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Als Ik Kan: To the Best of My Ability (June 2008)

Tuesday, May 20th, 2008 8:49 am

Written by: John Moore

Als Ik Kan is the message in the logo of Gustav Stickley, creator of the Mission style of furniture. Loosely translated from Flemish it means “to the best of my ability”. Jim D. Roach, Emporia State University, KS uses Als Ik Kan as the theme for his call for greater dedication by everyone, teachers, students, and others, to improving science education. A summary of Roach’s piece follows. The full text is available here: jce2008p0768.pdf.

Colleges and universities have become little more than student-factories; turning out products that are inferior or worse yet, obsolete when they walk off the commencement stage. As a physical chemist I can appreciate the importance of technology in both teaching and research. But, proficiency with technology does not guarantee good teaching. Perhaps we should all use a little more chalk and a little less tech; spend more time training students to think and less time telling them where to click. I have a New Year’s resolution; a new strategy that I plan to unveil at the start of the spring semester (and at the beginning of every semester thereafter). I’m hoping that dedication and passion are contagious! My standards are going up; my time spent with students is going to increase. Students will have excellence demanded of them and excellence demonstrated to them…Als Ik Kan…to the best of my ability.

Posted in Topics: Education, General, Teaching, Technology

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