The Prudent Question is One Half of Wisdom

–Sir Francis Bacon

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh philosophy professor Laurence Carlin, who specializes in the history of modern philosophy and science, shares his thoughts about human nature and the quest for knowledge throughout history.

Have we always been a “questioning” people? How far back does this trait originate?
It is difficult to say precisely when this trait started to manifest itself, but as far as we can tell, humans have always been curious questioners. This is clear, for example, when we consider the ancient Greeks. But this human tendency to question surely predates even the ancient Greeks. I think it is fair to say that our tendency to question things and pursue knowledge is one of the qualities that makes us human. The ability to question leads us to create things, to engage one another’s perspective and to do many other things that we typically understand as human endeavors.

Who have been some of the great thinkers in terms of “questioning” how the world works?
There have been many great thinkers in the past who knew what kinds of questions to ask. Isaac Newton, for example, was a great thinker who asked (and answered) a number of questions about the behavior of objects in our universe. Immanuel Kant was a great thinker who asked important questions about how human beings should treat each other, questions about what underlies our judgments about moral and immoral actions. The questions these thinkers asked have furthered our understanding of the world in dramatic ways.

But if there is one question that has stood the test of time, it is perhaps the most fundamental theological question: Is there a god? Almost all of the best thinkers from the past have wrestled with this question, and of course, many engage it today. This is perhaps not surprising since the answer has far-reaching consequences for our understanding of ourselves, our origin and our place in the world.

What is the value in questioning? Do you have to find an answer for it to be valuable?
I believe there is tremendous value in the questioning itself. It forces one to embrace multiple perspectives, to evaluate one’s own beliefs in light of the evidence and to appreciate the complexity of the world and the complexity of the issues we face.

 I reject completely the idea that we need to find firm answers in order for these big questions to be valuable. Regardless of whether we arrive at firm answers, the process of questioning makes us better critical thinkers and more sympathetic to viewpoints that differ from our own. It also provides a deeper understanding of the world by an examination of the potential answers. In doing this, we are often forced to reevaluate our own beliefs and desires–the very things that we use to confront our experiences and the very things that make us the persons we are. It is the process of questioning, I think, that is valuable, since it promotes a deeper understanding of ourselves, the world and our place in the world.

If you could develop an undergraduate class, what topic would you focus on?

“Relevant Web development skills.” – Shawn Hansen, Senior Web Programmer

“I’d design a class called “The Pitch.” It’s a communications/entrepreneurial-emphasis course that challenges teams of students to work collaboratively using convention and multimedia tools to sell a product, service or concept. A panel of faculty members not connected to the teaching of the course would be the end-of-the-semester raters of the final presentations. The goal: Hone students’ writing, speaking, storytelling and team-building talents. These are the kinds of fundamental skills everybody has to use to thrive these days, no matter what their discipline or industry.” – Alex Hummel, Director of News Services and Public Relations

“I never thought I was remotely interested in history until I took my first history of science course at UW-Madison. Suddenly, when combined with one of my favorite topics, history was relevant and, to my surprise, fascinating. I loved learning about how people throughout the ages explained the physical world as well as medical phenomenon. I would suggest developing history classes that allow students to view history through whatever lens most captures their attention … journalism, sports, cooking, etc.” – Natalie Johnson, Alumni Communications Manager

“I would develop a class on information literacy. The ability to find, evaluate and synthesize information to solve a problem is crucial, not only for academics and the workplace, but really for modern life.  Now, this class actually meets every day in Polk Library, at any number of our service desks and instruction sessions, but I would like it to be structured, comprehensive…and required.”  –Joshua Ranger, University Archivist and Communications Librarian

“If I developed an undergraduate class, the class would be about designing for clients and practical design knowledge. It would focus on real-world experience and pair students up as designers and clients. The class would teach students about practical design knowledge–working as part of a project team, practical program knowledge, sending files to a printer, handling tough feedback and designing for someone other than yourself. It would help get students ready for an internship and first job.” – Donna Mleziva, Graphic Designer

“I would develop a math-type class for journalists who intend to be reporters. City and school district budgets, committee spreadsheets and nonprofit funding structures  as they relate to fundraising and allocations are not easy to navigate your way through as a trained writer and creative-type.  Relevant math classes (not just regular math classes) would have been very beneficial to me.” –Mandy Potts, Engage Content Editor

“Integrating rich media and 3D modeling in explanatory journalism with a practical and cognitive approach.” – Doug Sundin, Photographer/videographer

If you could develop an undergraduate class, what topic would you focus on?

Matthew Kubis

“A class teaching conditioning that blends kinesiology and coaching would be interesting.”
— Matthew Kubis, Freshman, Athletic Training

Kapricia Davis

“I think I would want a cooking class because a lot of us don’t know how to cook. We just go and eat at Blackhawk too much.”

— Kapricia Davis, Freshman, Nursing

Kyle Kohl

“I would want a health class that teaches the science of attraction. It’s something that can be a whole class and no one teaches or knows anything about. I think it would be riveting.”
— Kyle Kohl, Senior, Radio-TV-Film

Marlena Ryan

“I think a class that teaches pop culture would be best. I really enjoy movies and would like to know more about them. I also like to look at magazines, and I enjoy memorizing quotes from movies.”
— Marlena Ryan, Freshman, Pre-Professional – Physical Therapy

Adam Schapekahm

“Something involving sports history would be something I would like. A lot of people like sports but don’t know how they started.”
— Adam Schapekahm, Sophomore, Business

Susan Cramer

“I would create a course on change and the future. In this class, we would discuss change, the future and our life/career plans. We all need to learn how to thrive in times of change.”
— Susan Cramer, Graduate Studies Dean

Learn how Engage staff members answered this question.

Beginning in fall 2013, however, new first-year students will discover that simply collecting answers to their questions about college, their future and the world isn’t the point at all.

Instead, this first crop of UW Oshkosh students to experience the University’s dramatic and unprecedented general education reform will discover that it’s the quest or search for answers that matters most.

The new, student-centered University Studies Program (USP)—the result of years of dedicated work by UW Oshkosh’s teaching community—combines the ideals of a liberal education with successful national models at similar institutions and data-tested, high-impact teaching and learning practices.

The result: A complete transformation of the general education (Gen Ed) curriculum and, indeed, the entire campus culture that provides students with a more “intentional and integrated course of study,” said UW Oshkosh Provost Lane Earns.

No longer will students trudge through their first two years, checking classes off a well-worn list of requirements before getting down to business in their majors in their junior and senior years.

“We hope to provide our students with a higher-quality educational experience that will better prepare them for the challenges of an increasingly competitive global economy,” Earns said.

UW Oshkosh administrators are optimistic sweeping reform will lead to increased recruitment, improved retention and graduation rates and, perhaps, even reduce the time it takes to get a degree.

“We want to do all we can to help our students succeed,” said Lori Carrell, communication studies professor and USP director. “For nearly a decade, there has been increasing momentum within the teaching community for implementing research-based, high-impact practices.”

With the USP, students will have the opportunity to search for answers through a process of questioning, exploring and connecting.

In small learning communities, students will work with both peer and alumni mentors and engage in active learning in the classroom and meaningful service activities in the greater community. They will be responsible for tracking their own educational progress by maintaining electronic learning or ePortfolios.

“The USP is not just a reform but a true transformational change,” Chancellor Richard H. Wells said. “It’s a huge tribute to our faculty and academic administrators.”

The curriculum, which for decades revolved around a cafeteria-style menu of often disconnected courses, now incorporates higher-level goals known as essential learning outcomes, such as creative thinking, ethical reasoning and civic engagement.

Wells said the changes will have a substantial impact on the entire educational experience, forming a solid foundation as students move on to the courses required in their major and minor degree programs.

With its innovative and best-practice-driven program, UW Oshkosh now finds itself at the forefront of higher education reform, earning praise from national leaders in the industry, such as Debra Humphreys, vice president for policy and public engagement with Washington, D.C.-based Association of American Colleges & Universities.

“Many universities around the country are working to revise general education requirements in light of the changing nature of our society and the global economy, but few have done so as comprehensively and thoughtfully as UW Oshkosh,” Humphreys said. “What is so impressive about what Oshkosh has done is that the curriculum is calibrated to the changing demands of the 21st century and built on the latest research on effective teaching and learning.”

AAC&U recently selected UW Oshkosh as one of five campuses across the country to be profiled in a spring 2013 publication.

“We at AAC&U and others around the country will continue to watch with interest how this program develops because of how thoughtfully it was launched and the leadership team that created it,” Humphreys said.

The USP also will be featured in an upcoming book by Robert Zemsky, Learning Alliance for Higher Education chair and the Institute for Research on Higher Education founding director at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.

Ultimately, the new curriculum will help produce the workplace-ready graduates for which employers across the nation have been clamoring, said Mark Bradley, Wausau attorney and UW System Board of Regents member.

“Leaders of companies from around the country told the AAC&U that they are not necessarily interested in graduates who have specific job skills,” Bradley said. “Rapid changes in technology can quickly make those skills obsolete. Of far greater importance is that graduates have the ability to think critically, work in diverse groups, adapt to changing circumstances and communicate effectively.”

To become such nimble employees, students first must learn to be comfortable with uncertainty and have the ability to ask questions that are not easily answered.

The prudent question is one half of wisdom. —Sir Francis Bacon

The process of questioning itself holds tremendous value, said UWO philosophy professor Laurence Carlin. “It forces one to embrace multiple perspectives, evaluate one’s own beliefs in light of the evidence and appreciate the complexity of the issues we face,” he said.

Great thinkers like Isaac Newton and Immanuel Kant have long pondered life’s big questions from the behavior of objects in the universe to the behavior of human beings in society. “The questions these thinkers asked have furthered our understanding of the world in dramatic ways,” Carlin said.

The new and efficient 41-credit University Studies Program introduces students to the opportunities of University life and the goals of a liberal education structured around three signature questions at the heart of UW Oshkosh’s distinctiveness:

• How do people understand and create a more sustainable world?
• How do people understand and engage in community life?
• How do people understand and bridge cultural differences?

“The idea for building the USP around the Quest concept came out of questions the teaching community asked ourselves: What is most important to us on campus? How can we work together to enhance student learning? Which high-impact practices are feasible? Our collaborative answers led to this creative reform,” Carrell said.

Assistant sociology professor Paul Van Auken, who coordinates the civic learning signature question, said the questions provide students with a greater purpose during their initial coursework. “The new curriculum is steeped in nationally recognized best practices in liberal arts education but tailored to what is important on our campus,” he said.

In their first semester, first-year students take paired Quest I courses—a discipline course linked with a writing or a speaking course that focus on the same signature question.

And these courses—pardon the cliché—are not your grandmother’s or even your mother’s Gen Ed offerings. With intriguing names like The Geography of Coffee and theatre’s The Creative Process, UWO political science professor Tracy Slagter is hoping the first-year curriculum will serve as an invitation to students to “come along on an educational journey.”

“Students come to college because they have a whole lot of questions and they don’t have the answers,” said Slagter, who serves as the USP First-Year Experience director.

In the next semester, freshmen focus on a second signature question in their Quest II paired courses, which begin to incorporate ethical reasoning. UWO professor Norlisha Crawford said her Intro to African American Studies course has a built-in ethical question: In a democracy created on the idea that “all men are created equal,” how could slavery have occurred?

Crawford follows no textbook but rather assigns students real-life artifacts to study, such as essays, court documents, music lyrics and movies.

“This class prepares students for the job market in a multicultural world. They learn that our differences are not that big of a deal, except if they are ignored,” Crawford said. “The USP will help our students shine based on their individual strengths not on falsely constructed differences.”

Exploration is really the essence of the human spirit. —Frank Borman

While they continue to question, students also will expand the breadth of their knowledge by exploring nature, culture and society in a variety of courses. In their final Quest III courses, sophomores take part in a community experience connected to exploring their final signature question.

When that first wave of 900 or so sophomores (imagine the entire population of the Village of Rosendale heading out to volunteer) takes their enthusiasm and talents into the surrounding community, the considerable impact is sure to create positive change.

“Research shows that students who engage in high-impact learning experiences like community service do better in school and feel more connected to other students and faculty,” explained Michael Lueder, USP Community Experience coordinator. Civic responsibility of college-educated citizens is so important to UWO that the teaching community included “civic knowledge and engagement” as one of its essential learning outcomes.

A women’s studies course may partner with Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services or a course focusing on recycling may work with Goodwill Industries International. Such projects provide students with real-life examples and context to participate in classroom discussions.

“The engagement component offers students a sense of what’s happening in their communities,” Lueder said. “The hope is that they will want to get involved further—to dive right in and make a difference.”

Senior political science major Jeci Casperson, of Oshkosh, said she would never have made it to her junior year at UWO if she hadn’t gotten involved outside the classroom. An alternative spring break trip to Washington, D.C., during her freshman year made all the difference.

She signed up for the trip because it was an inexpensive way to travel but returned home from volunteering at homeless shelters and soup kitchens with a new sense of direction. Since then, Casperson, who serves as the Oshkosh Student Association president, has had internships with the American Democracy Project, the Wisconsin State Senate and the U.S. Senate.

“I’ve learned time management and how to communicate with people … that is a constant learning experience for me,” she said.

A hidden connection is stronger than an obvious one. —Heraclitus of Ephesus

Finally, students will have the opportunity to integrate their learning in a Connect or advanced writing course, in which they synthesize all three signature questions. Students will use their ePortfolios to track their progress, connect ideas across courses and even demonstrate their learning to employers and graduate schools.

In addition, as juniors or seniors, students will take a capstone class that retraces their progress, reflects on their educational journey and makes connections between their USP courses and those in their major.

Along the entire journey, students will have plenty of opportunity to make human connections as well as academic ones.

“We’re welcoming others in, such as alumni, peers and community leaders, to help with the teaching and learning process,” Wells said.

Peer mentors will be assigned to small groups of 25 students each in the first Quest classes, serving as role models and providing a student perspective on campus life, said Debbie Gray Patton, First-Year Experience assistant director.

“We want to give them a better opportunity to be engaged from the beginning and to feel like they matter here,” she said.

Mollie Merrill, a sophomore nursing major from Oshkosh, serves as the lead student ambassador advocating for the USP on campus. She’ll also work as a peer mentor in fall 2014. “We’ll help freshmen make the adjustment to campus life,” she said. “We’ll explain how the University works in ways that are reassuring and relatable to students.”

Earns is especially inspired by the reaction of UWO graduates to serving as alumni mentors for USP’s civic engagement component, beginning in fall 2014. “I’m absolutely delighted by the alumni response,” he said. “So many have stepped forward already; we want as many involved as possible.”

UWO Alumni Association Board member Scott Barr ’86, of Appleton, is helping to organize the alumni mentors.

“We’ll be available to assist professors in identifying civic engagement opportunities, providing a little horsepower in the community and offering some guidance and perspective to students,” he said.

“Alumni have a vested interest in our University’s success, and it’s vital that we remain active in our communities. UW Oshkosh will be a model across the country, so we want to help our students on this quest as they gain practical skills they can take into the workforce.”

Meanwhile, faculty and staff are especially busy this year as they work collaboratively to have the USP adventure ready for fall 2013. With the help of an implementation team, instructors are creating courses; advisers and admissions counselors are crafting new materials; and classroom renovations to support active learning are in progress.

“It’s incredibly invigorating that nearly every facet of the campus community is focused on this unprecedented opportunity to dramatically enhance student learning,” Carrell said.

Learn more about USP.
Exploring ‘The Prudent Question’

An unprecedented opportunity for alumni

The best way to find yourself, is to lose yourself in the service of others. — Ghandi

In recent years, the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh campus has been undergoing a physical transformation, with the construction of the Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Sage Hall and Horizon Village and many other much-needed improvements to our infrastructure. Alumni returning to their alma mater have enjoyed watching the campus’ metamorphosis.

We are now experiencing another type of transformation … this time in the form of a major overhaul to our general education curriculum for first- and second-year students. Our new University Studies Program (USP) offers alumni a tremendous opportunity to make a significant impact on our success and the success of our students.

I invite you to read our cover story about how the USP is going to significantly enhance our undergraduate curriculum. I also strongly encourage you to consider volunteering to serve as an alumni mentor with the USP and to work side-by-side with our sophomore students in the community beginning in fall 2014. Alumni have never before had such an opportunity to make a direct impact on student success. You are needed, and your service will make a difference.

Also in this issue, we have dedicated a special section to our record-breaking 2012 Titans football season that captured the attention of alumni throughout the nation. In addition, we feature senior Jake White who is building a business related to providing sober parties for UWO students, and alumni Dani (Woerpel) Stolley and Sandi Van Sistine who are making an impact in their communities through their passion and creativity. I know you will be inspired by their stories.

Take care,
Christine Gantner, Alumni Director

Letters

Civility
Chris (Gantner), this Engage approach to civility in political and governmental interactions is both timely and well-conceived. Why am I not surprised? It is YOU and UWO. Best!
— Edward M. Penson, former UW Oshkosh chancellor

Comments from Engage Online

All-Greek Reunion
What wonderful memories. We have to get the word out there to all the Greeks about joining us the next time we do this. They missed a great time with “old” friends. Thank you to all the committee members, Chris Gantner and all her alumni crew and all our new young friends from the University who were there helping out every step of the way. You rocked!!! Especially, thank you to all those who attended this wonderful event.
— Sarah (Berens) Mathewson ’68, Oshkosh

The Greek Reunion was a terrific idea and lots of fun! Thanks to all who worked so hard to put it together. Loved seeing old friends!
— Mary Jo (Hanrahan) Urban ’71, Reedsville

Student Profile: Kevin Kropp
Kevin was a student of mine, so it comes as no surprise to me that he would be selected as the 2012 Volunteer of the Year or has done as much as he has in his time at UW Oshkosh. Congratulations, Kevin!
— Susan (Hoppe) Kirkham ’94, Appleton

Tweets
@UWOshkoshEngage UWO Model UN is the alumni feature! One of the most engaging experiences I had, great personal and skill development. #UWO
— @the_awesomeness

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Late last fall, the five UW Oshkosh student storytellers presented their multimedia projects—in-depth stories that got to the heart of what it means to be in a war zone—through the second volume of War: Through Their Eyes, Warriors & Nurses project. Five veterans, who were either current students or alumni of the College of Nursing, were featured.

“This project made me a better storyteller,” said Morgan Counts, a senior studying journalism and economics from Oshkosh.

Counts and her peers worked on the podcasts and written elements in partnership with journalism instructor Grace Lim; the project was not graded, instead done on a volunteer basis.

“This project really opened my eyes to how personal stories can be,” said Noell Dickmann, a senior studying journalism from Jackson, Wis. “The overall experience made me grow and showed me that you always have to support our troops no matter what.”

War: Through Their Eyes, Warriors & Nurses was a collaborative project. Grace Lim coordinated Brian Ledwell, Shawn McAfee and John Beam to work with journalism students Amy Wasnidge ‘12, Brad Beck, Morgan Counts, Nate Cate and Noell Dickmann with additional help on music from Matt Muelling.

Lim, who watched her student writers grow, change and evolve through the months-long interviewing and writing process with countless drafts and rounds of edits, said she’s proud.

“These students signed up for something they weren’t graded on, and they thought it was a cool project,” Lim said. “Of all the student projects I’ve overseen, this was the most gratifying to date.”

The stories were unveiled publicly during Veterans Week at UW Oshkosh and—like all good stories do—will live on for a lifetime through the podcasts and a traditional print publication.

“I’m really proud of everyone who worked so hard on this project to tell the stories of our veterans. It’s cool seeing these types of stories go from an idea to a reality,” Dickmann said.

The ARTgarage—located in a 100-year-old former cannery—brings together artists of all types, ages and abilities in a creative community that also serves to revitalize the city’s downtown as part of the Olde Main Redevelopment District.

“It’s a garage,” said Van Sistine, who studied elementary education and art at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh in the mid-1960s. “We wanted to keep it rugged and messy and keep that feeling of the funky studio space.”

The ARTgarage began seven years ago when two local art students who were graduating from UW–Green Bay wanted to find a studio where they could continue to make art. Because the community was “thirsting” for such a space, the idea soon expanded to include events and art education programs.

With a strong background in advertising and marketing, Van Sistine worked to establish a board and obtain nonprofit status. She also served as the first non-paid site director. “There were nights I slept here,” she recalled.

Early on, the ARTgarage community had the opportunity to give back to their founder. Just as they were set to open the doors in 2006, Van Sistine found out she had cancer. “The artists said they would cover for me, and we became such a family,” she said.

These days, with two part-time staff members and a 21-member board, Van Sistine no longer runs the day-to-day operations and has more time for her own pursuits. She even took her oil painting supplies along on a recent trip to Mexico, where she got to make a little of her own art while enjoying time with her daughter and grandchildren.

Read more alumni and student profiles.

The weekend full of events culminated with a big celebration in Reeve Memorial Union with plenty of reminiscing, dancing and good cheer. This year, the Greek community on campus is experiencing a period of growth with record recruitment numbers and approximately 350 students taking part in five sororities and six fraternities.

Check out more photographs From the Archives.