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Examining education:
Understanding the class unit system
By Michael Watanabe
On-line Forty-Niner
The making of a
movie first includes pre-production - script writing, casting,
finding locations.
Then there is production. Ten long days of shooting, directing,
getting lighting correct and using technical camera equipment.
Finally, post-production. Editing work, driving to Hollywood
to drop off and pick up film, editing sound.
That is a lot of work, especially for students. And way too
much work for a mere three units.
"The work I put into it myself is more than full-time
status," said Sam Sabzehzar, a senior interdisciplinary
studies major taking the class, "and the rest of my other
classes are suffering."
But, starting next fall, students will receive some relief
from the hard-driving, time-consuming class. Instead of three
units, the film department has split the one class, FEA 340,
into two, now equaling a total of six units.
Most Cal State Long Beach classes are three units, but some
are more. Some are less. Who, or what board, determines the
fate of a class?
Class units are based on a Carnegie unit, a nationally-defined
system that assumes the average student, to do average work,
requires an average of three hours per unit, according to
Dorothy M. Goldish, dean of undergraduate studies. The system
is "used for any accredited institution of higher education."
Each class is assumed to comprise of nine hours a week, a
little bit less than three in class and six outside of class.
But Sabzehzar was working more than nine hours a week. The
class, as it is currently structured, includes pre-production,
production and post-production all in the same semester.
"It's so time consuming that it's very difficult to not
let the other work suffer," he said, referring to his
other classes.
So the system was changed. The department faculty, assisted
by Sharyn Blumenthal, chair of the film department and electronic
arts and former professor of the class, noticed the amount
of work involved and took the first steps in changing the
number of units a class receives. Change begins in the department
because the local faculty knows the curriculum best.
And, "the curriculum is the function of the faculty,"
Goldish said.
The department must thoroughly review a new syllabus, a basic
outline of what is being taught and why this class deserves
more units.
Next, the idea is brought forth in the College Curriculum
Committee, made up of representatives throughout the college.
In the film department's case, the college would be the College
of Liberal Arts. The committee reviews the department's notes
and sends back suggestions.
The film department is currently at this stage.
Raul Reis, journalism professor and news operation director
of the On-line Forty-Niner, is currently seeking a similar
action. He hopes to convert his world press class into a general
education class. It is currently only available to journalism
students.
In that process, he must also change the syllabus and explain
exactly what each change means, since the College Curriculum
Committee has no idea what global media is. He must convince
them that the curriculum is truly open to everyone.
He investigated other classes both on and off campus. He fully
explored the technical aspect of the class, the assignments
throughout the class and possible discussion topics. He had
to make sure the class extended beyond journalism, into other
disciplines.
Such detailed changes must be made for the committee to see
a class' true worth. The film class was especially worth it.
"I always felt that it was a lot of work not only for
the teacher but for the student," Blumenthal said. "The
teacher gets more units for it but the student doesn't."
The class counts as teaching three classes due to the extra
amount of work. The professor is in charge of helping students
during off-hours, issuing equipment and scheduling and knowing
the most current developments in the film industry.
"There's so much technology that they have to learn ...
that it's been even more work," Blumenthal said.
Finally, after the College Curriculum Committee, a university
committee scrutinizes the matter. After weighing the arguments,
the committee seals the units into the books. The entire process
usually takes a year. Blumenthal started the process this
fall and expects separate classes by next fall.
A major problem many classes face is scheduling, Goldish said.
For example, a normal three-unit class can run from 8 to 9:15
a.m., with a second class starting at 9:30 a.m.
Things get trickier if a department has a four-unit class.
The class could run in two, two-hour classes or four, one-hour
classes. Usually, two classes are chosen. But, that means
the class would run from 8 to 10 a.m., leaving the class open
for a longer period of time.
But, after a hard day's work, Sabzehzar likes the new changes,
even if he won't feel the effects.
"It's good that they got more units," he said.
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