The Problem Students in large introductory courses in ethics: Complained that too much of the course was spent on argumentation and what various philosophers thought or argued and not enough about their own opinions Suggested that the course made issues that were easy and clear-cut seem complicated. These student comments reflected a belief that philosophy was a fairly easy activity that primarily involved sitting around and sharing opinions. My concern stemmed from the fact that these comments seemed to imply a complete failure to grasp what philosophy and ethics is all about.

Methods & Evidence 1. Design and implement a survey of student perceptions of philosophy to be taken at the beginning of the semester. Purpose of the survey: To get students to start thinking about the overall role of philosophy and ethics. To facilitate a discussion about what philosophy is and what students can expect from an introductory course in ethics. 2. Use the discussion of the survey to form a basis for the semester and to set the tone for the rest of the course. Sample questions: Philosophy is easy. There is never any right or wrong answer in philosophy. Philosophy is just an exchange of opinion. All arguments are equally valid. As long as you are a good person, you should do well in an ethics class.

Project Summary Exactly what assumptions, perceptions, and expectations do students have at the beginning of the semester? Could any misconceptions, once uncovered, be addressed early in the semester in order to minimize dismissive reactions later in the semester? Ongoing

Annotated List of Helpful Resources & References Ongoing

Preliminary Conclusions & Implications Many students lack a clear understanding of the discipline at the beginning of their first philosophy class. Because of this, many are unsure of what to expect. Up to 50of the class has expectations which are incompatible with the discipline itself. Several of these, if left unaddressed, pose a considerable threat to successful learning of individual students and to the overall atmosphere in the class. Using an initial survey helps to bring out specific expectations and perceptions which may pose serious problems later in the semester. Once "discovered" by survey, student perceptions can be brought out into the open and discussed. This allows the instructor to address any misconceptions at the beginning of the semester, avoiding unnecessary problems which could arise from a misunderstanding of the discipline later in the semester. This initial discussion is also beneficial because it provides an opportunity for the instructor to set the tone and lay the groundwork for subsequent discussions in the semester. The initial survey and discussion also serve as a foundation that can be referred back to continually during the semester. At the end of the semester, students can see how far they have come by looking back at their original responses to the survey and reflecting on how and why their views have changed.

Career Relevance & Impact The project I have developed and refined has allowed me to continue to survey student perceptions of my discipline (philosophy). This has been one important way of gaining an understanding of where students are when they begin the course. This, in turn, has been helpful in determining how to reach various students effectively. As always, this can simply be a matter of determining which obstacles are preventing students from learning and removing these. OPID's WTF/WTS program was significant because it brought together a variety of participants and facilitators committed to the enhancement of student learning through best practices, reflective teaching, and the scholarly study of student learning.