This post is a response to the following tweet:
@ju_bro: I just blogged about this, http://bit.ly/ghwfn, here, http://bit.ly/uLO1X Does Wente’s articles describe your uni experience?
Thanks for posting this Julie.
Margaret Wente’s argument in her article, to me, sounded very weak. She only interviewed two people and gave a few obscure and unsupported statistics (I always treat stats with extreme skepticism, especially when no background is given on them. As an aside, what is up with online articles not having any references??? I’m sure plenty of writers use web sites for research now).
I can’t really comment on the state of today’s post-secondary education, as I have none. The reason for that being mostly because I have never had the strong desire to take any courses. However, I think I do know what a great education experience is all about (from high school).
Please correct me if I assume that high school, college, university, and etc all have the experience of learning in common, as well as having students and teachers. I think the relationship between teacher and student is very important to learning and that both share the responsibility of education with the majority of the responsibility being on the student – not the teacher. The student is always in the driver’s seat with the teacher being the passenger. Over the life of the student, he/she will have many different passengers and it’s up to the driver what they take away from their passengers. This is why i see most of the responsibility of learning being on the student.
The teacher has a responsibility too though. As a passenger, you have an obligation of being accessible and patient. You’re not the one that’s driving, so you never know if you’re going for a quick trip to the store, or mud-running in a four-by-four. You can provide navigation, problem solving in all kind of situations, or just be there to listen.
As the teacher, you have the advantage of giving knowledge and wisdom. As the student, you have the advantage of choosing where you go and how far you make it.
The best year I had in high school (and it earned me honors) was in grade 11 where I actually spent time to stay behind class and ask questions. I really learned that there is no such thing as a stupid question, and that after I graduated, I would never see the faces of the students who gave me drity looks for enjoying my studies and so their approval of me mattered for shit in the long run.
Don’t mind the stares
- David Bowie
My experience in grade 11 sound very similar to what Julie Breau says in her response to Wente’s article:
I encountered the best and most encouraging teachers. And smart too! They had brilliant research projects of their own – though probably neglected because of all the time they spent with us -, and offered thought-provoking and enriching classes. I was never turned away when asking for help and further explanation. I would pop by my professors’ offices to chat about class, current issues and career preparations.
So why is there this general opinion of the education system being so terrible? Where is the real disconnect between a smart student failing in a class led by a professor who earns six figures a year?
I think, you won’t find it in statistics. I think, it is a deep social and philosophical issue. I bet, if you looked at the curve comparison between the evolution of technology and the evolution of the institution and methodology of education, you will see two very different curves. The tech curve is exponential and steep, where the education curve would be plateaued and slow. I think, that technology and education are irrevocably entwined. That technology is now moving at an exponential rate and we will continue to see the discontent a large portion of people have with the education institution.
So Wente: It’s easy to ask a couple people their opinions and then point the finger, but what have you really learned and does that give you the right to share your findings?