Fear of Failure Gives Students an Incentive to Study
Kansan Staff Reporter
BY MARK D. MITCHELL
When we were very young, we learned in kindergarten that the letter "F" was the start of some nice words like fun, fair and flag. We also learned, in kindergarten, that some not-so-nice words, one of which was failure.
The latter, as our school days began, we found out that letter 'F': 'placed in bright red ink at the top of our themes, tests or papers didn't mean fabulous; quite the contrary, it meant we had been a very bad student and flunked out math, English, physical education or whatever.
This troublesome letter soon became our scourge, our downfall, and each of us did our very best to avoid future confrontations with us, usually by spending an extra 20 minutes a week with 'My Weekly Reader' or my sneaking out to the playground to practice tetherball.
FINALLY WE grew up, and to our amazement and often our clamour, we soon discovered that the alphabet soup of letters would sometimes be one of the most important parts of our life—determining to which school we were going, what job we would have or how we might spend the rest of our lives.
Consequently, as we start another school year, most of us, whether freshmen or graduate students, remain ultimately concerned about our academic careers. Some of us merely desire to keep our grade point average above the University's required 1.8 to 2.0 compression. Others aspire to the idealic 4.0 average.
Whatever our plans, there remains the problem of achieving these goals, a feat usually accomplished only through studying. The inability of a significant number of students to fulfill this study requirement is evident by the number of drop-outs and flunk-outs each year.
JAN SANDERS, assistant dean of women and assistant director of Pearson College, spends much of her time helping students to correct poor study habits and provides students with which they achieve their educational goals.
"Most students don't think about study habits until they get in trouble," Sanders said. "Procrastination and lack of scheduling are the traps that happen to students to students having problems with their studies."
Studying should be a very personal thing, and each person should establish the routine best suited to his or her needs and abilities, she said. The problem is that students have actually been instructed in the art of studying.
"Students have grown up studying in a way that wasn't pre-mediated," Sanders said. "You are handed a chemistry, algebra or literature book and are expected to learn chemistry, algebra or
literature, but no one ever tells you how to study. It's a
hit-or-miss proposition."
SHE SAID there were specific study techniques that had proven very effective in improving students' learning ability. One of the most famous and widely accepted of the educational psychologists who have studied psychology is Francis Robinson, professor of psychology at Ohio State University and author of "Effective Study."
In defining methods of improving study habits, Robinson emphasized the importance of recognizing cues from study material which would be invaluable in future study. These cues, he said, are found in textbooks, in the classroom and through reviewing previous exams.
Most textbooks are organized with definite cues, either through typography or writing style, to show the student the most important points and ideas to be learned, Robinson said. Cues may be numbers, such
as "four kinds" or "three causes" and centered and indented headings that are printed in boldface or
CLASSROOMS CUES are primarily based on teachers' comments and instructions, including outlines or handouts given to the class. If certain ideas are emphasized by both the teacher and the classroom reasoned, the student can be doubly forewarned that such material will probably appear on the test.
Robinson said students should pay particular attention to questions asked by teachers in class discussions and review sessions. From this students will be able to determine whether emphasis is placed on definitions, lists, applications or interpretations and then study accordingly.
More important case result from analysis of previous tests. The case study class is usually 10-20 students in the STUDY PAGE
85th Year. No.1
Wednesday, August 21, 1974
The University of Kansas—Lawrence. Kansas
Section A
Liberal Arts Majors Face Tight Employment Market
The well-rounded education a student receives in the well-prepared arts and arts help him to help him at school.
Gladys Padget, placement director of the College, said recently, "Students will have to do a lot of job hunting. Employers won't come look for them."
However, placement offices of the business and engineering schools have more job opportunities.
Kathy Pugh, placement secretary of the School of Engineering, said there were more job openings than there were people in the field.
"Of the employers whom we have contact with, all of them are fairly desperate," she said, "the greatest demand is for teachers." The company can enter company training programs.
The gas crisis, the need for faster moving of the mails and environmental awareness have increased the demand for engineers, Puch said.
Fred Madusa, placement director of the School of Business, said, "All businesses that generate resources need accountants to keep track of them."
All areas for business students are
relatively good, he said, and salaries tend to reflect this demand.
Experience is the key to job placement in the School of Education, according to Loda Newcomb, assistant director of the placement office of the school.
"If graduates can teach in more than one area, it's easier to place them," she said. "The more you can teach, the better off you are."
However, in some cases, she said,
graduates with bachelor degrees are more
sought after than those with higher degrees because those with extensive education demand
Newcomb said there was an oversupply of social studies and English teachers, but there was a definite shortage of mathematics and natural science teachers, and teachers who qualified to work with children with learning disabilities.
According to the studies of the U.S. Department of Labor, graduates in many
★★
Kansas Staff Photo by DAVID PETERSON
Job Prospects Listed
Learned Work
These employment prospects were obtained from the summer 1974 issue of the Occupational Outlook Quarterly, a publication of the Department of Labor. INNANTE
ings, 41,100. Good opportunities. Because of the growing complexity of business accounting requirements, accountants often demand than those without degrees.
Workmate, continue construction of the $3.75 million addition to Learned Hall, the School of Engineering building. Two floors are being added to the top of the building and a five-story wing is being attached. The extra $2,000 square feet will provide space for additional classrooms, laboratories and offices. Completion is scheduled for fall 1975.
ARCHITECTES-Average annual openings, 3,300. Favored employment opportunities. Most rapid increases in employment in new areas such as urban redevelopment and environmental design and management. Opportunities in established architectural firms and opportunities for starting a private practice should grow more slowly.
BANK OFFICERS—Average annual openings, 13,600. Rapid employment gains as the number of banks increase and the services they offer expand.
BIOCHEMISTS-Average annual openings, 700. favorable opportunities for those holding advanced degrees are caused by increased research and development ex;inditures, especially for medical research.
CHEMISTRIST-Average annual openings, 6,800. Favorable employment opportunities caused by a rising demand for industrial products, further research on pollution and fuel shortage problems and health-related research.
See EMPLOYMENT Page 8
liberal arts disciplines will be entering a limited job market.
Many of these graduates are able to find jobs outside of their field of study, however. About 23 per cent of college graduates who received degrees in June 1972 were unable to find jobs in their field by that October. Nine per cent of that number were unemployed and the remainder, 14 per cent, had taken other jobs.
An additional 15 per cent took jobs outside their field through their own choice. This trend of employment outside the graduate's is expected to continue, the bureau said.
Almost 60 per cent of job openings for
allege graduates will result from workers
who are not currently employed.
The balance of the openings will arise from rapidly growing fields and those that are likely to be future technological advancements. The rise of salaried management specialists and the demand for salesmen who can demonstrate technical skills and offer opportunities arising from new techniques.
The latest figures released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that the number of college graduates will be roughly equal to the number of job openings through the mid 1980s.
Projections for employment for college graduates show the job market growing after 1985, showing slow growth after 1965. This will be full employment by 2000, educated workers because employers will be able to get a more qualified employee from the labor pool at the same salary, the
Additionally, graduates will be filling jobs that previously were held by nongraduates. Technological advances and management practices that change to keep pace with the demands of society account for this phenomena.
Special Rooms
Kansan Staff Photo by JAN SEYMOUR
Don Creatch, Kansas City, Kan., senior and a resident assistant at Hashinger Hall, adjusts a potter's wheel in one of the hall's special intc. cst rooms. Hashinger offers a gourmet kitchen and a sewing room in addition to the sculpture room as part of an effort to provide varied facilities for students.
Special Facilities Enhance Dorms
By KENN LOUDEN
Kansan Staff Reporter
Kansas State aren't just places where students eat, sleep and play. They're recreational and educational facilities, students can pursue special interests at their halls. In the past two years Hashinger Hall has become a center for fine arts. Cary Smith, Senior, recently that the result had been so successful that the hall was full by July 1.
"Part of its success has been the involvement of students working with the administration," Smith said. "Everyone has been working to keep Hashinger in a continually evolving environment, so they can keep hall operations in it continuously evolving, process."
As part of Hashinger's continually evolving process, plans already had been started for two major play and one musical review this year. "The Fantasies," the longest running off-performment, performed Oct. 11, 12, 13, 17 and Mary Daniel Johnson, assistant resident director, will direct the play.
Smith said a videotape about Hashinger Hall would be aired on Sunflower Cablevision sometime next week.
An original play. "Tinkerbell
Peggy Baldwin, staff director of Hashing Theatre and program coordinator, said she had obtained the original rights to "Free To Be You and Me" in association with "Ms' magazine. Production will start as soon as possible on the new album, which will be presented some time in February.
is Dead," by Donna Young, a Hashinger resident, will be performed Nov. 1, 2 and 3.
In addition to the major presentations, several showcases of plays and scenes will be offered in Hashinger throughout the school year for residents.
Baldwin said that Hasinger would continue its "Guest Artist Program" which it began last summer, and now offers guest artist, who offers workshops in the hall. The program is open to all Hasinger residents and a limited number of guests. Hasinger also has a first come-first serve basis.
Marsha Paladun, dancer and choreographer, will begin a program the week of Sept. 9. She will teach six weeks of dance classes that will culminate in a multimedia dance concert. Paladun emphasizes mind-body integration of exposition in her dancing.
Hashinger is presently looking
for a winner as its second guest
artist. Jane Kleinberg, who gave
a session of pottery lessons last
year, will return for a short
series of programs on Sept. 6, 7
and 8.
Johnson, the assistant resident director, said a greater emphasis would be placed on music this year. Residents will start giving classical music recitals in the hall beginning Sept. 13.
In addition to these planned activities, Janet Hoffman, resident director, said the hall had an art gallery, a dance room, a pottery room, a gourmet kitchen, and a woodworking and sculpture room, an arts and crafts room and two electric pianos. Other activities will include architectural drawing, batik, ceramics, silk-screening, photography and candle-making.
Johnson said this would be a very fruitful year because the ball had many interested people working with the staff.
An even more ambitious program has been planned for McCollum Hall, J. J. Wilson, director of housing, said.
"One resident told me that she wished she could come to school to enroll at Hashinger," Johnson said.
during the coming year McCollum Hall will set aside its
entire west wing of the second floor for communications studies. This will include computer center hookups, a new photography room, a complete closed circuit television system, video cassette recorders, video cassette recorders, receivers and a color camera.
About 75 per cent of the equipment already has arrived, and installation should begin soon. Wilson said the equipment would be paid for by an additional $50 improvement fee that was incorporated into the resident's contracts.
"We hope to have students help with the development of the communications hall. Wilson will provide the program, and we hope to get it together soon. As far as I know, this is a unique innovation and resource."
Wilson said he hoped people would use the equipment to improve their speech, writing and projection abilities.
"To me, communication is an art form," Wilson said. "We are hoping people will take advantage of McColm Hall's increase their ability to communicate and project themselves."
Wilson said that since Hashinger had been made into a fine arts center, vandalism had been sharply reduced. Thus, in
providing more activities for residents, residence halls are also helping themselves, he said.
"The key to preventing vandalism is to keep people motivated," Wilson said. "Hashinger proved that if you give people a good outlet, they will respond."
Wilson said he hoped Mc-Collum Hall would be able to increase its venture into the realm of communication. Typewriters and keypunch newspapers, Journalism, speech and debate students could find the hall helpful in their studies, he said.
Several innovations have also been added to Lewis Hall, Molly Lafflin, resident director, said
A women's exercise room has been planned for the hall, she says. Students will use Gym, exercise bicycles, two showers and other exercise equipment. In addition, Lewis women will have their own
Lewis will also install a new stereo system in a music listening room. The controls to the stereo system will be kept behind the desk in the main lobby. Additional speech 'rs' will be used in the cafeteria to make meals more pleasant, Laflin said.
Laflin said plans also were See SPECIAL Page 2