Charlotte Foust
cfoust at infostatsystems.com
Wed Jun 11 11:19:52 CDT 2003
>>I suppose if we ignore the problem long enough, it will eventually go away No, it will eventually graduate a bunch of functional illiterates who won't be able to support themselves or function effectively in a high tech society except to play video games. The cult of self-esteeem has a great deal to answer for, but they will never be called to account ... Unlike the taxpayers who wind up supporting those who are unemployable. Charlotte Foust -----Original Message----- From: Mitsules, Mark [mailto:Mark.Mitsules at ngc.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 7:36 AM To: 'accessd at databaseadvisors.com' Subject: RE: [AccessD] OT: the "Education" system As an aside... I was told this morning from a spouse of a local elementary school teacher that the principal of said school has decided NOT to hold back a single student this year. Students with unsatisfactory (we can't say "failing", can we?) grades across the board are being sent on regardless of teacher recommendations. Of course the principal is only part of the problem. The teacher is also aware of parents (most?, some?, all?) who were advised to hold back their child have chosen instead to let their child continue on. ...I suppose if we ignore the problem long enough, it will eventually go away. :( Mark -----Original Message----- From: John Colby [mailto:jcolby at colbyconsulting.com] Sent: Wednesday, June 11, 2003 11:09 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 _______________________________________________ AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com _______________________________________________ AccessD mailing list AccessD at databaseadvisors.com http://databaseadvisors.com/mailman/listinfo/accessd Website: http://www.databaseadvisors.com