East Coast Colleges Social Science Association
8:30am to 9:30amRegistration and Continental Breakfast9:15am to 9:45amWelcomeIntroduction of Board of Directors & LiaisonsOverview and History of ECCSSAMissionMembership & JournalConference LogisticsIntroductions
9:45am-10:45am
Opening Commentary(9:45am to 10:45am-Presentation; 10:45am to 11:15am-Discussion)
From Knowledge to Wisdom—Equipping Individuals with Sustenance for Life:The Role of Academia—Defining Roles for the Humanities, Behavioral, Social and Natural Sciences,and Administrative Leadership
Rosalyn M. King, EdD, Chair, Board of Directors, ECCSSA andProfessor of Psychology, Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun CampusSterling, Virginia
Digital Presentation
Video Presentation
The ECCSSA 2019 conference theme is devoted to an exploration of the call to the academy of science and institutions of higher learning to change or redirect its focus to merging knowledge with wisdom. There is a growing belief that wisdom as the sustenance for life should be the central core of education in the development of human potential. Some leading proponents are calling for a more balanced and practical approach to developing human potential with a focus not only on building knowledge and technology, but also addressing the problems of living (e.g. poverty, ill health, injustice, deprivation and more) and how to solve those problems. In addition, there is a need to emphasize the importance of civic responsibility and acting wisely for self, family, society, nation and world. Two central questions leading to the development of this conference theme are: 1) how and why did we get to valuing knowledge over wisdom? and 2) how and why did science and the academy shift in valuing knowledge over wisdom?
11:15am-11:25am-Break
(11:25am to 11:45 am-Presentation; 11:45am to 12:15pm-Discussion)Knowledge to Wisdom: An Economic Perspective
Sushma Shukla, Adjunct Professor of EconomicsVirginia International University, Fairfax, Virginia
Digital PresentationKnowledge_to_wisdom_an_Economic_Perspective-Shukla.pdfVideo Presentation
This presentation is a comparative analysis of the knowledge-based economy and wisdom-based economy. The presenter suggests the need for a wisdom-based economy, where citizens need to be more resilient, more adaptable, and more responsible for facing the future. Academia plays a vital role to formulate society for the future. Recommendations are made for the changes needed in higher education institutions and systems that can be beneficial for educators and discussion leaders to prepare the next generation as society moves from a knowledge-based economy to wisdom-based economy.
12:30pm to 1:30pmLUNCH____
(1:30pm to 1:50pm-Presentation; 1:50pm to 2:20pm-Discussion)Redirecting Academic Economics to Embrace Scientific Integrity and Advance Useful Knowledge
Dr. Steven PaysonAssociation for Integrity and Responsible Leadership in Economics and Associated ProfessionsMcLean, Virginia
Digital PresentationECCSSA_2019_Presentation_-_Payson.pdfVideo Presentation
This presentation examines the incentive system that economics professors face, and how that system needs to improve in order to ensure the profession’s success. Success in this regard refers to the contribution of discourse that is valuable to society. It can be valuable to society by advancing useful knowledge that offers a better understanding of the world, or by providing the background information and ideas that would promote effective and beneficial policies. The discussion focuses on the differences between the scientific pursuit of knowledge and the competitive publication “game.” Academic economists are often compelled to play that game by the incentive system they face regarding advancing their careers. The paper draws from, and expands on, the author’s recent book: How Economics Professors Can Stop Failing Us: The Discipline at a Crossroad (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017). The discussion concludes with a series of recommendations for stronger leadership and accountability within the academic economics profession. One recommendation is that the profession’s leadership needs to address squarely and directly the profession’s own incentive system instead of taking the current system as a given, as if it were beyond anyone’s control. Another recommendation is that all contributors to economic literature should help to improve the system of incentives by challenging the way that literature is cited, which currently underlies much of the incentive system, which is based largely on citation counts. Such a challenge would involve different metrics that separate citations according to how much they truly designate useful discovery as opposed to paying homage to winning “contestants” in “games” of intellectual amusement.
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(2:20pm to 2:40pm-Presentation; 2:40pm to 3:10pm)Transformational Learning: A Case Study of Community CollegeStudent Research in Support of Community Rebuilding Post Hurricane Florence
Dr. James Blalock, Associate Vice President of Institutional Research &Technology and Instructor of Computer Scienceand Students Zebrina Kurnik & Michael TaylorCarteret Community College, Morehead City, North Carolina
Digital PresentationECCSSA-Blaylock.pdfVideo PresentationStudent participation in funded scholarly research provides strong academic, financial, and social incentives for students to continue their education. Additionally, student research endeavors bolster encouragement for discovery and innovation; culminating in the creation of lifelong learners who desire to critically understand societal and environmental challenges and to formulate and test creative ways to address them. Despite the successes of these efforts at the graduate level among leading research-focused colleges and universities, institutional funding of academic research endeavors is basically non-existent at institutions that feature substantial populations who may potentially benefit the most from these efforts; primarily, small, regional-serving, community colleges. Moreover, rural community colleges and their graduates tend to focus on serving the specific needs of a local community, thus positioning these individuals and institutions to rapidly respond to unique community needs whenever they unexpectedly arise. This presentation will present a case study highlighting the lifecycle, from idea through completion, of a funded undergraduate student academic research initiative at a rural, small, community college in North Carolina and its implications for the development of experience, knowledge, and good judgment. Focus will be devoted to student presenters discussing their research experience work as compared to their overall curriculum.____
3:10pm to 3:20pmBREAK
(3:20pm to 3:40pm-Presentation; 3:40pm to 4:10pm-Discussion)Developing a Perspective to Guide Ethical DecisionsDr. John McGuinness, Adjunct Assistant Professor of PhilosophyNorthern Virginia Community College, Annandale CampusAnnandale, Virginia
Digital PresentationPHI_220-JUSTICE-McGuinness.pdfVideo Presentation
Ethics is a practical application of philosophical reasoning to provide a methodical approach in determining the right thing to do under a given set of circumstances. The approach adopted by Michael Sandel in his book, Justice, has been used in courses at NOVA-Annandale to present students with an overview of some major ethical theories as applied to a selection of specific cases, with results that are compared and evaluated to ascertain the value and applicability of the principles underlying each theory. Each student then presents a self-selected case as an example of their own ethical perspective in a practical application which is discussed and evaluated by fellow students. The instructor’s experience with this approach will be briefly summarized as an example of one approach to teaching ethics that should provide a wide range of applicability across disciplines.____
(4:10-4:30pm-Presentation; 4:30-5:00pm-Discussion)
Ethics in Criminal Justice LeadershipTisha Arther, Graduate StudentSaint Leo University, Newport News, Virginia
Poster Presentation (See Video)Video Presentation
The ethical issue of capital punishment has always been prevalent on moral and religious grounds. However, in the state of Virginia a bill is passed forward to put those who kill a law enforcement officer behind bars for life or face execution. This presentation will discuss the validity of law enforcement safety with life in prison or execution consequences for perpetrators. Will criminals stop to ratiocinate why shooting a law enforcement officer is a bad idea due to the extreme consequences? Because there is very little evidence on determining whether the death penalty makes anyone any safer, capital punishment will always be viewed as an ethical dilemma. What happens if the wrong person is punished for the murder of a police officer? The law is not 100 percent error free. Does capital punishment violate human rights? What are the determining factors that places a heinous crime worthy of the death penalty over the other? Are police officer lives more significant than civilian lives? Officers who shoot civilians receive less if not any punishment. Should the death penalty or life in prison be viewed as a financial problem for American taxpayers? Does death in prison protect against wrongful execution? Does urban culture influence the attitudes towards the law enforcement profession? The trajectory of this paper and presentation is to shed light on ethical ramifications of using harsh punishment to deter criminals from killing law enforcement officers while determining what leaders can do to prepare students for the field of criminal justice, and to create a dialogue on influencing change to focus on wisdom education in addition to being knowledge based. ____
(5:00-5:20pm-Presentation; 5:20-5:50pm-Discussion)
Healing Racism with WisdomDr. Saundra Boyd, Professor of Psychology, Houston Community College andCenter for Healing Racism in Houston, Texas
Digital PresentationECCSSA_presentation_S_Boyd.pdfVideo Presentation
Racism will be described as a disease that has infected and affected all of us since our birth as a nation and is a factor in every social problem we have. Having the wisdom to name and dissect and treat the disease can enable sufferers to heal from the shame and guilt of white supremacy and the agony of daily coping with environmental, institutional, cultural, unconscious and internalized racism as well as overt bigotry. The healing process developed by the Center for Healing Racism in Houston, Texas will be shared.____
5:50pm to 6:00pm
Conference Adjourns
Join us for Dinner, Networking & Dialogue!!
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8:00am to 9:00amContinental Breakfast
9:00am to 9:15amOpening Remarks
(9:15am to 9:35am-Presentation; 9:35am-10:05am-Discussion)Difficulties Encountered by Enlisted Army and Marine Corps Veterans When EnteringCommunity College after Separation from the Military
Dr. Shannon Haney Landrum, Instructor of BiologyGaston College, Maiden, North Carolina
Digital PresentationECCSSA_PPT_Landrum__1_.pdfVideo Presentation
There is very little information focused on the transition of military veterans into higher education and even less focused on their transition into community college. This is even though a majority of military veterans will first enroll into a community college after separation from the military (versus enrolling directly into a four-year college or university). No published work has been discovered through literature review that seeks to understand the veteran’s viewpoints toward higher education while undergoing this transitional process. The purpose of this presentation is to ascertain and understand the viewpoints of enlisted Army and Marine Corps veterans toward the transitional process into higher education after entering community college, with the hope that it may be used to develop support services that are designed to aid the transition of veterans into community college. It is thought that improving support services will lead to better student success as higher student completion rates will be achieved.
(10:05am to 10:25am-Presentation; 10:25-10:50am-Discussion)____
10:50am to 11:00amBREAK____
(11:00am to 11:20-Presentation; 11:20-11:50-Discussion)What Responsibilities or Obligations Do I Have? Ethical Decision-Making in Curricular Design and Delivery
Dr. Breyette Lorntz Covington, Instructor, Ethics and Critical Thinking, Department of Health SciencesJames Madison University, Harrisonburg, Virginia
Digital Presentation2019_ECCSSA_-_Covington.pdf
When designing and delivering course content in higher education, it may not always be intuitive for professors to be aware or mindful of their own ethical-decision making processes. This session presents a guided discussion in which participants will explore various ethical perspectives on curricular design and delivery, using JMU’s Eight Key Questions, the heart of flexible and open ethical decision-making framework designed by the presenter. Special attention will be given to the Key Question “Responsibilities –What duties and/or obligations apply?”____
12:00pm to 1:00pmLUNCH
(1:00pm to 1:20pm-Presentation; 1:20pm to 1:50pm-Discussion)Preparing Historically Black College and University and Minority Service InstitutionStudents for the Future of Work with Automation
Dr. Kristen Broady, Visiting Professor of EconomicsAlabama A & M University, Huntsville, Alabama
Digital Presentation
Video Presentation
The workforce and workforce automation continues to develop and evolve. Automation will present opportunities and challenges for workers, employers, governments, and educational institutions. Despite the positive opportunities and potential for economic growth and efficiency, one of the main challenges will be combatting the substantial skills gap that already exists in the U.S. Many businesses are currently unable to find qualified workers to fill available jobs. The future of automation without strategic intervention will increase the skills gap, the wage gap, and therefore increase economic inequality (Broady, 2017). It must be the mission of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and Minority Servicing Institutions (MSIs) to prepare students to lead productive lives within the diverse 21st century global economy. One of the major challenges facing the 21st century workforce is the transformation that automation and artificial intelligence is creating. Minority communities face a stronger set of challenges in the face of increased automation when compared to other populations. To meet this challenge, Joseph Auon, in his book Robot-Proof: Higher Education in the Age of Artificial Intelligence, posits there are three forms of “literacy” that higher education institutions must teach students who will compete “in a labor market in which smart machines work alongside human professionals”: data literacy, technological literacy and human literacy. Graduates must not only obtain the skills and knowledge, but also the wisdom necessary to be able to perform and excel at jobs that are currently available, and professors and higher educational institutions need to prepare them to obtain jobs that are not yet available and to work alongside technology to enhance its performance and therefore productivity. Instead of teaching about the important skills, colleges and universities must begin imbedding these skills in a variety of contexts to best prepare graduates for what the workforce currently needs and will need in the future.
(1:50pm to 2:10pm-Presentation; 2:10pm to 2:40pm-Discussion)Improving the Quality of Higher Education in India by Refocusing from Knowledge to Wisdom: A Historical AnalysisDr. Babita Srivastava, Adjunct Professor of Economics & BusinessWilliam Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey
Digital Presentation2019_ECCSSA_Final-Srivastava.pdfVideo Presentation
Higher Education in India is currently facing many challenges and issues. Though India is considered a fast-growing nation, especially in terms of their economy, their education standards still need vast improvement. Education is one of the most powerful instruments for reducing poverty and inequality. It is equally important to enhance India’s competitiveness in the global economy. Therefore, ensuring access to quality education for all, including the poor and rural population, is central to the economic and social development of India (The World Bank 2011). Though there are thousands of colleges and universities in India today, quantity does not win over quality. Besides the fact that illiteracy, access to technology and quality teachers are significant barriers to Indian students, there is also the idea that the pedagogical strategies used are not going in the most appropriate direction to propel the institutions of higher education forward in comparison with the rest of the world. Ancient India once focused on wisdom-based education; one could mark the change from wisdom based to knowledge based as a result of colonization and eventually, the implementation of technology. In order to solve the issues that the people of India struggle with, they need to focus on wisdom-based inquiry in their academic disciplines of study. In this paper, I will focus on the current pedagogies used in India today and look back on the curriculum of the Ancient Indian education system, which was more wisdom-based, so that we may be able to incorporate aspects of it into the current system. The education system of Ancient India not only focused on knowledge that can be gained but what can be learned across multiple disciplines to improve a human being spiritually, creatively and morally, resulting in molding a good and productive citizen.____
2:40pm to 3:00pmBREAK: TEA & BISCUITS____
3:00pm – 4:00pmOverall Summary and Conference Wrap-upReflections and RecommendationsConference Adjourns
Tisha Arther is currently a graduate student of Criminal Justice with a concentration in Human Behavior at Saint Leo University. She has a bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Saint Leo University.
James Blalock, PhD, is the Associate Vice President of Institutional Research and Technology and an Instructor of Computer Science at Carteret Community College. His academic research interests focus on identifying and evaluating academic, financial and social student success mechanisms that specifically seek to serve individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds in higher education.
Saundra Boyd, PhD, has taught in higher education for 37 years in one of the most diverse cities in the nation and been involved with the Center for Healing Racism as a learner, a facilitator, a board member, and a presenter of a short course in the Psychology of Racism/ Antiracism. Having learned that one can heal from the plague of racism, she hopes to see an end of racism in her lifetime. To contribute to the salvation of the earth, she recycles almost everything and scraps go in the compost pile, leaving a plastic grocery bag of trash once a week. She drives a vehicle that gets 50 miles a gallon and grows an organic garden, watering it with rainwater she collects from the downspouts. Her pets are the earthworms in the garden and the few honeybees and butterflies left.
Kristen E. Broady, PhD, is a visiting professor in the Department of Accounting and Finance at Alabama A&M University. She previously served on the faculties of Benedict College, Dominican University, Fort Valley State University, Atlanta Metropolitan State College and Howard University and as a consultant for the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies in Washington, D.C.; a senior research fellow for the Center for Global Policy Solutions in Washington, D.C.; a consultant for the City of East Point, Georgia and as an HBCU consultant for season two of The Quad on Black Entertainment Television (BET) in Atlanta. Broady is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, The Baltimore Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, the National Economic Association, the American Economic Association, and the Southern Economic Association. Recent publications include “Passing and the Costs and Benefits of Appropriating Blackness,” “Race and Jobs at High Risk to Automation,” “Dreaming and Doing at Georgia HBCUs: Continued Relevancy in ‘Post Racial’ America” and “Obesity and Social Inequality in America”. She earned a B.A. in criminal justice at Alcorn State University and an MBA and Ph.D. in business administration with a major in economics at Jackson State University.
Breyette Lorntz Covington, EdD, is a long-time educator, with over 20 years of experience in teaching and educational research K-12, community college and university settings. Covington holds a master’s degree in Education (Curriculum and Instruction) and a doctoral degree in Education (Social Foundations). She teaches Ethics and Critical Thinking in the Department of Health Sciences at James Madison University.
Satarupa Das, PhD, is a professor of economics at Montgomery College, Takoma Park/Silver Spring Campus in Maryland. At Montgomery College, she offers traditional and online classes for Introductory Macro and Microeconomics courses as well as honors module for those courses. Das has taught various courses of Economics including courses at graduate and undergraduate level. Her teaching experience includes teaching at various institutions such as India University Bloomington, Western Carolina University, Northern Virginia Community College and Strayer University. Courses taught include introductory Macroeconomics, Microeconomics, Intermediate Microeconomics, International Trade and Managerial Economics. She has ten years of online teaching experience. She received the Smithsonian Faculty Fellowship from Paul Peck Humanities Institute in 2011. Her teaching related writings have been published in the Online Classroom and Teaching Professor newsletter. Das was awarded her Master’s in Economics from the prestigious Delhi School of Economics in Delhi, India; and her PhD. in Economics from Indiana University, Bloomington.
Brian Jacobs, PhD, is an education entrepreneur and scholar. For the past 18 years, he has devoted his career to making instructional content more accessible and effective for students, faculty, and institutions nationwide. During his time as both a student and professor of political philosophy at Cornell University, Jacobs saw first-hand the pedagogical challenges of the traditional textbooks. In 1999, he launched his first company, Akademos, a web-based company that focused on new models of distributing physical and digital course materials. After leading Akademos for more than 12 years, Jacobs left his operating role to found panOpen. Previously, Jacobs was Visiting Assistant Professor in the Department of Government and Visiting Fellow at the Institute for German Cultural Studies, both at Cornell University. He received fellowships from the Mellon Foundation, University of Goettingen, and Yale University. He has published numerous articles in his academic field, including co-editing an Essay on Kant’s Anthropology, (Cambridge U. Press, 2003), and on the topic of educational content and resources. He is currently a mentor at NYU’s StartEd Accelerator for early stage education technology companies. He has also been a mentor in the Edge EdTech Accelerator and for Techstar’s “Risingstars” program. Jacobs earned a bachelor’s degree with honors in English and political science at the State University of New York at Albany, and a doctorate in political philosophy and social theory at Cornell University.Rosalyn M. King, EdD, is professor of psychology at Northern Virginia Community College, Loudoun campus and Chair, Board of Directors, ECCSSA. King has an interdisciplinary background in psychology, psycho-educational studies, counseling, anthropology, sociology, administration, planning and social policy and the allied sciences. She specializes in cognitive developmental, learning environments, educational and research psychology. She served as Chair, VCCS, Northern Virginia Regional Center for Teaching Excellence for 16 years providing professional development seminars and opportunities for faculty; and as Chair/Assistant Dean of the psychology program for more than 16 years. She received her EdD from Harvard University in Learning Environments and Administration, Planning and Social Policy, with special study at the Harvard Law School (in Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property Law, Commerce and Development) and the School of Design (Youth in the Urban Environment). She received her MA and BS degrees in Psychology, Counseling and Psychoeducational Studies at Howard University, with sub concentrations in sociology and the allied sciences. She has served as Director of Research for several large scale national studies for the Federal government, private foundations and research institutions. She is the author of 2 books, Enriching the Lives of Children (2008) and Psychology and the Three Cultures: History, Perspectives and Portraits (2018) both published by Cambridge Scholars Publishers. She has written numerous articles and other publications, reports, working papers and conducted many research studies. King is an Oxford scholar with papers presented at two Oxford Roundtables. She leads study abroad tours to various countries across the world. She is recognized annually in Marquis Who’s Who—in America and the World, among others—American Women, South & Southwest, Finance and Industry, America’s Teachers and Emerging Leaders. King was awarded the 2018-2019 US. Fulbright Scholar Award and was a visiting scholar at the University of the Bahamas in teaching and research.Zebrina Kurnik is currently pursuing an Associate in Applied Science degree in Information Technology at Carteret Community College. Following her expected graduation in May 2020, Ms. Kurnik plans to transfer to NC State University and pursue a Bachelor’s degree in a technology related field. In her spare time, she enjoys expressing herself through her musical talents.
Shannon Landrum, EdD, has taught biology in the NC Community College system for 18 years. She currently teaches biology at Gaston College, in Lincolnton, NC. She recently completed doctoral work at NC State University with a focus on military veterans transitions.
John McGuinness, MA, has been teaching part-time at NOVA since retiring from the Department of State in 2009. His professional experience includes three years as a Marine officer, 13 years as a Foreign Service Office, and 20 years as a Foreign Affairs Officer. He worked on nuclear non-proliferation, UN economic and social programs, and counter-terrorism, among other issues. He holds an MA in philosophy from the University of Chicago. Heather Parker, PhD,is Professor of History and Dean of the School of Arts and Sciences at Saint Leo University in Florida. She earned her PhD. in history from UCLA. Her academic research centers on interethnic and inter-religious political interaction. Her research interests span a wide variety of topics within US History that include twentieth century interethnic political interaction as well as presidential rhetoric and the politics of inclusion. Her most recent research focus is on the intersection between religion, race, and politics in Florida. She is committed to engaging in research and activities that promote retention and academic success among undergraduate and graduate students of color. Together with her husband, Dr. David D. Jones, Physician, she has created a mentorship program which remains active in California, New York, and Florida. These programs identify promising underprivileged college students from several universities and provides support and mentoring in their discipline studies. The program also provides guidance in preparation for graduate study, and on to productive and successful careers. As an administrator, she is currently conducting research related to student retention, administrative leadership, and innovative instructional strategies in higher education settings.
Steven Payson, PhD, has 35 years of professional experience in economics, having worked as an economic consultant for over seven years (at ICF Incorporated and the Inter-American Development Bank), and for the past 27 years as a United States government economist at the National Science Foundation and the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, and Interior. In the U.S. Commerce Department, Dr. Payson served as Chief of the Special Studies Branch, and then Chief of Research, in the Government Division of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, and in the past eight years he has been a senior economic advisor in the Department of the Interior. Dr. Payson has also taught economics as an adjunct faculty member at Columbia University, Trinity College (in Washington, DC), American University, Marymount University (in Virginia), Virginia Tech, and Georgetown University. In 2006, Dr. Payson founded the Association for Integrity and Responsible Leadership in Economics and Associated Professions (AIRLEAP®), a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization. For the next 11 years he had been the Executive Director of AIRLEAP, where he had organized many conference sessions and training seminars for economists on professional ethics, scientific integrity, and leadership responsibility. In 2009-10 he served as President of the U.S. Society of Government Economists. Dr. Payson wrote several books, which include: Quality Measurement in Economics: New Perspectives on the Evolution of Goods and Services (Edward Elgar, 1994); Economics, Science and Technology (Edward Elgar, 2000), Public Economics in the United States: How the Government Analyzes and Influences the Economy (ABC-Clio, 2014), How Economics Professors Can Stop Failing Us: The Discipline at a Crossroads (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017) and The Downsizing of Economics Professors: How It Will Happen, and Why It Will Succeed (Rowman and Littlefield, 2017). He received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1979 from Wesleyan University in Connecticut with a double-major in Mathematics and Bio-psychology, a Master of Science Degree in Economics from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 1982, and a Ph.D. in Economics from Columbia University in 1991.Sushma Shukla, PhD,is an adjunct professor of Economics at Virginia International University, where she teaches Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics and International Economics. Shukla offers more than 10 years of experience in research and academic environments. She has taught in the areas of economics, statistics, and development economics. Shukla received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ravishankar University in India; and a second Master of Philosophy in Economics from Devi Ahilya University in India. Her research interests are in innovation, economic growth, and emerging economies. Her article “Human capital and economic growth in India” was recently published in the International Journal of Current Research. She has presented her research at various seminars and conferences such as ECCSSA and AIRLEAP. Shukla holds her B.A., M.A., and PhD in Economics from Ravishankar University in India. Currently, she is serving as a board member of ECCSSA. She was the recipient of the best faculty award of the school of business in 2017 at Virginia International University.
Babita Srivastava, PhD, in economics from the University of Allahabad, India. Her doctoral thesis focused on the problem and prospects of solar energy in India. Currently she is adjunct lecturer in Economics and Business at the William Paterson University and is teaching Principles of Microeconomics. She recently attended the 2018 AEA Conference and presented her poster. She has also published articles in peer reviewed journals as well as presented at several conferences in the US.
Michael Taylor is currently pursuing two degrees, an Associate in Arts in College Transfer and an Associate in Applied Science in Software and Web Design, and expects to graduate in December 2019. As a leukemia survivor, Mr. Taylor constantly inspires everyone around him to strive for greatness every day. He is on pace to graduate with honors and already has one job offer.
Jia Yu, PhD,is a lecturer of economics at Southern Connecticut University and former consultant at the Watson Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University. Yu is a former committee member of the Greater Hampton Roads Community Indicators Dashboard Data Advisory Committee at the United Way of South Hampton Roads. Her research focuses on Health Economics, Social Economics, and Applied Econometrics. Yu earned her PhD in Economics, with sub concentrations in Health Economics and Applied Econometrics from Suffolk University in Boston, MA. She earned her MA degree in economics from Albany State University, Albany, New York; and, her BS degree in International Economics and Trade from Tianjin University of Finance and Economics in Tianjin, China.
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From Knowledge to Wisdom–Equipping Individuals with Sustenance for Life: The Role of Academia–Defining Roles for the Behavioral, Social and Natural Sciences, Humanities and Administrative Leadership–
April 5-6, 2019
Center for Innovative Technology, Briefing Room2214 Rock Hill RoadHerndon, VA 20170
(Washington DC Metropolitan Area, Adjacent to Washington-Dulles International Airport)
Conference Background and Overview
The ECCSSA 2019 conference theme is devoted to an exploration of the call to the academy of science and institutions of higher learning to change or redirect its focus to merging knowledge with wisdom. There is a growing belief that wisdom as the sustenance for life should be the central core of education in the development of human potential. Some leading proponents are calling for a more balanced and practical approach to developing human potential with a focus not only on building knowledge and technology, but also addressing the problems of living (e.g. poverty, ill health, injustice, deprivation, and more) and how to solve those problems. In addition, there is a need to emphasize the importance of civic responsibility and acting wisely for self, family, society, nation and world. Two central questions leading to the development of this conference theme are: 1) how and why did we get to valuing knowledge over wisdom? and 2) how and why did science and the academy shift in valuing knowledge over wisdom?
It has been noted that a shift back to a focus on wisdom as the aim might lead to a more enlightened and wise society. Such a shift could have a dramatic impact on institutions of higher learning and change the relationships of and between academic disciplines. Most importantly, a shift to include a wisdom-focused aim would lead to a more holistic approach to education and development that many have been calling for over the decades.
According to one of the leading proponents of this movement, Nicholas Maxwell, he points to the need for a revolution in science and education for intellectual and humanitarian reasons. He believes that focusing primarily on the pursuit of knowledge is not the best ideal for helping humanity realize what is of value in life. The current focus on knowledge-inquiry versus wisdom-inquiry has resulted in the creation of current global problems and the incapacity to deal with them effectively and humanely. We can add to this delineation of problems evidence of human behaviors, worldwide, in terms of suffering, aggression, rising conflicts, violence, mental illness, wars, racial hatred, divisiveness, lack of civic engagement, and more. A new kind of inquiry is needed—inquiry that is rationally devoted to improving the quality of human development and human life and the personal, social and global problems of living. Per Maxwell, this would mean helping humanity make progress towards creating “as good a world as possible” (Maxwell, 2013).
Moving Toward Wisdom–Creating an Enlightened, Wiserand More Civilized World
Wisdom, or sapience is the ability to think and act using knowledge,experience, understanding, common sense and insight.Merriam-Webster
In the 2017 conference, ECCSSA’s dialogue was centered on education for holistic development, ethical leadership and sustainability. It was concluded from research and discussion that if the world is to be sustained, we should be educating and preparing individuals holistically, so that they understand the meaning of character, relationships, responsibility and stewardship. These are important qualities for sustaining a nation of people and the world. Current educational models are inadequate in developing the whole person not to mention cultivating or laying the groundwork for the ability to become wise. Much of education seems factory-laden with a one model fits all motto and is work-driven. As a result, we are producing masses of programmed individuals with standards of learning and other mechanized techniques. This is not adequate or enough to help people move toward becoming wise. As a result, many individuals are ill-equipped with sufficient or adequate skills to become effective citizens, parents, professionals and leaders of tomorrow, with care and responsibility. Some researchers and policy analysts share this view and are calling for reforms in our philosophy and approach in higher education toward a more balanced approach of acquiring knowledge and technology literacy combined with the acquisition of understanding and wisdom.
As cited in the 2018 ECCSSA commentary, a stimulus paper developed by the Oxford Learning Institute at the University of Oxford outlined the importance of the kind of learning and development deemed important in higher education:
The idea of education for holistic development encompasses not only learning academic knowledge and skills, but also developing other aspects of individuals who strive to become productive citizens and good human beings. This means going beyond knowledge and skills to include growing and maturing, emotionally, spiritually and morally, as well as developing well-rounded individuals with good skills and good character. These characteristics should become a priority. Hence, the goals of education should be rooted in a larger vision according to Maxwell (2013)—promoting human welfare by intellectual means. We should be helping individuals who come through the halls of academia become wiser, enlightened and more civilized beings. This is an evolutionary process that could begin at the start of education and development. Therefore, the critical questions to be addressed toward these goals are:
What kind of inquiry can best help us make progress toward a more civilized world? And,
What are the models currently being implemented, discussed or planned, globally, as steps toward transforming institutions to include wisdom-inquiry into education and development? (Maxwell, 2013, p. 101).
A basic task of academia would be to help humanity learn how to become more civically engaged, have meaningful and constructive dialogue, resolve its conflicts and everyday problems with proposals for action and solutions, potential policies, as well as claims to knowledge in just, cooperative and rational ways. The ultimate goal is to create evolved human beings and a better world. ECCSSA hopes that the above major questions will be at the core of the discussions at the upcoming 2019 conference.
Role of the Academic Disciplines
Nicholas Maxwell has been in the forefront for more than 30 years espousing his philosophical theory of the importance of institutions of higher learning doing more and adding wisdom-inquiry to its knowledge and technological base. He has been instrumental in carefully examining the academic disciplines and recommending ways discipline groups can incorporate wisdom-based inquiry into their instructional programs. Such incorporation would change the way disciplines operate and allow for more interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and crossdisciplinary collaboration. Highlighted below is a brief summary of the role of the disciplines per Maxwell and others.
Economics, Political Science and Sociology: These disciplines are not sciences but have a fundamental role to improve knowledge about social phenomena. They should articulate the problems of living, propose and critically assess possible solutions, actions, policies and wiser ways of living. These disciplines can promote the rational and cooperative ways of tackling and resolving problems and enhancing empathic and personal understanding between peoples as something of value in its own right. Acquiring knowledge of social phenomena is subordinate to the above.Politics: Cannot be taught by knowledge-inquiry and becomes central to wisdom-inquiry. Political creeds and actions should be subjected to imaginative and critical scrutiny.National and Global Governance: Every university system needs to include a national shadow government, perhaps virtually, free of the constraints of power and to reflect what the actual government should be doing. The hope is that the virtual and actual government would learn from each other. This would include a virtual world government and what an actual elected world government should be doing, if it existed. This would include a plan for how the actual world government would be elected, democratically.Natural Sciences: Should include three levels of discussion—evidence, theory and research aims.Discussion of aims should bring together scientific, metaphysical and evaluative data to discover the most realistic research aims. The natural sciences need to influence and be influenced by problems of living undertaken by social inquiry, the humanities and the public.Science: Changes in science need to occur in the aims, priorities and character of pure science and scholarship. Science should reflect the curiosity, the seeing and searching, the knowing and understanding of individual persons that ultimately matters, with the more impersonal, esoteric and purely intellectual aspects of science being a means to this end. The social inquiry aspect of science should have as an intellectual priority the promotion of empathic understanding and enable people to flourish.Mathematics: There need to be changes in the way mathematics is understood, pursued, conveyed and taught. Per Maxwell, mathematics is not a branch of knowledge. Mathematics is concerned with exploring problematic possibilities, and developing, systematizing and unifying problem-solving methods. Further, ECCSSA believes that the practical and real-world usefulness of some aspects of mathematics should be described.Literature: This discipline should explore imaginatively some of the most profound problems of living and contribute to empathic and personal understanding of life and such problems by allowing the individual to enter imaginatively into the lives of others.Philosophy:Should focus on those problems that cut across all disciplinary boundaries. Maxwell believes that philosophy should become again what it was initially during the time of Socrates—the attempt to devote reason to the growth of wisdom in life.Education: There should be seminars devoted to the cooperative, imaginative and critical discussion and reflections of problems of living at all levels of education beginning at the kindergarten level. Moreover, ECCSSA believes that education should pay more attention to developing inner human qualities and inner values or education of the heart.
Disciplines that are not discussed by Maxwell are outlined by ECCSSA as delineated below.
The Behavioral and Psychological Sciences: Has always played a critical role in developing the wise person, correcting psychopathology and more, through cognitive and developmental science and behavioral therapy. The behavioral sciences and psychology have played a critical role in attempting to understand the complexity of the human psyche and the needs and flaws of individuals, singularly, in family units and collectively at all levels of development. As the field today becomes increasingly specialized, some of the interdisciplinary foci and thrusts emphasizing wisdom-inquiry have been lost, with largely mechanized and standardized strategies in some regions of the nation and world. Psychological Science should continue to unravel the complexities of the human psyche. There is a need to focus on the cognitive and psychosocial domains to include spiritual development, mindfulness, perception, compassion, empathy, and emotional hygiene and development.Anthropology:Has run a close second to the field of psychology in understanding the origins, evolution and nature of human beings from every aspect to the current times. Anthropology should continue to work in partnership with psychology and across disciplines in understanding human behavior, culture and problems in living.Civic Education: Civic developmentincludes a range over all social spheres beyond the family, from neighborhoods and local communities to state, national, cross-national and global arenas. The effective operation of social systems and successful achievement of collective goals demand the time, attention, understanding, and action of all citizens. Institutions of higher education have both the opportunity and obligation to cultivate in their graduates an appreciation for the responsibilities and rewards of civic engagement, in addition to fostering the capacities necessary for thoughtful participation in public discourse and effective participation in social enterprises (Colby & Ehrlich, 2016).History:The role of historians is to record the evolution, changes, trends, patterns, characteristics and rationale of the transformations occurring in education in general and higher education. There seems to be a dearth of attention to the historical accounting and analysis of the origin, shifts and transformations.
The delineation above begins to define the role of academia and the disciplines toward a model of academic inquiry that includes wisdom-inquiry. Such a model would demonstrate how academic inquiry is related to the rest of the human world and how it needs to change dramatically. Academic inquiry should be communicating with, sharing and learning from, teaching and arguing with their colleagues and the rest of society and the world to promote cooperative rationality and social wisdom. Interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary and crossdisciplinary approaches should be encouraged.
Emerging Issues, Research and Revolutionary Models
ECCSSA calls for proposals, research, papers and models that are emerging, being envisioned or moving toward incorporating a wisdom-inquiry component in higher education and related programs and institutions. Many such emerging models have been identified in the UK and US and will be discussed and presented at the 2019 conference. We call for an exploration of other revolutionary and innovative models and thinking on the subject.ECCSSA looks forward to dialogue on how institutions of higher learning can address the issue of the need for including a wisdom-inquiry component to the knowledge- and technology-based curricula and education model currently being practiced. Emerging and new models will require major transformations in academia at all levels and particularly in higher education.
The ECCSSA 2019 conference calls for dialogue toward this end and supports the call for educating citizens to become wise toward creating a more effective and civilized world. ECCSSA agrees with Maxwell and others on the urgent need to bring about a scientific revolution in education to promote the importance of incorporating wisdom-inquiry into academic and technological inquiry. Per Maxwell,
In summary, Maxwell and others believe that we do not have this at present, but rather institutions of learning devoted solely to the pursuit of knowledge and technological know-how, which leads to the root cause of the national and global problems that currently exist. Such a transformation in higher education, per Maxwell, will be similar to the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and a scientific revolution. The outcome will be institutions of learning that help us realize what is of value in life. This model would need the support and cooperation of all—scientists, scholars, students, research councils, university administrators, chancellors and vice chancellors, teachers, the media, the general public and the global community.
ECCSSA invites you to join us in dialogue at this conference roundtable. This is an open invitation to representatives from all disciplines and every aspect of higher education and related areas/ We encourage undergraduate and graduate student participation, joint faculty-student collaboration and team or group projects and presentations. Conference presentation formats include individual, collaborative projects, panel discussions and posters. Proposals will also be accepted for special pre- and post-conference sessions.
ReferencesColby, A., Ehrlich, T., Beaumont, E. and Stephens, J. (2003) Educating citizens: preparing America’s undergraduates for lives of moral and civic responsibility, San Francisco CA: Jossey-Bass.Colby, A. and Ehrlich, T. (2016). Undergraduate education and the development of moral and civic responsibility. The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Online: https://www.gwu.edu/~ccps/Colby.html.King, R. M. (2018). The future of instruction, learning and leadership: Education for holistic development, ethical leadershipand sustainability. The ECCSSA Journal. 17(1), 1-38._____. (2017). Rethinking leadership in higher education: Vision, models, expansion, inclusion, development andtransformation.The ECCSSA Journal. 16(1), 1-33._____. (2016).Education for mobilization and action: Leading transformational change. The ECCSSA Journal,15(1), 1-26._____. (2015).New frontiers: Models for redesign in the social and behavioral sciences. The ECCSSA Journal,14(1), 1-55.Maxwell, N. (1976). What’s wrong with science? Towards a people’s rational science of delight and compassion, UK: Bran’sHead Books Ltd._____. (1984). From knowledge to wisdom: A revolution in the aims and methods of science, Oxford: Blackwell._____. (2007). From knowledge to wisdom: A revolution for science and the humanities, London: Pentire Press._____. (2013). From knowledge to wisdom: Assessment and prospects after three decades. Integral Review, 9(2), 76-112._____. (2014). How universities can help create a wiser world–The urgent need for an academic revolution. Exeter, UK: Imprint Academic.Quinlan, K. M. (2011). Developing the whole student: leading higher education initiatives that integrate mind and heart. Universityof Oxford: Oxford Learning Institute, Leadership Foundation for Higher Education.
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Special Call for Student Posters and Papers
ECCSSA traditionally and historically has been an organization that supports student scholarship. We strongly recommend Association members and teaching faculty to encourage student participation in the conference. We encourage graduate and undergraduate student submission of poster presentations and papers. Poster presentations will remain on display throughout the duration of the conference. Those submitting posters are asked to be present at their poster during breakfast and lunch. Guidelines for student and faculty papers and poster presentations can be found on the ECCSSA website at: www.eccssa.org.
A Note on the Roundtable Format
A select group of presenters will gather for two days to present their work and to discuss the work of other presenters. All participants will gather in the same room to hear each presentation. Therefore, it is imperative that all presenters be in attendance for both days of the roundtable.
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Conference Themes by Critical Questions and Potential Topics
Call for Papers-ECCSSA 2019 Conference Roundtable-April 5-6, 2019 For more information and to download proposal, registration and other forms or to pay online, please visit our website at:www.eccssa.org. You may also contact Dr. Rosalyn M. King atconference@eccssa.orgor roking@nvcc.edu for additional information.
Conference Registration Fees
Regular Registration: $270*Walk-In Registration: $290 *(-All Full-Time Employees-)___
New Scholar/Adjunct Faculty who are not Employed FT /PT Graduate Student: $220 **(New Scholar=1-3 years of employment as young scholar)*(Adjunct faculty and graduate students not working full-time)Walk-In Registration: $235 *__Undergraduate Student: $90__Regular Membership: $75Lifetime Membership:$625___Exhibitor Registration:$170__Spouse: $85
* Registration Fee includes a copy of the ECCSSA Journal and Membership Fee for Full-time Faculty, New Scholars, Adjuncts and Graduate Students.Registration Fees Above are the same for paying by Check or Credit Card. We encourage you to use the online system and pay by credit card.
Courtyard Marriott – Dulles Town Center
Dulles Town Center(A Smoke-Free Hotel)45500 Majestic DriveDulles, VA 20166571-434-6400www.marriott.com/iadtc
Book Your Group Rate for ECCSSA Conference Room Block
Discounted Room Rate:1 King Guest Room with Sofa Bed @ $97.00 plus tax, per nightFor those who wish to request tax exemption, tax exempt forms have to be pre-approvedby hotel event manager. Contact Hotel Event Manager at the time of reservation.
Must Reserve on or before Friday, March 15, 2019 (Cutoff Date)(After the cutoff date, the hotel will release any unreserved rooms for general sale and, in the hotel’s discretion,will accept reservations at ECCSSA Room Block’s group rate, on a space and rate available basis.)
Please identify yourself as part of the ECCSSA Room Block Group.++++Ask for the ECCSSA Room Block for April 5,-6, 2018 Conference Roundtable.
Courtyard Marriott Brochure in PDF:Brochure-Courtyard_Marriott-Dulles_Town_Center__VA.pdf
Hawthorn Suites by WyndhamSterling-Dulles
Download Conference Forms Below:
**Note: Right click on any document to open in a new window.
Conference Overview and Call for Papers, Research and Proposals2019_45th_Annual_Conference_Roundtable-Call_for_Papers_and_Conference_Overview_FINAL.pdf___Proposal FormECCSSA_Proposal_Form_2019.doc___2019 Conference Registration FormECCSSA_2019_Conference_Round_Table_Registration_Form.pdf
Guidelines for PresentersGuidelines_for_Presentations.pdf__Guidelines for Poster PresentationsGuidelines_for_Poster_Presentations-ECCSSA.pdf
Information for Publishers, Organizations and SponsorsECCSSA_2019._Information_for_Publishers-Organizations-Sponsors.pdfApplication Form for Publishers, Organizations and SponsorsECCSSA_2019._Publisher__Organization___Sponsor_Application_Form.doc
Loudoun County Attractions
Best Online SourceThis site has information on everything you want to know about Loudoun county, including places to eat, heritage and culture, town and villages and horse country events.
Northern Virginia MagazineProvides great information on the happenings in Northern Virginia.
Ashburn, Virginia WebProvides links to cultural and museum events.
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Museums
Loudoun Museum
Oatlands Plantation
George C. Marshall International Center at Dodona Manor
Smithsonian Insititution,National Air and Space Museum, Air and Space Udvar-Hazy Museum
Airports
Dulles International Airport (IAD)Washington-Reagan International Airport (DCA)Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI)Leesburg Municipal Airport
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Transportation
Fairfax Limo[703-229-5057]
Harvest Limo[703-433-0444)
Super Shuttle(Washington Dulles Airport)
Super Shuttle (Online Reservations)
Washington Flyer
Dulles Taxi & Limousine[703-481-8181]___
Shopping
Dulles Town Center21100 Dulles Town CircleDulles, VA
Reston Town CenterReston, VA
Leesburg Corner Premium Outlets241 Fort Evans Road, NELeesburg, VA703-737-3071___
Restaurants
Download Handout Below on Restaurants at Dulles Town Center:Restaurants_at_Dulles_Town_Center.pdf
Other Restaurants in the Area:
A Taste of Vietnam46005 Regal PlazaSterling, VA703-433-9543
Cheng’s Oriental Restuarant20921 Davenport DriveSterling, VA703-450-0439
Don Corleone’s Pizzeria21018 S. Bank StreetSterling, VA703-444-4959
Lightfoot11 N. King StreetLeesburg, VA703-771-2233
Miyama-Japanese Cuisine2079 Great Falls Plaza, #110Sterling, VA 20165703-430-8800(Will Deliver)
Mokomandy-Modern Korean-Cajun-American Cuisine20789 Great Falls Plaza, Unit 176Sterling, VA 20165571-313-0505
Saigon Cafe (Vietnamese)20921 Davenport DriveSterling, VA
Sweetwater Tavern45980 Waterview PlazaSterling, VA571-434-6500
The Olive Garden45970 Waterview PlazaSterling, VA571-434-0713
Tuscarora Mill204 Harrison Street, SELeesburg, VA703-771-9300
Zeffierelli5 Catoctin CircleLeesburg, VA703-779-0900
For more information on the 2018 ECCSSA conference, please contact:
Dr. Rosalyn M. King, Chair, ECCSSA Board of Directors at:roking@nvcc.edu or (703) 450-2629; or
Send Inquiries to:conference@eccssa.org