Education

[BigRedBuster]

55 minutes ago, JJ Husker said:

 

Rookies.

I actually use trig and algebra quite often in my work (when it’s something I can’t get simply by drawing it in AutoCAD) and was only a declared engineering major for 1 year. Never use calculus and that’s a good thing cuz I sucked at it.

same

[Ulty]

I tend to think that the gen ed classes bring a lot of value. So many people end up working in some field not directly tied to their degree, and general knowledge about the world is never a bad thing. We often use this knowledge in ways we don't expect. Math and science give us problem solving skills beyond the specific content of the course. Humanities courses teach us about human behavior and life in ways that we may not even realize.

 

I have a criminal justice degree, but the single most impactful class I took in college was a theater class, which I only took to fill a gen ed requirement and to try to meet girls. That theater class taught me a lot, in terms of projecting (or faking) confidence, interpersonal interactions, and how I carry myself. 

 

And over the past few years, we have seen the damage that people can do to this country when they are ignorant of scientific principles and history. People should definitely continue to seek knowledge and growth.

 

Instead of eliminating general education requirements for a degree, we should look for ways to make college more affordable. It's not the content that is a waste of money, it is the outrageous cost of higher education overall. Unfortunately I did not take any business administration classes and slept through Econ, so I don't know what to do about the cost.

[Crusader Husker]

You want to make college affordable?

 

Make the colleges co-sign the loans.

 

Only lend money to those getting college degrees that lead directly to jobs.

[ZRod]

58 minutes ago, Crusader Husker said:

You want to make college affordable?

 

Make the colleges co-sign the loans.

 

Only lend money to those getting college degrees that lead directly to jobs.

A degree has never guarantees anyone a job.

[Crusader Husker]

8 hours ago, ZRod said:

A degree has never guarantees anyone a job.

Yes, but some degrees can guarantee it will be really hard to find one.

 

The best plan for college in this Gen Ed. days is to go to a 2 year college and pay nothing to get your 1 year of wasteful Gen Ed credit out of the way, then go to a 4 year college.

 

Better yet, go in the trades.  Our HVAC company hired a kid out of our shop class a few months ago.  He starts June 1st.  

 

We have a major building project going on our campus.  The electricians have been talking to our shop classes about going into their field.  Some kids are listening.  Most of the people working in this project are older.  Someone needs to replace them soon.

[teachercd]

14 hours ago, Ulty said:

I tend to think that the gen ed classes bring a lot of value. So many people end up working in some field not directly tied to their degree, and general knowledge about the world is never a bad thing. We often use this knowledge in ways we don't expect. Math and science give us problem solving skills beyond the specific content of the course. Humanities courses teach us about human behavior and life in ways that we may not even realize.

 

I have a criminal justice degree, but the single most impactful class I took in college was a theater class, which I only took to fill a gen ed requirement and to try to meet girls. That theater class taught me a lot, in terms of projecting (or faking) confidence, interpersonal interactions, and how I carry myself. 

 

And over the past few years, we have seen the damage that people can do to this country when they are ignorant of scientific principles and history. People should definitely continue to seek knowledge and growth.

 

Instead of eliminating general education requirements for a degree, we should look for ways to make college more affordable. It's not the content that is a waste of money, it is the outrageous cost of higher education overall. Unfortunately I did not take any business administration classes and slept through Econ, so I don't know what to do about the cost.

There is a lot to be said about learning to learn.  

 

Years ago I had thoughts of becoming a professor, (mostly because of the amazing pay and unreal hours) but also because at that level you are teaching to people that for the most part want to learn or at the very least will not be distract the class and will do the work.

 

Now I will admit there is a very romanticized version of college, one where students are excited for the classes and professors encourage them to think and share.  We have a few professors that will come to my school to help/share in workshops and they are interesting but also not super practical, which is to be expected because "real" teaching K-12, is not even close to college.

 

Are Gen Ed's a waste of time?  Probably, yes.  Is learning to learn, working to complete something, Turing in things on time and being responsible a waste of time?  No.

 

 

[BigRedBuster]

15 hours ago, Ulty said:

I tend to think that the gen ed classes bring a lot of value. So many people end up working in some field not directly tied to their degree, and general knowledge about the world is never a bad thing. We often use this knowledge in ways we don't expect. Math and science give us problem solving skills beyond the specific content of the course. Humanities courses teach us about human behavior and life in ways that we may not even realize.

 

I have a criminal justice degree, but the single most impactful class I took in college was a theater class, which I only took to fill a gen ed requirement and to try to meet girls. That theater class taught me a lot, in terms of projecting (or faking) confidence, interpersonal interactions, and how I carry myself. 

 

And over the past few years, we have seen the damage that people can do to this country when they are ignorant of scientific principles and history. People should definitely continue to seek knowledge and growth.

 

Instead of eliminating general education requirements for a degree, we should look for ways to make college more affordable. It's not the content that is a waste of money, it is the outrageous cost of higher education overall. Unfortunately I did not take any business administration classes and slept through Econ, so I don't know what to do about the cost.

I completely agree.  I didn't agree when I was in college taking the classes.  But, now, looking back, there is value in those classes and I wish I would have taken it all more seriously.  

 

People have options.  They can go to a 4 year college, get a degree that requires gen ed classes.  Or, go to a community college at get a two year degree that requires zero or very few gen ed classes.

 

And, figuring out how to make college cheaper, while maintaining the content is drastically needed.  But, politicians don't want to fund higher education at the levels they once were.

[RedDenver]

13 hours ago, Crusader Husker said:

Only lend money to those getting college degrees that lead directly to jobs.

That is jobs training, not higher education. Societies need a broad education base.

[Archy1221]

3 minutes ago, RedDenver said:

That is jobs training, not higher education. Societies need a broad education base.

Most white collar jobs require a college degree, and the jobs being applied for have nothing to do with the elective courses.   
 

People are having to pay a tremendous amount of money for classes they don’t want nor need.   It’s a waste of resources.  
 

Those courses could still be offered outside of the requirement if people want to pay for them.   

[Crusader Husker]

16 minutes ago, RedDenver said:

That is jobs training, not higher education. Societies need a broad education base.

Then let society pay for it, not students.  It is a complete waste to make kids take classes that replicate the HS experience.  

 

This is why so many HS now offer dual credit so that the kids don't have to waste money on taking essentially the same classes over in college.  Our top students are not taking these classes again in college.  Some are graduating college in 3 years with taking a few summer school classes.

 

My son chose a college that has no general ed.  He has been knee deep in engineering classes starting his first semester his first year.  He gets to take a few classes in what he wants to take.  They tell the kids do what you are good and and do what you love.  

 

If kids don't know what they want to do?  Take General Studies.  If you know what you want to do, jump in and have at it.  

 

We spend more time educating ALL kids before 18 than most countries in the world.  Remember, when taking special needs kids out of the numbers when testing in our country, we do fine.  Many countries don't educate these kids in the same way we do.   

 

I would be curious what colleges around the world do with general ed.

[teachercd]

6 minutes ago, Crusader Husker said:

Then let society pay for it, not students.  It is a complete waste to make kids take classes that replicate the HS experience.  

 

This is why so many HS now offer dual credit so that the kids don't have to waste money on taking essentially the same classes over in college.  Our top students are not taking these classes again in college.  Some are graduating college in 3 years with taking a few summer school classes.

 

My son chose a college that has no general ed.  He has been knee deep in engineering classes starting his first semester his first year.  He gets to take a few classes in what he wants to take.  They tell the kids do what you are good and and do what you love.  

 

If kids don't know what they want to do?  Take General Studies.  If you know what you want to do, jump in and have at it.  

 

We spend more time educating ALL kids before 18 than most countries in the world.  Remember, when taking special needs kids out of the numbers when testing in our country, we do fine.  Many countries don't educate these kids in the same way we do.   

 

I would be curious what colleges around the world do with general ed.

I don't know but I do know that students from all over the world come to the US to attend college and not vice-versa.  We pretty much have the market cornered on best colleges in the world. 

[teachercd]

2 hours ago, BigRedBuster said:

I completely agree.  I didn't agree when I was in college taking the classes.  But, now, looking back, there is value in those classes and I wish I would have taken it all more seriously.  

 

People have options.  They can go to a 4 year college, get a degree that requires gen ed classes.  Or, go to a community college at get a two year degree that requires zero or very few gen ed classes.

 

And, figuring out how to make college cheaper, while maintaining the content is drastically needed.  But, politicians don't want to fund higher education at the levels they once were.

This is such a good post.  I totally agree.

 

I took so many classes where it was basically "What it the least amount of work I have to do...to get the grade I need"

 

 

[RedDenver]

9 minutes ago, Crusader Husker said:

Then let society pay for it, not students.  It is a complete waste to make kids take classes that replicate the HS experience.  

 

This is why so many HS now offer dual credit so that the kids don't have to waste money on taking essentially the same classes over in college.  Our top students are not taking these classes again in college.  Some are graduating college in 3 years with taking a few summer school classes.

 

My son chose a college that has no general ed.  He has been knee deep in engineering classes starting his first semester his first year.  He gets to take a few classes in what he wants to take.  They tell the kids do what you are good and and do what you love.  

 

If kids don't know what they want to do?  Take General Studies.  If you know what you want to do, jump in and have at it.  

 

We spend more time educating ALL kids before 18 than most countries in the world.  Remember, when taking special needs kids out of the numbers when testing in our country, we do fine.  Many countries don't educate these kids in the same way we do.   

 

I would be curious what colleges around the world do with general ed.

I'm fine with not making students pay for it and/or reducing the price of college. But I think taking classes beyond the minimum necessary for job training is important.

[teachercd]

There is nothing wrong with learning more.  I wish HS's had more electives.  

 

Instead so many students can't wait to get to senior year so that they can take 3 classes and leave school each day by 11:30...so that they can go "work", which is what they will be doing the rest of their lives. 

[BigRedBuster]

Just now, teachercd said:

There is nothing wrong with learning more.  I wish HS's had more electives.  

 

Instead so many students can't wait to get to senior year so that they can take 3 classes and leave school each day by 11:30...so that they can go "work", which is what they will be doing the rest of their lives. 

And, what so many don't realize is that, to be successful, they need to keep learning....pretty much the rest of their lives.