Considering a college class taught by Caron?
Frequently Asked Questions about Caron's (aka Dr. Sada) classes:
What is Caron's teaching philosophy?
Caron believes that college courses are opportunities for students to discover their talents and develop their strengths (leading to increased self-efficacy) while exploring course content as preparation for 21st century careers and diverse life aspirations. With this in mind, Caron's classes involve many student centered and constructivist learning opportunities. If students are used to teacher centered instruction, or are new to college, it sometimes takes students a while to adjust to their new freedom and responsibility in learning.
Caron's classes are designed for adult learners (i.e., adragogy, heutagogy) so that:
1) Students can practice and build the student success skills required at 4-year institutions
2) Students can practice and build the professional success skills that employers look for in college graduates
3) Students can practice and build an entrepreneurial mindset and entrepreneurial behaviors whether students will become entrepreneurs or intrapreneurs
4) Students can practice and build 21st century skills related to human thriving/flourishing (e.g., learning from people with different beliefs/worldviews, teamwork, leadership, critical/creative thinking, etc.)
Caron's classes are designed for all learners to take academic risks, try, fail, try again and succeed. A quote that may help explain this is, "failure is not the opposite of success, it is an important part of success." A theme in Caron's classes is, "There is always a way back- more points can be earned so focus on, and enjoy, the learning experiences."
Caron often mentions "Know, Think, Do" when describing her hopes for higher education. While educators have a long history of knowing and helping students know new information, higher education is continuing to work harder at giving students opportunities to think and still needs to work much more diligently to give students opportunities to DO. While all college classes are likely to help students know, Caron's classes are designed to offer students many opportunities to think deeply and DO.
Why does Caron talk about Bloom's Taxonomy in her classes?
In an update to Bloom's Taxonomy, "Create" is at the top of the hierarchy while "Remember" remains as the lowest level of cognition. As stated above, Caron encourages students to challenge themselves to actively "create" rather than behave as passive learners who "remember" information spoon fed through lectures. Caron's classes include a focus on divergent thinking although traditional convergent thinking is still part of her classes - there are "right" answers on exams as well as answers requiring critical and creative thinking where not everyone in class will agree on what is "correct." In classes such as Psychology and Gender or Psychology and Culture, course content is especially vulnerable to societal shifts over time (aka changes in the Zeitgeist).
Caron reminds students that in classes, perhaps especially in social and behavioral sciences, if students are simply memorizing what the teacher says they may be indoctrinated into their teacher's thinking rather than becoming more sophisticated thinkers themselves.
If students are inspired by Bloom's Taxonomy, it is hoped that they will leave class as sophisticated thinkers who are also brave enough to take action (opportunities for positive social change, intrapreneurship, social entrepreneurship and entrepreneurship) because, in part, they have risked and succeeded in the safe environment of class.
What is the importance of "show up (on time), do the work and ask questions?" This is a succinct message about how all students can be successful in Caron's classes.
1) Show Up On Time
All students are expected to attend class and arrive on time.
2) Do the Work
While creativity and transformational learning are encouraged, this mantra includes the basic performance expectations for Caron's classes. Students should review course rubrics to assess the quality of their work for "do the work" to ensure meeting college level standards.
3) Ask Questions
Student centered learning can create "ambiguity and uncertainty" for some students and all students are encouraged to ask questions to create the level of certainty they need to move forward on class activities and feel a sense of comfort with meeting learning objectives.
Can students complete Honors Projects in Caron's classes?
Yes, Caron encourages all forms of student achievement and success. Students who have earned 12 credits in the Maricopa system of colleges and have earned a GPA of 3.25 or higher can join the Honors Program. The program includes an automatic scholarship, invitations to special events and a network that is valuable to students as they pursue academic, career and life goals.
To find out if you are eligible for the Honors Program and/or can complete an Honors Project in a non-honors course, visit the Honors Office. If you choose to complete an Honors Project in one of Caron's classes, you'll need to closely adhere to the quality and timeline you commit to ~
What is the Z Network/Club Zeitgeist and are students in Caron's classes part of "Club Z"?
Club Zeitgeist is a campus club as well as being a set of initiatives and a movement. Any student who completes a Club Zeitgeist Achievement Award (based on the reflective process) is automatically a club member whether they attend Club Z meetings or not. Some classes (various disciplines) offer the Club Z reflection process as part of the course curriculum and/or as extra credit. Other classes, and individual students, participate in initiatives such as workshops, assisting with social entrepreneurship and sustainability projects, social incubation events, and creating positive social change videos.
What else should students know before they take a class from Caron?
Caron challenges students to get outside of their comfort zones in order to discover their talents and develop strengths while exploring and learning course content. Caron is easily accessible to students through office hours and by appointment.
Caron also works with students on self-directed learning projects such as IRB approved research, career portfolio creation, scholarships, interview preparation, positive social change projects (e.g., service learning, civic engagement, sustainability), intrapreneurship, social entrepreneurship, and entrepreneurship. Caron also connects students with other staff, faculty and community members as students develop and pursue customized goals and life aspirations.
What is learning?
Below are quotes to think about as we ask the question, "what is learning?"
"Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn."
-Benjamin Franklin
“Wisdom is not a product of schooling but of the lifelong attempt to acquire it.”
- Albert Einstein
"Imagination is more important than knowledge. Knowledge is limited. Imagination encircles the world."
- Albert Einstein
“It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom. Without this it goes to wrack and ruin without fail.”
- Albert Einstein
“Any fool can know. The point is to understand.”
- Albert Einstein
“Small minds have always lashed out at what they don't understand.”
- Dan Brown
“Learning is not attained by chance, it must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.”
- Abigail Adams
“You cannot open a book without learning something.”
- Confucius
“Spoon feeding in the long run teaches us nothing but the shape of the spoon.”
- E.M. Forster
“The more I read, the more I acquire, the more certain I am that I know nothing.”
- Voltaire
“Education is the kindling of a flame, not the filling of a vessel.”
- Socrates
“For the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.”
- Aristotle
“Learning is not child's play; we cannot learn without pain.”
- Aristotle
“Learning never exhausts the mind.”
- Leonardo da Vinci
“Self-education is, I firmly believe, the only kind of education there is.”
- Isaac Asimov
“Let go of certainty. The opposite isn't uncertainty. It's openness, curiosity and a willingness to embrace paradox, rather than choose up sides.
The ultimate challenge is to accept ourselves exactly as we are,
but never stop trying to learn and grow.”
- Tony Schwartz
“Sit down before fact as a little child, be prepared to give up every preconceived notion, follow humbly wherever and to whatever abysses nature leads, or you shall learn nothing. I have only begun to learn content and peace of mind since I have resolved at all risks to do this.”
- Thomas Henry Huxley
“Change is the end result of all true learning.”
- Leo Buscaglia
“I’ve seen how you can’t learn anything when you’re
trying to look like the smartest person in the room.”
― Barbara Kingsolver
“The authority of those who teach is often an obstacle
to those who want to learn.”
― Marcus Tullius Cicero
“It is important that students bring a certain ragamuffin, barefoot irreverence to their studies; they are not here to worship what is known, but to question it.”
- Jacob Bronowski
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
- Eric Hoffer
“Courage doesn’t happen when you have all the answers. It happens when you are ready to face the questions you have been avoiding your whole life.”
- Shannon L. Alder
