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Lesson 5

In this lesson, we will read and discuss “Professional Degree vs. Academic Degree: What’s the Difference?” by Northeastern University, and “Three Educational Pathways to Good Jobs” from Georgetown University.

Lesson Goals

  • Can I express an accurate understanding of the central ideas of texts?

  • Can I evaluate the relevance of information, ideas, evidence, and reasoning presented in texts?

Texts

Core

  • Digital Access
    • “Professional Degree vs. Academic Degree: What’s the Difference?,” Northeastern University Graduate Programs, Northeastern University, Jan 28, 2019
    • “Three Educational Pathways to Good Jobs,” Anthony P. Carnevale, Jeff Strohl, Neil Ridley, and Artem Gulish, Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 2018
  • Unit Reader
    • “The College Payoff: Education, Occupations, Lifetime Earnings,” Anthony P. Carnevale, Stephen J. Rose, and Ban Cheah, Georgetown University, 2011

Materials

Tools

Question Sets

Editable Google Docs

Activity 1: Read – Discuss

We will read “Professional Degree Vs. Academic Degree: What’s The Difference?” by northeastern University.

Step 1

Read and annotate “Professional Degree vs. Academic Degree: What’s the Difference?”

Define the following terms in your Vocabulary Journal. Use the Vocabulary in Context Tool to assist you:

  • professional degree

  • Juris Doctor (JD)

  • Doctor of Medicine (MD)

  • Doctor of Education (EdD)

  • Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD)

  • academic degree

Step 2

In groups, discuss the following questions:

  1. What is the difference between professional degrees and academic degrees?

  2. Which degree type would fit you best based on what you want to do after high school?

  3. Most degrees in the text referenced a salary. What is the lowest salary would you accept? The highest?

Step 3

After discussion, revisit the text and answer Question 1 using the Attending to Details Tool.

  1. What is the difference between professional degrees and academic degrees?

The Attending to Details Tool supports and guides a process for preparing to read, reading, and initially reacting to a text. This is a helpful process to internalize when you are working with a complex text that might require multiple reads, or one that is being read over a long period. Using this tool usually begins with a guiding question or reading purpose to determine which textual details to notice and annotate.

Use the tool in the following way:

  1. Write down the guiding question in the space provided at the top. Read the text, paying attention to details that relate to the guiding question. Depending on how long the section of text is, you might find several examples. Use the Attend to Details row to write down the details that most strongly relate to the guiding question.

  2. Make connections between the details you wrote down and the guiding question in the Think About the Details row. This is often the "reasoning" that is asked for when you make an observation or claim, and then use evidence to support it. It makes your thinking visible to others and helps you remember what that thinking was if you come back to this later.

  3. In the Express Your Understanding row, write new connections, observations, ideas, or questions that result from reading and analyzing the text.

Activity 2: Read – Discuss

We will read “Three Educational Pathways To Good Jobs” from Georgetown University.

Read “Three Educational Pathways to Good Jobs” and watch the accompanying video found within the online text.

Discuss the following questions in a small group:

  1. Is the job you are considering pursuing a good job? Why or why not?

  2. What are the benefits of high school, middle skills, and higher degrees?

  3. Which educational pathway leads to the best jobs for your life goals? Why? (This is based on your interpretation of the word best and your needs and desires.)

  4. What is your biggest takeaway from this resource?

  5. Does this resource reinforce or add to your understanding of research compiled from “The College Payoff: Education, Occupations, Lifetime Earnings”? Why or why not?

Activity 3: Discuss

We will close out by reviewing the Central Question.

Based on the texts you’ve read so far discuss the following question as a whole class: What am I going to do after high school?

This question relates to the Central Question: How can I prepare for life after high school? In order to answer the Central Question by the end of the unit, you must consider what your life goals are and how you will work to start achieving them after completing high school.

Be sure to use text evidence from the unit texts analyzed to support your responses.