Bigthink - Idea Comments Feed

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Mon, 05 May 2008 02:08:33 +0100

Getting educated? What are the unspoken lessons?

confusion

-Teachers teach to many facts and not enough connections . They don't show how things work together or the 'big picture'

class positions

-based on intelligence

indifference

- Teachers demand student involvement for 50 minutes, then the bell rings . The lesson? No work is worth finishing . Conditioned lesson , why care about anything deeply.

emotional dependency

- Authority decides everything and knows better .From when they are allowed to speak to when they are allowed to use the bathroom .

Intellectual dependency

- Authority decides the lessons and how they are taught. The lesson? We must wait for others to give us meaning .

provisional self - esteem

- Authority evaluates . Lesson? Self worth depends on someone else .

one can't hide

- private time and space do not exist , to expose is encouraged ........' Lesson - Fear , compliance

This process ensures the eventual stagnation of the populace as a whole , mainly because most organizations have little need for any %u2018free thinkers%u2019: instead they want those that have been %u2018certifiably%u2019 conditioned.

The process produces the %u2018spoon fed personality%u2019; with an under developed sense of inductive reasoning and would turn first to a book or SOP (standard operating procedure)

As opposed to those critical thinking individuals with an autodidact nature that actively seek answers to questions in order to enhance their subjective understanding .
In my humble opinion

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Mon, 05 May 2008 01:55:26 +0100

I have learned much in my life ,outside the classic university setting . I would go so far as to say that at least 90% of what I have learned is self-taught .

When going to university recruitment drives, here in America , I hear one word over and over , diversity. But it has been my experience that any semblance of freedom of expression is to be sacrificed on the alter of ...'do not offend.' diversity requirements= brainwashing?

80% of universities curb free speech in ways the government isn't even allowed to do .

Is the lesson that is taught in our schools of 'higher learning' , that people have a right to never be offended?

Go to any campus , you will see people advocating for all types of causes, organizations and movements . From the political clubs, ( young republicans, young democrats), religious groups,(single Christens , single Muslims), even clubs that are geared towards ones sexual orientation ... all are set up to engage contentious issues on campus: but in order to create a %u2018politically correct%u2019 atmosphere : you get one that does not reflect the true social environment that the students live outside of the classroom .

The main position of any organization willing to address offenses (political correctness) is a reactionary one. In order for them to take a proactive stance, organizations need to insist on %u2018political correctness.%u2019

Organizations focused on curbing offenses may not be able to persuade all.

Organizations can insist that %u2018political correctness%u2019 be part of the curriculum of those that are still in the process of their conditioning (education)

To be offended is a highly subjective situation .

There are many different degrees of offense , that will produce a wide variety of responses.

Censorship is like trying to stop the sun from rising .

Inconsequential when attempting to restrain a single offense to all...

Pick up any university paper and you will see at least one article weekly that addresses some offense .

Are the universities no longer places that focus on education , to institutions for social change?

The university shares the information of the %u2018status quo%u2019 and rarely advocates true change.

When it does happen, it is the students or rather the individual that takes it upon themselves to implement any change , a personal choice .

The students needs should be paramount not an institutions profits.

Education simply provides the statistics the individual considers before taking such action; but the type of individual that is presented with contentious information is paramount .

Conditioning is integral to social change .

" Blind faith ," is a very powerful " tool " used by the "journeymen or elders" of society.

The young hold tight to the idea of maturity and are engrossed in routine and ritual during their most influential of years .

Conditioned to rely on the patterns of the past and only look toward their "wallets" or "mysticism" as a path forward.

Omitting the sound foundation of the scientific methodology in social or political science's ; outside of mathematics , language skills and personal gain

Are students too weak or simply pacified to use the first amendment ? Other than a need for real specialized education , do you think going to any university is worth the expense?

"You don%u2019t go anywhere in society without going to college first but ,about 70% of %u2018us%u2019 get into college ; Only about 25% get a four year degree ; Only about 30- 35% at best graduate with a two or four year degree "

- Tony Carnival , National Center on Education and the economy (NCEE)

70/25=4

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 07:14:03 +0100

Education needs to be free for all students. Education can be done via the internet so the learners will have equal access to the best minds on the planet. Students should form "teams" with other students from around the globe to work on authentic tasks that will benefit the people and the planet immediately. Think of how motivating it would be to be able to submit your research on pollution in your community to benefit yourself, family, community, country, planet, and kind. Get kids out of the classrooms and into the world! What a huge untapped resource these bright minds are! To get ourselves out of the situation we're in is going to take the talent and intellect of everyone possible. Everyone can contribute in some way. Let the students become their own teachers and they will learn immeasurably and we will all benefit the results. We all have a vested interest in our future, show them what they can do to help and you would be amazed at the willingness and enthusiasm with which it is met. Depression is the helplessness of unexpressed anger. Give them something to do about it and we can start turning this apathy around. How would you feel if you knew the next 16 years of your life's work was a meaningless simulation?

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Tue, 18 Mar 2008 03:16:07 +0100

Please all visit my post on: "Intellectual Intelligence is the goal of Education?"

Thank you :-)

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 22:56:57 +0100

I think one of the easiest ways to improve the educational system is to shorten the time demanded of people to be in the educational system. Students should be required to attend starting around age eight (younger if the student shows exceptional ability, perhaps) and to say that maybe after eighth or ninth grade, they have the chose of going to high school or not continuing their education through the regular channels.

I've read somewhere that the literacy rate in the United States was 98% before mandated compulsory education began. Hopefully by allowing kids to mature more, and letting them make the decision, we can improve the education system by simply improving the will of the children who attend.

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:01:53 +0100

Oops. Where is the edit button. I ment that it puts a lot of pressure on students, please omit the word "questions."

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 22:00:59 +0100

I think that standardized testing is a big issue. I think that it leads to a lot of pressure being put on questions. I think that this pressure can lead to ADD which i believe is a defense mechanism of the mind a form of denial to protect people from feeling fearful.

Standardized testing is primarily to test the teachers and not the students. It is an unfair ammount of pressure to put on someone who is learning. Learning should be fun, not intimidating.

Comment on: What needs to change in academia?

Bigthink — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 21:50:02 +0100

Schooling should all be done at home over the internet. Teachers could just teach one time and have unlimited exposure to people around the world. It would save an incredible ammount of money in energy, fueling, transportation costs, the teachers could work from home, grading papers. Schools are big and they probably cost a lot of money to build. I am sure that we could find another use for the buildings.

It is also very concerning to me that students are not educated about oppression from a young age. I was in college before I learned about it. It was an elective class and I was lucky that I even learned about it. People should be educated about oppression early so that we can combat this entity. Oppression is possibly the most dangerous force in the world and not teaching people about the risks of oppression is like not teaching the about the risks of putting your fingers in light sockets.