accreditation, peer review

[Guest guest]

Roger -

 

I suggested that ACAOM and schools (not AAOM) were aware of the educational

problems. And, what's more there are a number of American schools that are

generating problem based learning models as well as other innovative teaching

and

learning experiences. If you read Elizabeth Hsu's account of the state run

educational system in China, she cites courses with people talking in the back

of

the classroom or sleeping while the teacher gives a lecture oblivious to the

fact that no one is participating or listening. The teaching models in China

are circa 1950s Russia with the exception of cases in upper division work and

it is often abysmal. Adult learning is a whole different ball game and I

disagree with you about the accredited schools in America, many are working hard

to

create optimal learning models for our profession.

 

The problems you identify based on Gatto's work are rampant in older

institutions where accreditation becomes a function of cronyism. However, the

strengths of accreditation for an emerging profession such as ours far outweigh

the

weaknesses. Accreditation tends to be highly functional in the early stages of a

profession where the culture at large finds solace in our capacity to 'jump

through that hoop.' I believe that the education of Oriental Medicine in

America has a capacity toward a huge transformation and it has nothing to do

with

accreditation. Rather, it has to do with the devotion and commitment of

hardworking administrators, faculty, professional organizations and students.

Therefore, I disagree with Toynbee, the effective response is not isolation; we

are

accountable to the communities and systems where we exist, and we are

responsible to influence change.

 

> Will's point about the AAOM recognizing the same problems I describe

> illustrates that many people can label the problems, but the problems remain,

in

> spite of government commissions to study them, faculty committee meetings, and

> non-profit agencies funding attempts to remedy them. If dysfunctional

> behavior is systemic and institutionalized, as Gatto claims, compromise will

only

> delay this recognition. And according to the historian Toynbee, it will also

> delay an effective response, which is to isolate oneself from the problem and

> go off in a different direction.

>

 

 

Best -

 

Will

 

Will Morris, L.Ac., OMD, MSEd

Dean of Educational Advancement

Emperor's College

Secretary AAOM

 

 

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