“The Humbuggery of Bullshit” vs. “The Scholarship of Teaching”: Perspective from a Newly Minted Ph.D.

Abstract

Professor Holbrook's piece in this issue of Marketing Education Review debates whether it is appropriate for students and/or administration to drive course content, and the implications of such a practice with regard to the management of the educational system of our nation. Placing Dr. Holbrook's provocative essay into the larger framework of the priorities of the professoriate, the issue appears to be a manifestation of conflicting priorities between two opposing paradigms operating simultaneously within higher education: “the scholarship of teaching” and “students as customers.” A review of research findings since Boyer's (1990) seminal report indicates that a significant paradigm shift has taken place in academia, with a greater focus on all aspects of academic life (i.e., the scholarship of discovery, integration, teaching and application). Although the synthesis of the readings cited herein and a review of recent environmental trends in higher education provide a solid foundational understanding of the issues involved in this debate, further study and discussion is warranted among all members of the academy. This article attempts to lay the foundation for further discussion, and it is hoped that all members of the academic community, regardless of career stage, will engage in “impassioned” debate of the issues outlined herein.