Best,
Karen Heise, Editor-in-Chief
Academic Exchange Extra invites reader responses to any writings in this issue--especially articles advancing the scholarly debate of issues raised.
Page Viewed:
/ Created: 1
April 2003 / Updated:
--