Judgejudydebate
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The document discusses whether higher education should be considered a private or public good. It presents arguments on both sides of the debate. In the jury deliberations, members of the jury discuss factors supporting both private and public good characteristics. Judge Judy concludes that higher education has aspects of both private and public goods, and suspends the debate to address how to better educate citizenry globally. A second debate discusses whether service learning should be required in higher education. Arguments are presented on both sides, and in jury deliberations most support service learning but note challenges in implementation. In her decree, Judge Judy acknowledges support for service learning but recommends evaluating its impact and delivery more concretely before making it a requirement.
Judgejudydebate
- 1. The Great Debate Decree from Judge Judy
- 2. Judge Judy
- 3. Private Good Second, the publicly advertised acceptance rate of a university is one factor in determining the status of that university and thus creates competition among students and other universities. "The social mobility approach to schooling contends that education is a commodity, the only purpose of which is to provide individual students with a competitive advantage in the struggle for desirable social positions" (Labaree, 1997, p.42). Higher education is argued to provide students with "individualized status benefits, or positional goods...that are obtained by students," (Marginson p.317). In conclusion, our research determines that higher education is a private good based on the exchange of goods between tuition payment and a degree that can improve the status of an individual. Higher education is not accessible to everyone based on admissions requirements and cost but it does create healthy competition and helps stimulate robust academics through rigorous distilment of ideas and concepts.
- 4. Public Good Nyborg (2003) believes that the driving force of this "public good" is the public; therefore, it should remain the focus of the public to "safeguard higher education as a public good" as we continue to be challenged by global marketplaces (p. 359). In democratic equality, “education is a public good, designed to prepare people for political roles” (Labaree, 1997, p. 42). Kaipeng and Juan (2012) argued the most important function of higher education is serving public interests through teaching and research. By doing so, it has “spillover” benefits that people don’t pay for. For example, students are encouraged to demonstrate critical thinking skills, making them better citizens. All in all, it can be concluded that higher education can be seen as a public good because of many reasons, including the knowledge (and the connections that they make through this knowledge) that is produced and shared among faculty and students. It is essential that our fellow citizens are well-educated about our society and its issues. Higher education creates a safe space to examine these in depth; an educated population is able to participate in national discourse and influence decisions.
- 5. Jury deliberationsPublic/Private To be a truly public good, education would need to be non-rivalrous and nonexcludable. It can’t be denied that due to the costs associated with higher education, many students are unable to attend. For this reason alone, I believe higher education is a private good. If higher education were a public good, it would be included in the Bill of Rights and the Constitution. In a perfect world, I would love to see education, higher education, accessible to all; however, in order for that to happen we would have to make sure the playing field was "equal".
- 6. Public/private continued As the team members of this position in "The Great Debate" so aptly argue, "It is essential that our fellow citizens are well-educated about our society and its issues.” This public good of higher education is multifaceted. If done well, those in charge, who in order to be in charge had to achieve a degree from an institute of higher learning, will have been enlightened by their studies, have learned best practices, and will have come to understand the principles of respect, kindness, and leadership. If enlightened, then the hope is that they, at least in their world of responsibility and within their sphere of influence, will create a kinder, more respectful, and humane world. This is the hope, that I believe, higher education holds for the greater public good.
- 7. Public/private continued How can society be bettered and democracy be affirmed if not all citizens are able to participate in this seemingly exclusive process of higher education? Anyone can gain knowledge, it is nonexcludable. We have public libraries for people to gain knowledge for free because they may not be able to afford college. I do believe higher education provides society as a whole benefits from individuals obtaining higher education. It is considered a spillover effect, as mentioned by one of my classmates. With this thought, for higher education to serve as a public good, students should not be paying a significant share of the cost of their own education, it should be shared with society since the knowledge gained or “commodity” is shared.
- 8. Judy Judy’s comments on Public/Private It is clear as mud from the debate briefings on both sides and from the comments from the jury that higher education is,,,, well, it just is. In essence, the concept of public good shines through but because of competition, money, did I say money and competition, much of higher ed seems to be a private good. Yet, private contributes to public, as many said, in the cliché of lifting up all boats. My decree, therefore, is to suspend the debate in order to truly address the issue of the need now, almost more than anytime in history, to educate citizenry across the globe.
- 9. Service Learning as a Requirement We believe service-learning should be a requirement in higher education because it benefits the student, the university, service provider and community. Students often experience a positive impact on their GPAs, communication skills, critical thinking and motivates them to future community service (Hendrickson, et.al, 2013). Universities gain opportunities for networking and recognition for interacting with the local community (Naidoo & Devnarain, 2009). The service providers gain volunteers in the form of students offsetting shortages in funding (Naidoo & Devnarain, 2009). Ultimately, the communities benefit in the acquisition of valuable skills and knowledge from this type of partnership (Naidoo & Devnarain, 2009).
- 10. Service Learning Doesn’t Work Service Learning is not working....In higher education, "service" has become an admission component particularly for public institutions, requirement for graduation, or an obligation for a course. If faculty members are incorporating service learning into their courses because it is required, there is a greater chance of forced service that does not benefit the students, the institution, or the community. “Often service learning is organized to respond to the needs of an academic institution which sponsors it, the needs of the students, the needs of an instructor, or the needs of a course” ( Eby, 1998, p.2). Robinson and Barnett observed that “service learning is typically structured as part of a credit-bearing course that requires students to participate in organized service to the community” (1996, p. 5). The challenge for teachers is to incorporate service into student learning.
- 11. Jury deliberations Service Learning I am a big proponent of service learning as I have worked in a college that used it as part of its curriculum. … service learning provides a positive outcome for both student and community involved. Being able to connect theory and book knowledge to actual real life experiences can have such a powerful and positive impact on a person. While I agree that a potential problem lies in the students' expectations of the service-learning as a requirement, and therefore not trying as hard or taking it as seriously, it is hard to ignore the great qualities that service-learning offers.
- 12. Service learning continued I’m not sure exactly where to put my post, as I rather disagree with both points of view expressed, although I am a big supporter of service learning. The premise asserted in the title of this post, that “Service learning does not work,” raises my hackles. At the community college level, service learning has been demonstrated to work rather well in raising awareness of the importance of community involvement (Prentice, 2007)…. I have a suspicion that service learning maybe one of those experiences whose importance increases over time – a “soft skill” whose full value may not be felt until later in life. Certainly, the effects on society as a whole cannot be measured for years, and may not ever be connected to a specific “service learning experience.”
- 13. Service learning continued I can think of many top universities located in poorer neighborhoods, where the campus is a bastion of safety, but step off it and there are diverse social and criminal problems. Service learning would bring a greater degree of connection between the two worlds, and make sure that college students have exposure to parts of the world they may not experience in their collegiate bubble. as there is beyond any doubt that theory that students get in the classroom is very different from practicum experience in real life. In my opinion, service learning is a good method of encouraging student learning and development through active participation in thought-fully organized service that is conducted in, and meets the needs of, a community.
- 14. Service learning continued Service-learning enhances students’ valuable academic skills, including communication, team-building, and critical thinking; builds their self-esteem; and develops their sense of responsibility for decision-making. I personally feel it should be a requirement. Initial research, collaboration, and vetting out the processes to establish, continue, and grow these types of programs will take time and effort, but like internships in colleges and universities today, there are so many positives here that we need to recognize.
- 15. Judy Judy’s decree This is a tough one and one that has come before this bench many times. It is clear from the jury’s comments that service learning is preferred, considered important, and should be a requirement. Yet, what is the evidence to prove its worth not only to the student but also to those serviced? Should it be required in all majors and will faculty go along with it? What are the actual costs of the programs? There are many, many complications to service learning because of the organizational structure of higher education. These need to be taken into consideration.
- 16. Judge Judy continues There is the faculty reward system. The potential imbalance in academic requirements and rigor. The partnership with the service learning location. The benefit to the community itself. Sometimes trying to help can foster resentment. So to this debate, despite the overwhelming response of the jury, I recommend going back to the evidence. It isn’t that, in the opinion of this bench, that service learning should be a requirement or should be replaced, but that the impact of service learning and how it is delivered needs to be crafted less altruistically and more concretely.
- 17. Thank you. Court is now adjourned.