[AccessD] OT: the "Education" system

Drew Wutka DWUTKA at marlow.com
Wed Jun 11 13:00:48 CDT 2003


Unfortunately, the University systems problems roll out into the real world
too.

For example, in the military, Officers must hold a degree (at least most of
them, there is a special type of officer that can be just an experienced
enlisted person, but those positions are limited both in numbers and in
advancement). This practice started way back in the beginning of our
military history.  When the Continental Army was formed, they needed
educated people in charge.  At the time, the only educated people were those
that went to college, which also happened to be the social upper class.
This worked out in two ways.  By having commissioned officers with degrees,
they were getting relatively educated officers, and they were keeping the
upper class in leadership positions, instead of a grunt on the line.

Modern companies also use the college system to determine how much someone
should be paid, and/or if they should be management.  The pay is easy to
figure out.  Accounting departments have to quantify things.  You can't
quantify intuitive thinking, but you can quantify degrees, or even
experience in a job position.

Oh well, I'd be more rantish, but I'm tired.

Drew

-----Original Message-----
From: John Colby [mailto:jcolby at colbyconsulting.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 10:09 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: [AccessD] OT: the "Education" system


I read something long ago that would indicate why this is so.  According to
this article, the university system as we know it got it's start in the
middle ages.  The average Joe did not go to school, did not know how to read
or write.  Universities were originally designed to "educate" the sons and
daughters of the ruling class.  The intended subjects of the system did not
work, they ruled.  They had no need to "go get a job".  They needed skills
distinctly different from those needed today.

Unfortunately those in power in the university system do it "the way it has
always been done".  A classic example of this is the ludicrous practice of
forcing medical interns to stay on duty 48 hours at a time with only a
couple of hours sleep.  Everyone acknowledges that this is dangerous, to the
interns and even more so to the poor slob being seen by these sleep deprived
interns.  But... "that's the way it has always been done".

And so we live in a world where the college graduate has been forced to do
the "choose two from basket weaving, choose two from music, choose two from
science".  Yep, been there, done that.  What a waste.

And of course the defenders of the system CLAIM that the purpose is not to
train them to do a particular job (which is actually a good thing) but to
learn how to think.  If only that were true!

Try disputing anything the professor says and see how fast you are taught
NOT to think!

John W. Colby
www.colbyconsulting.com

-----Original Message-----
From: accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com
[mailto:accessd-bounces at databaseadvisors.com]On Behalf Of Wortz, Charles
Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 10:48 AM
To: accessd at databaseadvisors.com
Subject: RE: [AccessD] OT? - Certification


Vlad,

As a former college professor, I also notice that many of these "so
called Highly Qualified Graduates" are not only "regurgitators of info"
with "no people skills whatsoever" but also have no analytical skills.

At most of the colleges and universities that I taught at I was the only
Computer Science faculty member that had any real-world experience as a
programmer/analyst.  And I was the only one that designed my tests as
problems to solve, not multiple-guess or fill-in-the-blank type tests.
I wanted my students to learn how to analyze and solve problems, not
regurgitate data, which a trained monkey can do.

One of the reasons I quit teaching is I got tired of butting heads with
departmental chairs and school deans that didn't understand there was a
difference between theoretical knowledge and practical knowledge and
that the graduate from a bachelor level program needs to have some
practical knowledge if he/she is to expect to find a job in the real
world.  Only about 1% of the students could hope to become clones of
their professors, they rest needed to be able to survive in the real
world.

Charles Wortz
Software Development Division
Texas Education Agency
1701 N. Congress Ave
Austin, TX 78701-1494
512-463-9493
CWortz at tea.state.tx.us


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