“The world, as I see it, is a remarkable place.” — Jason Mraz
A year or so ago I found myself invested in a series of movies that tackled reality; specifically how we all perceive reality in different ways. Shutter Island, Inception, and Suckerpunch all dealt with the different shapes reality takes, all admitting that reality is subjective. It is not difficult to agree with that point of view, especially when one considers that the very idea of ‘point of view’ exists. Here is a simple POV trick I learned from my dean: Take your hand, extend the index finger and point that hand straight into the sky. You should be looking up at your hand. Slowly roll your wrist in a clockwise fashion. Now as you continue moving that hand clockwise, lower your arm so that you are eye level to your hand. Now lower that arm so it is waist level. You should be looking down at your hand. What happens to your perception of the direction your hand is moving?
That simple trick indicates how perspective shapes perception. Merely shifting the angle at which we see something may change how we see that thing. Consider then how emotion can shape reality. I am writing this while watching DMV workers, merely an hour into their shift, approach critical mass. From my perspective their anger and apparent disgust towards customers feels like an overreaction. However, when I consider their perspective from behind the desk, I suspect there may be some legitimacy to that rage. See, I am seeing customer confusion and slow moving tendencies for the first time. They see it 4-5 days a week.
Right here a physicist would stop me and say, quite rightly, that these people are experiencing an identical reality. Perhaps, but being a social scientist, I also recognize that their histories, attitudes, and current physical state affect how they perceive that reality, and furthermore, their perspective is key in determining that perspective.
A cop and a crook walk into a bank and see a robbery in progress. What do they look for? This comes down to role, an aspect of perspective. So, to cut it short, the main lesson from this is to be aware of your own perspective and those of others perceiving the same situation. Use that knowledge, as opposed to just your own point of view, in order to shape a 360 view of the situation.
Some thoughts:
1. I’ve been thinking a lot about grading and the role it plays in teaching. My students, for the most part, are in the class to receive a grade. It is the carrot that compels them to study and retain information for long enough to complete whatever assessment I can create in order to determine if they have retained information for said limited timeframe. This is not learning. So, I am considering moving to a more comprehensive mastery model. In this model students are required to complete an online remediation program that is designed to continue testing them until they reach a mastery level (80 or perhaps 90%). If I can tie this into their grade in a significant way (make it worth half the grade?) then their ability to pass is intrinsically tied to their ability to master the content. Given my proclivity to games, I can also tie higher levels of mastery (100%?) to additional class bonuses like the removal of an assignment or overall grade points or some way to do both. Now I need to. Create the same sort of mastery system for essays–maybe using the existing rubric as a guideline. You write 3 essays and cannot get a grade below a B. I keep sending it back until you hit that 80% threshold. Those who don’t make it by the time class ends (or by a drop dead due date) don’t get credit. In other words, they become the C students.
2. This brings up the argument of what does a C grade mean? C reflects average, right? Perhaps that is a longer discussion for another day.