Language Criticism
Presented to PRBC on 12/5/12 by christy Warda and Jason Ames
I. Not an action or formal discussion item. Instead planting a seed that we hope will be nurtured
and cultivated.
II. Formal Criticism of Language used in Decision Making Practices at Chabot College
A. Productivity: from Random House and featured on Dictionary.com: the quality, state,
or fact of being able to generate, create, enhance, or bring forth goods and services.
1. Every definition has denotative and connotative meaning
2. Words have synonyms & antonyms: productive and non productive or
unproductive
3. Words have material and physiological effect.
a. Don Norman, Professor at Northwestern University, explains:
Words matter. Psychologists depersonalize the people they study by calling them
"subjects." We depersonalize the people we study by calling them "users” (in the field of
Design). Years ago, in my research group at the University of California, San Diego, I
remember Liam Bannon passionately arguing that the terms we used would control the
way we thought, acted, behaved and, ultimately, designed. (2006, jnd.org)
b. National Institute of Mental Health (web)
Understanding that PTSD is an injury not a disorder. Words impact psychological
identity and matter.
c. Psychophysiology; Nov2011, Vol. 48 Issue 11, p1554-1562, 9p
Words arouse different physiological responses depending on person’s perception of
meaning.
d. Timothy G. Reagan, Language Matters: Reflections on Educational
Linguistics
Language is not merely an intrinsic component of the educational process as the medium
of instruction in the classroom, but also serves as the mediator of social reality for
students and teachers alike. It plays a central role in articulating and conveying not only
social, cultural and empirical ideas, but ideological concepts as well.
4. Perception is Reality in Socially Constructed Society
Therefore, choice of words matter and the choice of word in this context has
material and physiological effect on those who are infused in the meaning of it.
B. Using the term Productivity is harmful.
1. Low morale
a. working overtime and on weekends and still ‘unproductive’
b. layoffs – loss/grieving
c. decrease of professionalism
1. personal exp. to speak to faculty (certainly others can chime in)
2. expanse of business rhetoric
a. Productivity
b. Managers
i. definition: to handle, control or take care of.
ii. condescending, patronizing, and demoralizing
iii. lack of real power/actually equal
c. Focus on Numbers and Quantitative Data
3. Delegitimizes expertise in fields of study, patronizing, and being
paid less.
a. Bob Schwartz (President of Achieve Inc., a nonprofit
organization created by business leaders and the nation's governors
to promote standards-based education reform; interviewed on
NPR’s Frontline – web)
I get put off by the language of business myself, I have to confess, and I do think
one of the not-so-healthy consequences ... is it sometimes tends to devalue the
other purposes of education. And again, most of the business people I talk with
are very clear that the purpose of American schools is not simply to produce the
next generation of workers, but to produce thoughtful, reflective citizens, and
people who can lead sort of productive personal lives, as well as be productive
economically. And I do think that sometimes superintendents ... take this business
rhetoric and they sound as if they think that the only thing that they're doing is
producing people to take part in economic life, if you will. ... I do think it's overly
reductionist, in terms of the purposes of education.
C. Suggest change of terminology: Ideas: Large Contact Classes or High Contact Classes
or Student to Faculty Ratio
D. This change can solve the dilemma for those who are labeled as unproductive or low
productive.
E. Advantages:
1. We value all programs and recognize that all programs have value to students
regardless of the size of class and contact hours.
2. We can still discuss revenues, bases, how we generate monies, etc. in
alternative language.
3. Acknowledge that disciplines have different needs and that skills develop
within multiple contexts. Students enjoy both large/small classes; large/small
contact hours.
4. Recognize business model rhetoric and its harm to education industry and
remain vigilant in use of terminology that dehumanizes.
5. Increased morale – respected as professionals and for hard work. No more
“unproductive instructors, staff, or classes.”