Recently, my partner was a bit shocked at the response he received when he mentioned to a neighbor that the two of us would be supplying all of the food for a Memorial Day party we are hosting. Instead of being thanked, he was informed that “everyone always brings something to holiday parties on Steve’s patio.” A week later, my partner was criticized for moving a chandelier that had hung over my favorite chair in the living room. As he was informed, “Steve has always had that chandelier over his chair.” I, too, have been surprised at the assumption that nothing should change in our home; that what has always been will remain the same forever and ever. Amen.

But the fact that I now share my life with a wonder man and two delightful dogs is a significant change that cannot be ignored. For individuals to assume that my life will remain as it always has been is problematic on so many levels. Yet, too often in education, we ignore change—even significant change—as we continue to do things the same ways that we have always done them.

Last week, a student asked me about the required term paper for a history class I am teaching. He was surprised when I informed him that there was no required paper. He told me that he thought history courses always required a research paper. He was not aware that the history department had changed our assessment policy from requiring a research paper to requiring a research project. Writing is also required as part of the assessment, but a professor can choose not to have students write formal papers.

Those who require research papers may do so because that is the way they have always taught history or they may do it because they believe that a research paper is an effective strategy for accomplishing course goals. But our new policy recognizes that our department is part of a changing world that permits different types of strategies; some of which did not exist while we were in school—or even during most of our teaching careers.

This morning, I had breakfast with a retired teacher. She mentioned a local school district where fifth grade students are creating videos on environmental issues. These students are too young to know how things have always been done and are comfortable with reporting their research in a video format.

Because this is not the first year that this project has been completed, within four or five years college faculty members will have students sitting in our classrooms who know that videos have always been an option for reporting research. Will we be ready to teach students working on such an assumption or will we tell them that because we have always used research papers that videos are not an option?

Currently, I am frustrating my history students because I will not define the outcomes of their research for them. My position is that until they complete more background research they don’t have enough knowledge of their subjects to even pick their topics— much less define outcomes. Only after they know what they want to communicate can they reasonably determine the proper venue for publishing projects: formal research paper, video, blog entry, et cetera. Because this approach to education is not how students have always approached their assignments, they are forced to stretch themselves to be better, more thoughtful scholars.

Heraclitus teaches that one can never step into the same river twice.¹ Although it might appear the same, the river is constantly changing. In the same way, I realize that I can never teach the same class twice; that I can never rely on techniques that have always worked. I realize that I must change from semester to semester and from course to course within a semester.

I fear that some of our guests on Memorial Day will disappointed because life has changed and my partner and I are not organizing the party in the same way I have always done it. Their disappointment might be so great that they will not realize that this year’s party will be even better than last year. Because my partner and I are not satisfied to settle for what has always been done, we are able to offer a richer experience for our guests.

As an educator, I do not want to be so attached to always that I cannot realize the possibilities that a changing world offers me today.

–Steven L. Berg, PhD

¹This sentence originally read, “There is a Buddhist saying that one can never step into the same river twice.” Although this example is often used to explain Buddhist teaching, it actually comes from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus. I am grateful to my colleague Dr. Mark Huston who brought this error to my attention. The text was modified at approximately 2:15pm on 30 May 2012.