A Vision of Students Today

[AKH]

Originally posted by AKIron
classrooms of the future

I'd peg that one as Facebook of the future.

I've sat courses where we spent most of the lectures copying someone's book from the blackboard to our notepads.  I'd hate to think that particular practice still survives, but I wouldn't be too surprised to discover that it does.

[eskimo2]

I�ve had a grading theory that I�ve wanted to see put use, but modern grading systems make it nearly impossible to employ.  Some educators place the majority of the overall grade on tests, others choose papers and projects and others lean on daily homework, weekly quizzes and/or attendance.  Most educators sort of balance everything out somewhat.  In my opinion, any system reflects learning and work for some students while simultaneously working against others whose strengths are not represented well by that particular grading system.  

While I was a student at the University of Hawaii/HCC I witnessed a massive dropout rate in my program.  I talked to some students who dropped out and nearly every one of them had the same problem: they blew a major test early on and realized that they stood a nearly impossible chance of passing the course no matter how well they did later on.  

Here�s my grading theory: 60% of the overall grade is based on the area that each student does their best in (tests, papers and projects or daily homework, weekly quizzes and/or and attendance).  30% of the overall grade is based on the next best area for each student.  10% is based on their worst area.  One student may be a great test taker, but poor writer, they could earn an A under this system.  Another student in the same class could be a great writer or loves projects but always chokes on tests, this student also could earn an A under this system.

[lasersailor184]

Wah wah wah.  Boo ****ing hoo.  Let's call the wambulance?

Always thought then that maybe there was a better way to do things. The video just shows some of the elements that make today's classroom system obsolete in the internet age.

Want to know why we still meet in classrooms to learn?

BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST ****ING WAY TO LEARN.  

After much self studying, I've found out that book work, internet work, or online class work doesn't even hold a candle to the amount of stuff a person can teach you.

So what is it about the way lectures are taught in the US that is so bad? From what i got from the video is that todays students don't enjoy learning/find it engaging/find it relevant to them.

Seriously i don't know how higher education is taught in the US, what is so poor about it?

There is nothing poor about the education, other than the laziness of some students.  There is a difference between finding it engaging, and they themselves being engaged.  

The easiest way to not be bored with class is to be a part of it.  Not just sit down and take notes.

Traditional college is completely antiquated. Professors put fragmented bits of information into powerpoint presentations, then simply read aloud what the slides say. Its the textbooks that really have the knowledge, and it's the textbooks that puts that knowledge forth in a logical, concise manner.

Absolutely false.  A textbook can't teach.  It can only be there.  It is best used in a supplementary use.  Hell, you might not even need to have it for the class.

[Tac]

Originally posted by lasersailor184
Wah wah wah.  Boo ****ing hoo.  Let's call the wambulance?



Want to know why we still meet in classrooms to learn?

BECAUSE IT'S THE BEST ****ING WAY TO LEARN.  

After much self studying, I've found out that book work, internet work, or online class work doesn't even hold a candle to the amount of stuff a person can teach you.

Yep, thats why I say the human interaction in a classroom is still needed. However the lecture-style, paper-book dependent instruction method is not effective. With the tech we have today it can be so, so much better.

What I mean is not just sitting in a class with a Tablet PC and using the old method.. what I mean is me having my tablet PC that has ALL my textbooks and work ready for me to access it, to have access to a personal HUMAN online-tutor at any time during class or outside of it, with a teacher that does a hands-on class for every 2 'lecture' type classes.. and why not, a restructured system that allows students to truly follow the path to their careers rather than be stuck wasting time taking 'required courses' that have nothing to do with their intended majors. Most students today can shave off a whole year off their bachelor's degrees if they weren't stuck having to take humanities and retarded electives courses if they are aiming for electronic engineering. I doubt what they learn in  mythology, british literature, sociology, intro to anthropology, etc classes help them figure out how electronics work.

[Leslie]

Originally posted by Tac
Yep, thats why I say the human interaction in a classroom is still needed. However the lecture-style, paper-book dependent instruction method is not effective. With the tech we have today it can be so, so much better.

What I mean is not just sitting in a class with a Tablet PC and using the old method.. what I mean is me having my tablet PC that has ALL my textbooks and work ready for me to access it, to have access to a personal HUMAN online-tutor at any time during class or outside of it, with a teacher that does a hands-on class for every 2 'lecture' type classes.. and why not, a restructured system that allows students to truly follow the path to their careers rather than be stuck wasting time taking 'required courses' that have nothing to do with their intended majors. Most students today can shave off a whole year off their bachelor's degrees if they weren't stuck having to take humanities and retarded electives courses if they are aiming for electronic engineering. I doubt what they learn in  mythology, british literature, sociology, intro to anthropology, etc classes help them figure out how electronics work.

I feel the humanities are important for after you know how electronics work and land a job.   The ability to communicate effectively is always important, but there is a world outside of electronics, physics, chemistry that everyone lives in.  The humanities help prepare a student for coping with and even enjoying a greater quality of life.  Now I would agree that majoring in some liberal arts fields is not a money maker in and of itself, however knowing something about the humanities pays off at some point in life.

There is one humanity which I believe improves problem solving ability, and that is a practice of art, whether it be drawing, sculpture, music, working with clay.  The more challenging the art, the more the right side of the brain develops. This translates directly to any kind of problem solving, and would serve a scientist as well as an artist.  It develops the right brain, which is where the abstract lies, and where most subconscious working of difficult problems takes place.  I would also think that literature engages the mind's eye in the abstract and develops imagination, an essential part of realizing an idea into reality.  Some great scientists were artists, poets, and composers.




Les

[moot]

The best way to learn something, which doesn't mean other ways aren't any good either, is to teach it.
Practice makes perfect.

And students who don't want to learn will never be a good measure of any teaching method... If they hold a sign saying they pay more attention to facebook or myspace than to their classes, that's the problem right there.  
You'll never eat as much being spoon fed as you would cooking and eating on your own.

Idealy students would learn all on their own, with some tutorship from teachers, e.g. the way Leibniz and others did.

[culero]

Originally posted by FiLtH
The problems of life have'nt changed...its just that the internet has allowed more people to whine about it.

Good call, bro