The so-called "academic Realm"

reprinted from :

Stonesingsong's Diary

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This semester is a teaching assistant to a mentor. The students ' performance surprised me better than the last time to teach foreign students to use English to express the basic situation of Chinese history exercise, this time learned more about their own academic process of thinking and understanding, they directly showed me the different stages and levels of the academic process, although most of them are undergraduates, Reflects the whole academic situation.

The class of 40 students, divided into two groups, to 4 topics to do a total of 8 discussions. The task for the students is: every three ~ four to set up a discussion theme, such as "the institutionalization of the flow of goods", under which the Professor selected key reading contents, we go down to choose one to two studies, guided courses to report and discussion.

students in the beginning of the semester, they want to study the contents, see some of the same group of classmates to read the same article, I worry about their opinions also get together, have advised them to re-choose, but they mostly keep the original choice, and I said it's okay. Unexpectedly, the vast majority of them, can not repeat the views of the previous students under the request, say different views.

by now, the 6-field guided repair has passed, their performance is amazing, from which I really see a scholar mature process, but also in the academic circle of scholars in today's academic history of the Understanding and evaluation:

Duan 1: The article does not understand. Caught in some specific words and paragraphs, do not see the subject of the article. (only 1, 2 students are like this)

Duan 2: The article reads a ballpark figure. Basically read only one end, did not understand the argumentation process, the report using clever to use a tail with some logic and imagination to connect together. (There are 5, 6 students So, some worse: will also guide the level of 3.2. Random criticism)

Duan 3: The article read. Contains the author's demonstration process of how to advance.

Dan 3.1: But see what believe what, the author said the words directly after understanding, not to explore the source of ideas, do not make their own thinking. Students addicted to this superstition tend to "know more" as the goal, as long as they have the opportunity to show off TA's "knowledge." (about 6 or 7 students, who have no apparent sense or ability to come up with creative ideas)

Dan 3.2: The other is to see what does not believe what, see people on the grant, basically there is no one can agree and learn the object, to criticize others to express their own brilliant way. Students who like this route are often smart or retentive memory, but always full of pride and hostility, and the things they read will hardly absorb and digest, let alone capture the essence. (There are 3, 4 students So, criticized the others to be very much, asked Ta "learned what" but summed up, there are some beats in class, but not in a short period of time to change)

Duan 4: Read the article, understand the "understanding of Sympathy" truth. The students began to understand that each study has its own writing background, the author's identity, position, experience and so on has affected TA's research, so these students will be very careful from the author's research situation to understand their research, not casually criticized, nor blindly believe, pay attention to the integrity of the statement. Such students hold steady, but lack more possibilities. (Such students have 5, 6, give a very "suitable", "very comfortable" feeling, but a lack of spirituality. )

Duan 5: Read the article in the back of the academic context, combined with other relevant research and even historical materials, have a own understanding. The premise is that TA on the various studies involved, have already had a 4 of kung fu and attitude. And above the level of 4, it is easy for TA to find a place that can be further improved and explored. This kind of report lets you see this student infinite possibility, you can feel the TA's knowledge and the wisdom already overflowed the 15 minutes which you give the classroom report time. Like a tree everywhere with a sprout, you randomly pointed at TA's local press shutter, are all old and new green beauty, and in fact, TA's life has long been extended beyond your lens. (There are 3 or 4 students in the class, all of them are undergraduates, so I was amazed)
Dan 5 Students, usually there are two, a relatively unassuming, a relatively restrained, usually can do "moderate" and "retractable freely" that, can be called Academic star.


The above "Dan", mostly from the ability and kungfu level. Another elusive thing-"spirituality"-Determines whether the student/scholar will be part of a "big house" or a "big club" in the future. Spirituality is a kind of uncontrollable genius, in history, this spirituality can be expressed in the Tai Shi "to investigate the day and night, through the changes of ancient and modern, into the opinion" the understanding of the extent of the sentence. "Heaven" between the kind of subtle Ji Hui, "Tong ... Change "rather than" observe "/" view "/" knowledge "... the great difference of the cognitive level of" change "and the consciousness and modesty in the so-called" opinion "are very specific historical philosophical problems. It is still a lot of people diligently explored.

Perhaps we are still in some "Dan" or a few "Dan" mixed stage, but we should see the road ahead. Do not feel that you have reached the "realm", can only say "still on the road ..."

The so-called "academic Realm"