Thriving in Academe

Tales from Real Life
Learning a New Discipline

The first time I went to buy a computer, I knew what a computer was and had even worked on one. But I didn't have a clue about what I was really looking for, so I was pleased when a salesperson walked over to me and asked if I could use some help.

Unfortunately, he wasn't much help at all. The questions he posed and the comments he made were in a language I couldn't understand. In effect, I was "underprepared," and I felt totally inept, even embarrassed.

Most students who are studying philosophy for the first time are in a similar position. Achieving facility with a discipline is a developmental process. Even if students have good reading and writing skills, they are encountering a new language when studying a new discipline.

This has influenced the way I design learning experiences for students in philosophy. I have found that often a short story or novel is a better way to introduce students to philosophical questions than an explicitly philosophical text might be.

Questions of epistemology or metaphysics—Are you still with me?—emerge from the stories and serve as a grounding for the more abstract discourse of the discipline.

This is just one example from my discipline. I think across the disciplines we need to think more broadly about what we mean by the "underprepared" student, and then reflect seriously on how we engage all students in the practice of our disciplines.

— Tim Riordan
Alverno College

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