Does truth have a future in higher education?

Abstract

ABSTRACT Most institutions of higher education presume that the pursuit of truth is central to their missions. However, the status of truth has been seriously challenged in contemporary society—by postmodern critiques, confusion about the goals and methods of scholarly disciplines, and the seductive power of social and other digital media. In this essay, we describe a major empirical study of higher education in the United States. While faculty and senior administrators continue to value scholarship, a majority of students in the United States adopt a transactional approach to their education; and many of them are beleaguered by mental health challenges as well as feelings of alienation. These factors constitute a significant challenge to the laudable goals of the project ‘Positive Learning in the Age of Information’ (PLATO), which focuses on student learning in higher education. The authors recommend a sharp focus on the scholarly pursuit and elucidation of truth—beginning with admission to college (onboarding), if not before; highlighted and intertwined with all course work; and foregrounded as well in all institutions on campus (library, museums, research laboratories).