The Education System

Tesco Massacre

Is there too much stock placed in technical subjects in school & university, or do you feel there's not enough/too much placed in subjects that require freedom of thought and creativity?

I think many people sneer at students who choose to study the humanities, seeing many of the subjects within it as essentially worthless and of limited practical use. Personally, I think any education is worthwhile. However, what worries me is that universities increasingly seem to want to create more and more technically-minded graduates and fewer who pursue freedom of inquiry and creation.

And how about our secondary school system in this regard? I think it places the emphasis on sticking rigidly to a curriculum and a way of learning that many students may find useful come exam time, but doesn't give enough encouragement for independent thought.

This is important sh*t, people. Forget about the guy who was sucking that girl's breast at the Euros. Let's talk about education!

Pottler

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

Is there too much stock placed in technical subjects in school & university, or do you feel there's not enough/too much placed in subjects that require freedom of thought and creativity?

I think many people sneer at students who choose to study the humanities, seeing many of the subjects within it as essentially worthless and of limited practical use. Personally, I think any education is worthwhile. However, what worries me is that universities increasingly seem to want to create more and more technically-minded graduates and fewer who pursue freedom of inquiry and creation.

And how about our secondary school system in this regard? I think it places the emphasis on sticking rigidly to a curriculum and a way of learning that many students may find useful come exam time, but doesn't give enough encouragement for independent thought.

This is important sh*t, people. Forget about the guy who was sucking that girl's breast at the Euros. Let's talk about education!

I agree. Feckin hippies. Feckin arty farty, psychobabble spouting feckin hippie workshy hippy wasters the lot of em. Neitzche had the right idea, or was it Descartes? I can never remember.

sock puppet

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

I think many people sneer at students who choose to study the humanities, seeing many of the subjects within it as essentially worthless and of limited practical use. Personally, I think any education is worthwhile. However, what worries me is that universities increasingly seem to want to create more and more technically-minded graduates and fewer who pursue freedom of inquiry and creation.

What exactly does this mean? They're hardly teaching physics to history students.

flutterflye

Communication and social skills should be taught in schools.
So many people have no idea how to communicate effectively, especially within a relationship.
But it's also vital in a working environment too.

I would love to see an end to the focus on maths and languages, and introduce a more whole education, teaching real world skills, aswell as a large emphasis on critical thinking.

Oh, and the learning styles of all students should be incorporated - ditch the sole emphasis on rote learning and exam focus, and instead include a mixture of learning styles, and focus on continual assessment, and/or groups of smaller tests or assignments instead of basing your knowledge of your entire 14 years of education on one exam.

It is actually beyond ridiculous.
Thankfully things are beginning to change.

mikemac1

flutterflye wrote: »

teaching real world skills,

Parents job?

Napper Hawkins

mikemac1 wrote: »

Parents job?

Yes, but even good parents can only teach you so much. They've their own lives to worry about too.

Flutterflye, spot on.

Monsieur Folie

sock puppet wrote: »

What exactly does this mean? They're hardly teaching physics to history students.

He means that there is an increasing emphasis on subjects regarding Science and Technology as opposed to with the Humanities.

It's because technology and science are where the jobs are, students like jobs, so students pick practical subjects, leading to universities investing more in the subjects that more people are picking.

There still are, and always will be, people studying humanities.

squod

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

There still are, and always will be, people studying humanities.

I study humantities

flutterflye

mikemac1 wrote: »

Parents job?

Oh right.
I guess it is really isn't it?
I didn't get any of that from my parents, so maybe that's why I didn't think of that.

sock puppet

Monsieur Folie wrote: »

He means that there is an increasing emphasis on subjects regarding Science and Technology as opposed to with the Humanities.

It's because technology and science are where the jobs are, students like jobs, so students pick practical subjects, leading to universities investing more in the subjects that more people are picking.

There still are, and always will be, people studying humanities.

It seemed to me the OP was suggesting that colleges are pushing students to do science subjects.

bdoo

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

I think many people sneer at students who choose to study the humanities, seeing many of the subjects within it as essentially worthless and of limited practical use. Personally, I think any education is worthwhile. However, what worries me is that universities increasingly seem to want to create more and more technically-minded graduates and fewer who pursue freedom of inquiry and creation.

And rightly so.

Learning styles. There are two. Those who want to learn. Those who do not. Doesn't matter what you change.

The value society places on any sort of education is far too low in any case. it is a commodity now. to be bought and sold.

starbelgrade

squod wrote: »

I study humantities

LOL

bhovaspack

There are some university systems where it's quite common for all undergraduates (including science students) to take a couple of humanities courses in their first year (on broad subjects such as history of western thought, for instance). I believe this happens quite a bit in the US.

In other systems, it is also quite common for students studying for technical degrees to be able to take a literature or philosophy course here and there, and earn extra credits while they do so.

Seems to be far more rigidly structured in the Irish system, more's the pity.

bhovaspack

bdoo wrote: »

Learning styles. There are two. Those who want to learn. Those who do not. Doesn't matter what you change.

Or those who are encouraged to enquire, and those who are not?

Not enough emphasis on the former here.

chattycatty

I would like to know who monitors Lecturers in I.T’s third level sector in Ireland. Because as a former student , I appealed and complained to hetac and heads of departments about the lecturers conduct and course grading within the I.T I attended . From the moment I made the , appeal I should of realized I was fighting a losing battle as the level of corruption that goes on is unreal in these colleges by heads of departments, registers and lecturers. They cannot be questioned and are never at fault
To begin lecturers should go in and lecturers for 5 years and back out to work for 5 years and back into lecturer for 5 years and back to work after five years (so forth)
How can any lecturer who has been lecturing for over ten years really know what the work climate is like now as it has changed dramatically since this recession.
A lot of lecturers are getting into colleges by being good at sports, been related to someone there.
They are there for the holidays and pay not for the good of the students (the majority of lectures are heartless .

Overheal

Tesco Massacre wrote: »

Forget about the guy who was sucking that girl's breast at the Euros.

WHAT!!