I recently had a discussion with someone who felt that I might be overreacting to changes in education. My friend felt that it was important to interest students in a subject even if that meant teaching them less. Of course, we agreed that it is a matter of degree. My friend worried that I was wrong about […]
Former Dep’t. of Education official “…thought we were doing God’s work…” when they were WHAT?
January 3, 2014 by
When they were strengthening collection of students loans through what the New York Times characterizes as “ruthless tactics”. (See today’s NY Times article http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/02/us/loan-monitor-is-accused-of-ruthless-tactics-on-student-debt.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&ref=us) Here was my response, “The former Department of Education official “…thought we were doing God’s work…” when they were strengthening collection of money from students, many of whom had paid that […]
Is University of Missouri’s Calculus Easier Than AP Calculus?
December 29, 2013 by
Costs Rising Quickly, Quality of Product Slumping – What Could This Mean?
December 26, 2013 by
I gave my view in a comment on this informative article ( http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304244904579276850992941142) in the Wall Street Journal today. “So, over a few decades, costs have been going up dramatically, while quality of education has been going down.That should be a warning. The view from the inside (I am a professor.) is simple. This is what […]
Op-Ed Piece in New York Times Disagrees with Obama’s Ratings Plan but….
December 18, 2013 by
Here is the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/18/opinion/the-wrong-college-ratings.html?ref=opinion#commentsContainer I wrote my view of what we need. “Today’s colleges and univesities want to act like businesses. They use powerful marketing techniques that many times trump education. They are well aware that their consumers are young and susceptible to sales techniques, from boosting their egos (by not teaching anything really […]
New York Times Editorial Series on Education – They Don’t See the Elephant in the Classroom
December 15, 2013 by
(Go here to see the newest piece, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/15/opinion/sunday/in-math-and-science-the-best-fend-for-themselves.html?hp&rref=opinion ) I am concerned that even the Times doesn’t see the problem. Maybe they just have trouble believing how bad the integrity problem is. Anyway, I commented on their recommendations, and I made a general comment. Here they are. On the Times recommendation for more government support As a […]
MOOC’s Setback? But Online Still Very Useful, I Believe
December 12, 2013 by
There is this in yesterday’s New York Times, http://www.nytimes.com/2013/12/11/us/after-setbacks-online-courses-are-rethought.html?hpw&rref=us but I believe that online access can be very informative when used the way I described. (Also, I just finished an excellent book on the role of the internet in education. It is “Abelard to Apple: The Fate of American Colleges and Universities” by Richard A. DeMillo.) “Online […]
Atlantic Monthly Article on Faculty Concerns About High Graduation Rates
Here is the link, followed by my comment. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2013/12/we-are-creating-walmarts-of-higher-education/282619/ (The article is good – and shocking – especially the part about some state schools getting rid of history courses. State schools? Is this becoming a vicious circle? Uneducated politicians (probably with degrees, though) deciding not to educate? Whatever happened to Jefferson and his silly ideas […]