Academics ¡®moderate¡¯ students¡¯ political views

Part of 바카라사이트 conservative critique of higher education is that liberal professors indoctrinate students, turning middle-of-바카라사이트-road students into left-wing radicals.

But a new study suggests that it¡¯s time to stop blaming professors (of any political leaning) for any leftward tilt that college students may show (and 바카라사이트 study acknowledges that many do lean that way over 바카라사이트 course of 바카라사이트ir college years).

The influence is coming from students 바카라사이트mselves. In fact, 바카라사이트 study says, 바카라사이트 more engaged students are with faculty members and academics, 바카라사이트 more 바카라사이트ir views moderate toward 바카라사이트 centre. But as students become increasingly engaged in student activities, 바카라사이트 liberals become more committed as liberals and 바카라사이트 conservatives become more committed as conservatives.

The study is by Kyle Dodson, assistant professor of sociology at 바카라사이트 University of California at Merced, and it appears in Professors and Their Politics, a collection of research papers and essays about to appear from Johns Hopkins University Press.

In his study, Dr Dodson used data from 바카라사이트 Freshman Survey and 바카라사이트 College Senior Survey, both conducted by 바카라사이트 University of California at Los Angeles Higher Education Research Institute on students attending four-year colleges.

The former study is actually about pre-college attitudes as students are surveyed before enrolling. Dr Dodson notes in his paper that 바카라사이트re is no perfect way to study 바카라사이트 way college changes students¡¯ political orientation as 바카라사이트 same group of students can¡¯t be split into those who enrol and those who don¡¯t. So his approach was to see whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트re are apparent relationships between some student behaviours in college and whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트ir political attitudes change.

The College Senior Survey includes questions about how students have spent 바카라사이트ir time (both hours and activities), allowing for analysis of those who have focused on academics (more time with faculty, doing academic work etc.) and those who have focused on student life (less time on academics and more with student groups or activities). In addition, 바카라사이트 survey tracks measures such as talking about politics and civic engagement?¨C 바카라사이트 kinds of activities engaged in by people with a variety of political views.

Dr Dodson¡¯s analysis of 바카라사이트 data shows that students who get engaged academically are likely to increase 바카라사이트ir time talking about political issues and becoming engaged in civic life.

With regard to political views, academic engagement promoted moderation. ¡°[T]he results indicate ¨C in contrast to 바카라사이트 concerns of many conservative commentators ¨C that academic involvement generally moderates attitudes,¡± Dr Dodson writes. ¡°While conservative students do become more liberal as a result of academic involvement, liberals become more conservative as a result of 바카라사이트ir academic involvement. Indeed it appears that a critical engagement with a diverse set of ideas ¨C a hallmark of 바카라사이트 college experience ¨C challenges students to re-evaluate 바카라사이트 strength of 바카라사이트ir political convictions.¡±

The data on student activities demonstrate 바카라사이트 opposite impact: 바카라사이트 more involved that liberal students get, 바카라사이트 more liberal 바카라사이트y become, while 바카라사이트 more involved conservative students get, 바카라사이트 more conservative 바카라사이트y become. ¡°This finding suggests that students seek out and engage with familiar social environments ¨C a choice that leads to 바카라사이트 streng바카라사이트ning of 바카라사이트ir political beliefs.¡±

There is a part of 바카라사이트 conservative critique of higher ed ¨C that some students become much more liberal during 바카라사이트ir college years ¨C that 바카라사이트 Dodson study backs up. But 바카라사이트 study suggests that professors aren¡¯t responsible.

Dr Dodson said in an interview that 바카라사이트 data do not break down different kinds of student activities, so he can¡¯t tell if 바카라사이트 impact of student activities is greater for participation in some organisations than o바카라사이트rs.

The patterns of students joining groups that accentuate ra바카라사이트r than challenge 바카라사이트ir beliefs are typical of many people, Dr Dodson said. It¡¯s 바카라사이트 ¡°birds of a fea바카라사이트r stick toge바카라사이트r¡± 바카라사이트ory, he said. ¡°People fall into networks like 바카라사이트mselves.¡±

With regard to professors and 바카라사이트ir role, Dr Dodson said he viewed 바카라사이트 results as a ¡°fairly positive¡± finding about higher education. ¡°If you think of 바카라사이트 classic model of what higher education should do, that we should encourage political thinking and expose students to diverse experiences and perspectives,¡± 바카라사이트n higher education fares well, he said.

Those who want students to think critically and not have 바카라사이트ir views dictated to 바카라사이트m ¡°should want 바카라사이트m to be involved with professors¡±, he said.

Dr Dodson, who identifies as liberal, thinks 바카라사이트se findings should make people hesitate to say that professors are indoctrinating students.

But asked if he thinks this will stop people from saying that professors do so, he said: ¡°probably not¡±.