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if you're waiting for manual labor to come back in the U.S. to what it was. I think you're gonna' run out of time waiting.
Why do you think I think this? I don't. I'm saying there's an element of overkill in our national attitude toward higher education. The concept of being worldly and well-rounded is great (hence the connotations of the word "university"), but it gets negated with tunnel vision. Tunnel vision is happening at a national level because many kids are having income-anxiety even before their freshman year. Look at the hoardes of one-dimensional job-seekers who have a degree yet are blah on so many levels and, even worse, feel they are worth more than they actually are. It's a vicious circle. Yes, there needs to be education, and as I said before: Just the right amount is needed and we need to toss "one size fits all" out the window. I think this is what the Harvard study is saying. Just the right amount means not too little, and not too much. We need to be practical. At this tipping point, we can't afford not to be practical. As a nation, we can not afford more wastefulness. We are at a tipping point.
We need all children to learn at home on the computer until driving age. That way when the kid acts up mom or dad puts a foot up the kid's a$$ instead of some teacher having to file a form.
Learning at home will keep children out of the drug stores (schools). And when the kid doesn't learn the parents can't blame anyone but themselves.
We won't have millions of kids running around with the flu each year.
Children that learn faster can progress faster and learn more instead of waiting for the kid, with drunkard parents, to arrive late and interrupt class.
Maybe mom and dad will learn some things from having to help their children with school work.
Kids will be able to communicate with millions of other kids their age taking the same classes on the web.
Automated testing will help kids better prepare for "testing center" in person testing.
All class materials will be cheap because they will be in electronic format instead of being a 4 pound paper book.
Kids can get out and exercise more because they don't have to be in school during day hours. They can be at baseball or ballet or whatever and do their school work morning and evening.
When kids are driving age they can go to classes that require expensive equipment or other things that it won't make sense for every family to own.
When kids are working age they can get a part-time job to learn what the world is like but still do school work when they are at home.
I expect I could go on and on. I also expect many of you have things you could add.
Yes, there needs to be education, and as I said before: Just the right amount is needed and we need to toss "one size fits all" out the window. We are at a tipping point.
I just got the impression that you felt that way.
I think the education system is the problem. I like the general idea you have about being able to get just enough education. But, I think everyone should be free to get as much education as they want.
I like books that get straight to the point and don't waste my time with extraneous stories that are only semi-related to the topic. I like graphs and diaghrams that prevent me from reading long winded explanations.
I also think that education should allow for quick to the point learning with extra learning available in a quick to the point approach. Then people can learn as much or as little as the want/need.
Yes, I agree "one size fits all" is crappy. It is possible to create navigation trees that would allow people to learn on a computer without having to "fit them into" a particular size. But, I haven't found any schools using that approach.
Tipping point was a pretty good book. He made some assumptions I'm not sure are supported by facts. But, he writes a good read.
I like the general idea you have about being able to get just enough education. But, I think everyone should be free to get as much education as they want.
Well I'm not vehemently against it if it's not wasteful. And do you include college-level education in the phrase "as much education as they want"? Because if so, I'd like to repost this link for you: News Headlines
Some of these lawsuits are probably frivolous. We do live in a very litigious society. But at the same time, you can't just pump out an infinite number of art history majors or womens studies, latino studies?.....and expect everyone to get jobs.
This is an effect of the knowledge worker age. I've been trying to get people to understand this, but it's difficult.
The days of "Here's a list of the 5 steps you perform everyday all day." are over. These days its "We have a machine to do that mundane stuff. You're a human we need you to think".
And do you include college-level education in the phrase "as much education as they want"?
Because if so, I'd like to repost this link for you: News Headlines
I have trouble viewing education in the current formal structure. I see education as life long learning.
I don't like the grade school, high school, college, etc. view. I do think children need special security measures for safety. But I think learning progression should not be restricted by how many days someone spends in certain buildings. Obviously you need to learn certain things before moving to more advanced things, but buildings aren't the real issue the learning material/method is.
Also, in response to your link, I think kids drop out because the whole enroll, drop out, transfer process is foolish and destroys peoples' desire to attend school. Everyone should be able to attend classes whenever they like. They should just enroll in the class and either take it online or show up at a school lab. Education funding should not be under the control of the school. It should be under the control of the student. All grants should go to schools *through* the student (the student shouldn't receive the money, but should control where it goes) for tuition and supplies. All loans for living expenses should go directly to the student.
If the student doesn't like the school that provided their most recent class they should be able to just sign up at a different school for their next class. There should not be a long and frustrating enrollment or transfer process.
While I do feel that higher education is important, I disagree with how mainstream it has become to simply pick a major our of a list, take classes for four years, then have no prospective jobs (unless internships were completed and professional relationships were formed); basically my point is that you put 4 years and thousands of dollars into a degree that comes with no guarantee.
I think our country needs to revisit the notion of trade schools, vocational schools, and professional certificates and programs. Whoever instilled the idea that an education acquired outside of a 4-year institution was certainly successful in convincing the mass majority. However, I think it's time for people to take programs that teach on the job practical training, set up networking events with professionals in the field, and that really prepare them to begin life after completing the program with a rolodex of contacts and a mountain of opportunity.
For example, GCS, which is a group of schools in Florida that train students in practical careers like appraisal, mortgages, real estate, property inspection, insurance, and construction.
For example, GCS, which is a group of schools in Florida that train students in practical careers like appraisal, mortgages, real estate, property inspection, insurance, and construction.
Would love to hear thoughts/opinions!
Jennifer
Those careers don't seem too practical given the real estate situation in Florida.
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