In recent years, a new strain of learning has emerged in the ever-evolving sphere of American higher education: "trendy" courses, where the focus of the class material is centered on some prominent element of popular culture. These courses cover a wide range of topics, from “Politicizing Beyoncé” at Rutgers University to “Battling against Voldemort” at Swarthmore College to “Game of Thrones” at our very own University.
Naturally, these courses immediately draw students in with their captivating titles and relatable subjects, enticing them to enroll in the class over one that covers more "boring" material. It can certainly be argued, though, that a course on battle tactics against a fictional character is not nearly as vital to the educational experience as is Locke or Euler or Newton. Thus, the proliferation of these course offerings at colleges and universities across the country raises an important question: is it "worth it" to take a trendy course over one that is more traditional?
Education is grounded in the idea that the more students care about the material, the more they will learn. This notion is evident in a study performed at an English university, in which the researchers found "creatively"-taught courses were extremely effective in facilitating independent thinking and building knowledge for students. "Creative teaching" was evaluated in this study as an educational strategy centered on the professor's passion for the broader subject, where the professor leveraged this passion toward an "imaginative approach" to teaching the material.
Trendy course offerings fit exactly into the mold of "creatively"-taught courses that were proven so effective in the study: professors apply their passion for a specific subject (e.g., cinema, fantasy literature, politics) into an imaginative classroom setting that fosters student engagement. These courses are specifically designed, above all, to target passion in a way that traditional subject matters and classrooms simply cannot; students come to class with an emotional investment in what they are about to learn — a distinct interest in the subject material that naturally breeds a heightened educational experience.
Students operate the best and most efficiently when they actually feel connected to the subjects they are learning. A “Game of Thrones” course, for example, may not be concerned with an inherently practical idea, though it succeeds as an academic course primarily because it bridges the gap between a highly relevant cultural phenomenon among college-age students and the very core of a liberal arts education: critical thinking.
In an article published last semester, I discussed the stigma surrounding liberal arts education and the travesty of repressed creativity that has transpired at institutions of higher learning. Students in America are discouraged from taking courses or majoring in liberal, creative arts, primarily because the corporate job market insists that students fit into certain — and often rigid — academic molds prior to being hired. I would argue this fact is one of the main roots of lagging social and economic change in the nation — neither students nor teachers are rewarded nearly enough for encouraging creative innovation, resulting in a large majority of students being “manufactured” at their institutions to perpetuate the current modes of production and business, not change them.
Trendy courses, while they may not directly address the fundamental injustices that exist in American higher education, are certainly a step in the right direction. Feeding on cultural passions to encourage learning is not a “joke,” as engineers and business majors may like to say; rather, it is the newest method designed to ignite a spark in the young, malleable minds of college-age students. It allows a student enrolled in “Politicizing Beyoncé” to think critically about politics and socio-cultural trends in America, not struggle to remain attentive in a prerequisite “17th Century Politics” lecture. It is a breath of life into the decaying perception of what learning should be in this nation.
Above all, the proliferation of trendy courses is a message to administrators and business leaders across the country: just because a student finds it beneficial to blend his academic interests with popular culture doesn’t mean he is worthless to society. This nation’s innovators will arise from a style of education that stimulates their creativity and encourages them to make real-world connections through their acquisition of knowledge. If trendy courses are indeed successful in breaking down the terrorizing force that career interests impart on our nation’s colleges, maybe everyone needs to learn how to defeat Voldemort.
Ryan Gorman is an Opinion columnist for The Cavalier Daily. He can be reached at r.gorman@cavalierdaily.com.
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