Mar 16/17, 2010: Disciplinary Formation in Liberal Education
Continuing with the theme of liberal education as formation, I'd like
us to turn our attention to the role played by the study of specific
disciplines. There are two possible meanings to discipline: we
commonly use it to refer to a field of study, but it has an older meaning
as a formative practice.
A few questions:
- Does a field of study function as a formative practice? How?
- How does that depend on the field of study? Are some fields more (or
less) suitable to such a view?
- What is the role of the requirement of a major/concentration for
undergraduates? Of general education?
- How does a formative perspective affect the way we approach particular
subjects?
- How does our disciplinary practice relate to our students' liberal
education?
I've posted to the wiki some thoughts from a presentation I gave
for the IDS program in 2008.
Cary Gray