Re: [luv-talk] Data exchange between Linux and iPad
Russell Coker <russell@coker.com.au> wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012, "Trent W. Buck" <trentbuck@gmail.com> wrote:
English lit, now that is a subject that's pure child-minding. Should go back to teaching rhetoric and grammar.
The subject "English" should be about blogging, email, twitter, SMS, and writing technical documents - with probably about that order of importance.
Reading literature is valuable; so is essay writing for anyone who studies the humanities/social sciences. (Even in the natural sciences, beyond a certain point one has to be able to write papers/theses/dissertations).
If we are going to maintain the illusion that school is teaching skills that are relevant to work then we should be able to have schools implement practices that work in a commercial environment.
So... how to spend all day on facebook while pretending to use word? They cover that in the "IT" classes.
That's laughable indeed. I think there's an important role for serious school education intended to prepare people for rigorous academic study at university.
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012, Jason White <jason@jasonjgw.net> wrote:
Russell Coker <russell@coker.com.au> wrote:
On Tue, 20 Nov 2012, "Trent W. Buck" <trentbuck@gmail.com> wrote:
English lit, now that is a subject that's pure child-minding. Should go back to teaching rhetoric and grammar.
The subject "English" should be about blogging, email, twitter, SMS, and writing technical documents - with probably about that order of importance.
Reading literature is valuable;
I read The Lord of the Rings when I was in grade 6. I don't think that any teaching in regard to reading literature should be required in high school. Anyone who can't read LOTR by year 8 is probably a lost cause as far as serious reading is concerned.
so is essay writing for anyone who studies the humanities/social sciences. (Even in the natural sciences, beyond a certain point one has to be able to write papers/theses/dissertations).
What portion of the population do a humanities course at university? I expect that it's a lot less than half the population and I don't think there's any good reason to force the entire population to pretend to learn about writing essays about literature for that. Yes writing essays is useful for science degrees and for any job that you might get which requires a science degree. But the essay in question will be more similar to writing technical documents and blogging than anything which is taught in current year 12 "English".
I think there's an important role for serious school education intended to prepare people for rigorous academic study at university.
Unfortunately such serious education is incompatible with having every child complete year 12. On Tue, 20 Nov 2012, Roger <arelem@bigpond.com> wrote:
From next year, every teacher from sport, English, math and science and social sciences will have to teach IT.
Citation needed.
History is now history of Asia and aborigines, not history of Australia.
Roger, make no more mentions of race in your messages. -- My Main Blog http://etbe.coker.com.au/ My Documents Blog http://doc.coker.com.au/
Russell Coker <russell@coker.com.au> wrote:
I read The Lord of the Rings when I was in grade 6. I don't think that any teaching in regard to reading literature should be required in high school. Anyone who can't read LOTR by year 8 is probably a lost cause as far as serious reading is concerned.
Maybe, although people from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds might be the exceptions if proper education were offered, but on the other hand that education would be best provided prior to year 8.
so is essay writing for anyone who studies the humanities/social sciences. (Even in the natural sciences, beyond a certain point one has to be able to write papers/theses/dissertations).
What portion of the population do a humanities course at university? I expect that it's a lot less than half the population and I don't think there's any good reason to force the entire population to pretend to learn about writing essays about literature for that.
It would mean less general education for much of the population and very early specialization in that case, i.e., different academic/non-academic streams at early secondary school. Whether that's desirable or not is a complex issue - as I remember, that's how it's essentially done in Germany for example.
I think there's an important role for serious school education intended to prepare people for rigorous academic study at university.
Unfortunately such serious education is incompatible with having every child complete year 12.
To which the usual reply is that year 12 isn't for everyone, or at least, academically serious year 12 isn't. It should be *available* to everyone who wants it, of course, but if there are people who want to go into a trade/apprenticeship/job training programme earlier than that, then why not?
participants (3)
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Anders Holmstrom -
Jason White -
Russell Coker