I believe a college education should not have time restrictions. However, I do believe it should be significantly shorter than four years. A lot of liberal arts classes are there simply for us to stay in college longer so we can give more money to the establishment. I would do away with most liberal arts classes. College is a time when you're preparing for your career, not learning about Ancient Mesopotamian statues, save all of that kind of general education for high school. I would not change the male/female dynamic that we have in our current college system. By the time you're in college you should be able to control your emotions, girls and boys should not be distracted by the opposite sex. I believe all college education should be free. I would propose different prestiges of colleges according to GPA and SAT scores. Something like Harvard would not cost more, but it would still be as hard to get in to. Financial barriers should not have an effect on whether an extremely bright student goes to Baruch or to Yale. The only costs incurred to the students would be room and board if they decided to stay away at school.
Everyone will be required to go to college after high school...however long that may take. Teachers will teach in a generic classroom setting. Not much change from the way it is now. Classes that need a more intimate setting for numerous amounts of questions, like Calculus or English, will stay small, while "textbook" classes like psychology will be taught with 100+ kids in a lecture hall. All students will be provided with a 200 dollar check per week for expenses, so they can concentrate solely on studies. Too often I see people like myself, struggling to keep up with school work because they work a full time job.
My college does not require any liberal arts classes. All liberal arts will be taken and implemented in high school. Students should be as efficient with their time as possible in college. Any extra liberal arts classes can be taken at the expense of the student. Since all mandatory liberal arts classes will be eliminated, the courses required for each student will vary depending on the chosen career path. Accounting careers will take accounting courses, Pediatrician careers will take all required medical courses, etc. Everything depends on your chosen career path.
I chose my curricula the way I did because I find we spend too much time in college. I feel that kids dont learn enough real world skills in high school... So this college curriculum is designed after taking a lot of real life courses in high school (how to balance a checkbook, how to fold wash, how to change a tire, etc.). Those are the types of courses that will help a student in the real world. It's nice to learn about Remus and Romulus, Joan of Arc, Henry V, and Copernicus, but how is that going to help most people when they're trying to find a job? Leave things like that for people to learn in their own time, if they're interested enough.
Gargantua Activity: Designing and Ideal Education
Group Activity: Designing the Ideal College Education
In Rabelais’ Gargantua and Pantagruel, two different types of education are described: the Medieval and the Renaissance (or Humanist). After comparing and contrasting the two different types of education presented, your group will discuss and develop what you believe to be the ideal education for the average college student. Your plan should be appropriate for all majors and fields, so you cannot limit your subjects to one area.
I. Duration and Orientation: Discuss how long a college education should last. Should all people be required to have a college education? Should schools be coed (male and female)? What should the cost of education be, and do you have emendations to make in the current way that financial aid (loans, scholarships, your parents or your checkbook) works?
II. Pedagogy: Before developing your curriculum, be sure to discuss classroom format and the method of teaching and assignments. Will these be distance-learning courses or will students meet in classrooms? How many times weekly? Will there be exams, writing assignments, group activities, grades, etc.? What kind of methods will the ideal teacher be expected to use?
III. Courses: Here are some subjects to consider and help get you started (although these are by no means the only subjects to consider—refer back to Rabelais for additional suggestions). Remember, each subject has its own subsets, some of which I have included below—so list not only subjects, but which specific types of courses, and the number of courses in each section, are to be taken. If you feel that internship and field training are requirements, make sure to list those alongside the appropriate courses.
Math (i.e. Calculus, Logic, Algebra, Geometry); Languages (i.e. Ancient Latin or Greek, Chinese, French); Literature (World Lit—ancient or modern, Lit from different countries, styles: poetry, plays, stories, novels); History (ancient or modern, world or national); Religions; Physical Education; Fine Arts (i.e. painting, sculpture) and Performing Arts (acting, debate); Music; Games and Hobbies; Sciences; Military Preparation and Tactics; Trade School Courses (i.e. nursing, paramedic, mechanic, sanitation); Emergency courses (i.e. CPR, choking); Etiquette (i.e. eating, dancing, speaking, walking, dressing); Technology (computers—graphic design, internet guidance, repairs).
IV. Conclusion: Once you have developed a curriculum, explain why you chose the courses that you did. What does your emphasis on certain courses demonstrate about your approach to success in the modern world? In other words, how will your curriculum better prepare students for success in society than the current curriculum that you are being forced to complete?
In Rabelais’ Gargantua and Pantagruel, two different types of education are described: the Medieval and the Renaissance (or Humanist). After comparing and contrasting the two different types of education presented, your group will discuss and develop what you believe to be the ideal education for the average college student. Your plan should be appropriate for all majors and fields, so you cannot limit your subjects to one area.
I. Duration and Orientation: Discuss how long a college education should last. Should all people be required to have a college education? Should schools be coed (male and female)? What should the cost of education be, and do you have emendations to make in the current way that financial aid (loans, scholarships, your parents or your checkbook) works?
II. Pedagogy: Before developing your curriculum, be sure to discuss classroom format and the method of teaching and assignments. Will these be distance-learning courses or will students meet in classrooms? How many times weekly? Will there be exams, writing assignments, group activities, grades, etc.? What kind of methods will the ideal teacher be expected to use?
III. Courses: Here are some subjects to consider and help get you started (although these are by no means the only subjects to consider—refer back to Rabelais for additional suggestions). Remember, each subject has its own subsets, some of which I have included below—so list not only subjects, but which specific types of courses, and the number of courses in each section, are to be taken. If you feel that internship and field training are requirements, make sure to list those alongside the appropriate courses.
Math (i.e. Calculus, Logic, Algebra, Geometry); Languages (i.e. Ancient Latin or Greek, Chinese, French); Literature (World Lit—ancient or modern, Lit from different countries, styles: poetry, plays, stories, novels); History (ancient or modern, world or national); Religions; Physical Education; Fine Arts (i.e. painting, sculpture) and Performing Arts (acting, debate); Music; Games and Hobbies; Sciences; Military Preparation and Tactics; Trade School Courses (i.e. nursing, paramedic, mechanic, sanitation); Emergency courses (i.e. CPR, choking); Etiquette (i.e. eating, dancing, speaking, walking, dressing); Technology (computers—graphic design, internet guidance, repairs).
IV. Conclusion: Once you have developed a curriculum, explain why you chose the courses that you did. What does your emphasis on certain courses demonstrate about your approach to success in the modern world? In other words, how will your curriculum better prepare students for success in society than the current curriculum that you are being forced to complete?
Friday, November 21, 2008
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2 comments:
I do agree that most children do not learn enough essential things in high school like how to cook or change a tire. That kind of education is essential for everyday survival. Schools should have more woodshop and home ed courses. However I disagree with the length of college. I believe that college should rremain three or four years depending on what field of study you choose. The more that you are educated on the topic the better you can make a beneficial contribution to society.
I like the idea of classes for preparing for the everyday world, not just for your job. It is true that we don't learn how to do wash laundry and fold clothes or change tires in school and maybe we should. We usually learn from our parents or from just trying it for the first time. Removing liberal arts classes would be a good idea because a lot of the extra classes are not really needed but are a nice addition to the things you SHOULD know.
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