video on the current state of students (serious discussion)

[Himuro]

Here's a youtube that's been going around that talks about the current state of college students.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dGCJ46vyR9o

Long winded, dull, melodramatic. While it strikes some good points, it's basically saying that chalkboards are our problem? That the way teachers teach is the source of our problems? What is it saying?

I like those supposedly boring lectures, especially if it's for a history, politics, or psychology class. I like getting assigned reading material. I HATE webct. Whoever brings their notebook to class and gets on facebook instead of paying attention in class is an idiot. Yes, technology has changed the model of the average student, but don't act like folks don't have choice. Who cares if you are assigned a book that you never use. Use it on your own terms and teach YOURSELF. 2 hours eating? Who spends 2 hours eating?


What is the point of this video? What does being in debt after college have to do with anything? What does the average annual pay for someone in another country have to do with your education? Even if you had a minimum wage job, you'd still get more than them, so that information is irrelevant. Is it saying that technology has changed the landscape of our education? if so, that's a valid point because people need to stop acting like computers can replace human interaction, especially in a school setting. In the end, the video is nothing more than numerous conclusive problems rather than offering up a solution.
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[Timbo]

I don't get what they are trying to say either. I can't tell if they are saying the current problems with education are the increase in technology and kids not paying attention or that the educational system doesn't relate to students anymore because it's not using enough technology.

Either way, I have to agree with the latter suggestion. Education is about creating effective communication between teachers and students. When the students are using computers and technology for communication more than verbal forms, I think the educational system should adapt to putting more stock into technology to communicate with students. Right now there is a large communication block between students and teachers that isn't going to be resolved by saying that students need to work harder. It needs to bea two way street. Technology should be used to the point of getting rid of meeting at classes, (which I think is a stupid idea that my old school did for a few classes) but to try to use internet sources and resources as learning tools. I mean, imagine a Sociology class talking about the social structures of Facebook and myspace and comparing it to previous social patterns of communication. Or a critical thinking class analyzing wikipedia to point out flaws and biases and working to change them. I think that'd go really well in a class room. I think the internet should be used in classes to watch videos on subjects and to create discussion.

I mean, has anyone ever noticed the amount of analysis that can happen on a forum? It's tremendous. There has to be some sort of way to bring it into a class. Students are learning so much using technology, but most of it isn't be used in a useful manner. Consider Pokemon and the ten year olds memorizing the typing of everyone single one, the strongest stats of them, the traits and what pokemon are best to counter others. That's a huge chunk of info to learn and apply and kids are doing it willingly. As I said before, there has to be a way to bring that into a classroom.

So many teachers see technology as just a distraction and don't see all the learning potential. I had a teacher who wouldn't let me use my laptop to type and organize notes because he said that I was just trying to browse the internet. He threatened to kick me out of the class because I asked 'why?' and told him I wasn't browsing the internet. Later in a class, we had a disagreement about when something happened historically and it would have been great time to use the internet to look it up to find out who was correct. I had another teacher who wouldn't accept a paper being e-mailed as an attachment to her, which just seems absurd to me. When I worked a tutor, I'd often hear teachers complaining about how their students wanted them to know more about using e-mail and the internet to help them out and the teachers were complaining and mocking them. I see students trying to use technology to help their learning and teachers not willing to learn technology to help their students learn. This isn't all teachers, but I have had and seen many of them that do this.

As I said, theres a serious communication breakdown between teachers and students and both sides are going to have to work to stop it,but it's sad to see lots of teachers cutting of communication when students are trying to use technology to help learn.

[Yohn]

Either way, I have no problems learning with whatever method professors are going to use, and at a state university the teachers pretty much do what they want. The internet doesn't make learning any more interesting; it's the subject matter.
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"And as the lion slaughters man, I am the wolf and you're the lamb." ~Blind Guardian

[Himuro]

[Timbo]

[Ujitsuna]

I think it's trying to say that colleges have several outdated or meaningless techniques of teaching. Like the chalkboard, how can someone at the back read it? Or laptops, in class they just lead to procrastination. Thats what I got from the video anyway.

[Falcon Critical]

While I see what they're saying with technology being a curse as much as a blessing, something I'd like to raise which relates more to the subject line than the video... the state of education in the western world vs the eastern world.

We see it in Japan with the legions of anime pushing the points, but its spread through Korea, China and India as well at least. What am I talking about? The drive and MASSIVE pressure placed on every student to be the absolute best at everything. Parents in these countries look at results and often a C or a B is just not good enough, their children must be getting As or they'll not get a job and for the average student this pressure basically stifles and suffocates their childhood. I have talked to a friend of mine here in NZ who grew up in India. She basically said that her marks were mostly Bs and that essentially ruled her out of getting a job over there. "A degree in India is nothing" she tells me, "it has to be at least a masters to be of any value to employers".

Compare this to the western school culture, we essentially have no pressure on our students - a pass is a pass and brainy kids get As. People mess around at school and failing isn't all that bad you just pick yourself up and keep going. I failed English in 5th form and the next year I just took vege-english... while asian nations are pushing their children into more and more advanced schooling, the western world is falling back and taking a relaxed attitude. Personally I loved growing up in the western schooling system, I am one of those students that could easily have gotten straight As if I applied myself but never really could be bothered.

This leads me to think that very soon we may see western society falling behind in technological advances, though at the same time a lot of students from these asian nations are coming over and helping out our industries with their ridiculous hard-work ethic.
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