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Academic Culture in the U.S.A.
This chapter presents information about some features of U.S. academic culture that may be relevant to your experiences as a faculty member or TA at The Ohio State University. Knowledge about the place of education in U.S. culture, students’ preparation for higher education, the structure of the university, values and beliefs, statuses and role expectations, and attitudes and notions of appropriate behavior can help you adjust to teaching in the U.S. college classroom. The more you are exposed to the academic culture of Ohio State, the more easily you will adjust to your new environment. The following sections are designed to help you, but it is important to keep in mind that these are generalizations. You will find that individual students will vary somewhat from the overall academic culture and that they change over the course of their education. It is best to remain flexible in your approach.
Education in the United States
“Higher education” is education beyond primary and secondary education. In the United States, students often pursue higher education after completing 12 or 13 years of primary (kindergarten through the sixth grade) and secondary (seventh through twelfth grade or high school) education. There are many institutions of higher education such as community or junior colleges (these offer students a two-year curriculum), four-year colleges, universities, vocational and technical schools, institutes of technology, and professional schools such as law, medical, dental, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health professions (physical therapy, occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, medical technology, etc.).Higher education is available in private (both secular and religiously affiliated) and public (state-supported) institutions. The enrollment of students in institutions of higher education varies widely. Some enroll as many as 50,000 students, while others admit fewer than 1,000 students. Because postsecondary institutions in the United States are not regulated or managed by the federal government, their philosophies, policies, and practices vary considerably (National Association for Foreign Student Affairs, 1996).
Student Preparation for Higher Education
The pre-college educational system in the United States varies widely. Unlike many countries, the United States has no standard national curriculum, single test of a common body of knowledge, or rigid college-entrance examination. A very large segment of the U.S. population completes secondary school (high school), and a large number of high school graduates continue on to some kind of postsecondary education.Many international instructors are amazed at what seems to be the poor preparation of college students in the United States, and it may be tempting to make comparisons with students in your home country. It is important to recognize, however, that while U.S. students may have had a less rigorous exposure to certain academic areas, they are no less intelligent. Compared to many other countries, specialization occurs at a much later age in the United States, and even at the university level, exposure to a wide range of academic disciplines is required. Upper-division university courses in the United States can be more demanding than those in some other countries, and many juniors and seniors are accustomed to the challenges these classes offer. Upper-division students (juniors and seniors) tend to have the level of specialized knowledge about the field that you might expect.
If you are teaching a course that students are required to take, especially for a General Education Curriculum (GEC) requirement, you will probably encounter students who do not want to be in the course, or who do not approach it very seriously. Students in electives will often be more enthusiastic because they were given the choice of whether or not to enroll in the class. Just as upper-division students are more likely to be prepared and knowledgeable, they are also more likely to be motivated. In general, those students who are least motivated are likely to be first-year students in required courses.
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