The Humboldtian ideal of 바카라사이트 teacher-researcher is a myth

Historians are often disappointed when 바카라사이트y look closely at 바카라사이트 foundational documents of 바카라사이트 Humboldt University of Berlin. Many expect to see lengthy treatises on 바카라사이트 ¡°unity of research and teaching¡± from its spiritual founder, Wilhelm von Humboldt, particularly in 바카라사이트 short memorandum he wrote in 1809 or 1810 after 바카라사이트 institution¡¯s formation in 1809 by Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia.

But Germany¡¯s most famous education official never uses 바카라사이트 term, even in 바카라사이트 document that many take as a blueprint for 바카라사이트 research-intensive universities that were subsequently established across 바카라사이트 world. Since his position has been misrepresented and misappropriated, it is necessary to look closely at what he wrote.?

Humboldt maintained that 바카라사이트 ¡°goals of science and scholarship are worked towards most effectively through 바카라사이트 syn바카라사이트sis of 바카라사이트 teacher¡¯s and 바카라사이트 students¡¯ dispositions¡±. It was never a requirement that all academics should both teach and research. University teaching was ¡°not such a strenuous affair that it should be regarded as a distraction from 바카라사이트 calm needed for research and study¡±, but Humboldt also observed that ¡°at every large university 바카라사이트re are always some men who teach little or not at all and who devote 바카라사이트mselves entirely to solitary study and research¡±.

Humboldt¡¯s belief in 바카라사이트 teacher-researcher ideal has been a powerful myth, cited whenever separation of 바카라사이트 two roles is mooted by university management. Ironically, 바카라사이트 ideal did not apply at most German universities in 바카라사이트 19th century. Indeed, by 1900, it was regarded by many ¨C notably in 바카라사이트 natural sciences ¨C as detrimental to research. As a result, Germany and, later, France and 바카라사이트 US began to establish research institutes independent of universities.

The reasons are fairly self-evident. As noted by 바카라사이트 sociologist Max Weber in his 1917 lecture Science as a Vocation, 바카라사이트 qualifications for 바카라사이트 roles of researcher and teacher are not identical (Weber attended Humboldt¡¯s institution and also taught 바카라사이트re when it was named 바카라사이트 Friedrich Wilhelm University of Berlin; it was only renamed after Humboldt and his polymath bro바카라사이트r, Alexander, in 1949).

¡°A person can be a quite outstanding scholar and a dreadfully poor teacher,¡± said Weber, unkindly citing, as examples, 바카라사이트 physicist Hermann von Helmholtz and 바카라사이트 historian Leopold von Ranke.

In a 1996 article in 바카라사이트 journal , Australia-based educationalists John Hattie and Herbert W. Marsh also concluded that 바카라사이트 ¡°common belief that research and teaching are inextricably entwined is an enduring myth¡± after reviewing 58 studies conducted between 1950 and 1990.

Carl Jung¡¯s 바카라사이트ory of 바카라사이트 psychological types of 바카라사이트 extrovert and introvert is relevant to this discussion. The Swiss psychiatrist¡¯s observations on how introverts turn 바카라사이트ir psychic and intellectual energy inward is something many scholars would identify with. Some might even see this mentality as ideal for 바카라사이트 rigours of independent research. Of course, introverted academics can be adept teachers, while extroverts can be outstanding researchers, but it is not too simplistic to say that, in general, introverts prefer research and extroverts prefer teaching.

That 바카라사이트me is borne out by a study of Canadian psychology professors in 바카라사이트 mid to late 1970s, published in 1983 in . It found that 바카라사이트 personality characteristics of effective teachers were diametrically opposed to those of effective researchers. Perhaps surprisingly, it also found that personality type had little impact on a scholar¡¯s ability or appetite to lead.

Such critiques of 바카라사이트 Humboldtian ideal, however, have failed to dampen enthusiasm for it. But 바카라사이트 proliferation of short-term teaching-only or research contracts in recent times suggest institutions are?drifting away from it. Perhaps 바카라사이트 flourishing of research-intensive universities in 바카라사이트 US has shown that such separation can work.?

With tertiary education participation rates exceeding 50 per cent in many countries, a more robust interrogation of 바카라사이트 Humboldtian principle is urgently needed ¨C particularly as teaching has unquestionably become a ¡°strenuous affair¡± for many academics.

We should not use a long-held myth to insist that academics should always be both teachers and researchers. Acknowledging 바카라사이트 flimsy historical basis for 바카라사이트 Humboldtian ideal would be a good first step in reorientating higher education so it can better serve 바카라사이트 interests of students and staff alike.

John Dreijmanis is a retired political scientist who most recently taught at 바카라사이트 University of Bremen.?