Comments for On Higher Education http://walterwendler.com Walter Wendler Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:34:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Our Universities: Certification by DJ http://walterwendler.com/2012/02/our-university-certification/#comment-963 DJ Fri, 10 Feb 2012 19:34:53 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1279#comment-963 A wonderful first sentence. Grade inflation is indeed a problem--but rather less so at SIUC than at most places. This doesn't mean that our students are doing better, by the way, only that they aren't grade-grubbers, by and large, and that they don't complain when you give them a low grade. At least not in my classes. Nor has the administration been particularly keen to go after those of us who still hand out plenty of grades of C and lower (though there was a bit of an effort on this a couple of years ago). But the wider trend you spot is clear enough, and has been documented nationally. While this essay is strong on what's wrong with social promotion, it's rather thin on what a true education would entail, and particularly on our responsibility to do all we can to make sure our students get it. (Of course no blog post can cover everything!) If one hands out grades fairly, as you rightly suggest we should, and too many of the grades are too low, then there are a number of possible explanations. One of them is that our students are failing to do their job, which seems to be your view here. The other is that we aren't--we professors, administrators, etc. A wonderful first sentence. Grade inflation is indeed a problem–but rather less so at SIUC than at most places. This doesn’t mean that our students are doing better, by the way, only that they aren’t grade-grubbers, by and large, and that they don’t complain when you give them a low grade. At least not in my classes. Nor has the administration been particularly keen to go after those of us who still hand out plenty of grades of C and lower (though there was a bit of an effort on this a couple of years ago). But the wider trend you spot is clear enough, and has been documented nationally.
While this essay is strong on what’s wrong with social promotion, it’s rather thin on what a true education would entail, and particularly on our responsibility to do all we can to make sure our students get it. (Of course no blog post can cover everything!) If one hands out grades fairly, as you rightly suggest we should, and too many of the grades are too low, then there are a number of possible explanations. One of them is that our students are failing to do their job, which seems to be your view here. The other is that we aren’t–we professors, administrators, etc.

]]> Comment on Our Universities: Certification by TW http://walterwendler.com/2012/02/our-university-certification/#comment-949 TW Wed, 08 Feb 2012 16:54:10 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1279#comment-949 Can't argue with that. Now I wonder who the person was who described university education as a "meal ticket"? Is it the same one who described students as "customers"? Can’t argue with that. Now I wonder who the person was who described university education as a “meal ticket”? Is it the same one who described students as “customers”?

]]> Comment on Our Universities: Certification by Barnum Bailey http://walterwendler.com/2012/02/our-university-certification/#comment-948 Barnum Bailey Wed, 08 Feb 2012 15:04:17 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1279#comment-948 Jasper "Scooter" Fernandez (no need to censor, made up name) told me that higher education at places guilty of such imposter opportunity and advocacy is nothing more than glorified welfare. Mr. Hernandez may be on to something. The current policy and pace of these administrative culprits is like that of retreating to the second story of a house whose first story is on fire. It's just a matter of time. Simple deduction proves who exactly finances all of this. Saps, the lot of us. Jasper “Scooter” Fernandez (no need to censor, made up name) told me that higher education at places guilty of such imposter opportunity and advocacy is nothing more than glorified welfare. Mr. Hernandez may be on to something. The current policy and pace of these administrative culprits is like that of retreating to the second story of a house whose first story is on fire. It’s just a matter of time. Simple deduction proves who exactly finances all of this. Saps, the lot of us.

]]> Comment on Our Universities: Curiosity by Sunny http://walterwendler.com/2012/01/our-universities-rockin-robin/#comment-852 Sunny Wed, 25 Jan 2012 21:04:00 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1270#comment-852 Thank goodness I grew up in a time with people that encouraged my curiosity. My curiosity contributes to my happiness, enthusiasm and even my success and productivity. You make a good point in your final paragraph, Dr. Wendler. Thank goodness I grew up in a time with people that encouraged my curiosity. My curiosity contributes to my happiness, enthusiasm and even my success and productivity. You make a good point in your final paragraph, Dr. Wendler.

]]> Comment on Our University: Marriage by CMM http://walterwendler.com/2012/01/our-university-marriage/#comment-827 CMM Thu, 19 Jan 2012 13:48:35 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1264#comment-827 I had an instructor who once said "you don't want a bunch of bozos graduating with a degree in your field. It cheapens your degree". His view was if that "person" could get a degree from "there", then anyone could. He was right. I had an instructor who once said “you don’t want a bunch of bozos graduating with a degree in your field. It cheapens your degree”. His view was if that “person” could get a degree from “there”, then anyone could. He was right.

]]> Comment on Our University: Marriage by Sunny http://walterwendler.com/2012/01/our-university-marriage/#comment-818 Sunny Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:04:56 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1264#comment-818 Well put! Well put!

]]> Comment on Our University: Marriage by TW http://walterwendler.com/2012/01/our-university-marriage/#comment-816 TW Wed, 18 Jan 2012 16:15:08 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1264#comment-816 Bravo! As stimulating as Lord Tebbitt's blog. in THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (UK). There is common ground here. Bravo! As stimulating as Lord Tebbitt’s blog. in THE DAILY TELEGRAPH (UK). There is common ground here.

]]> Comment on Our Universities: Wailing and Gnashing of Teeth by PF http://walterwendler.com/2012/01/our-universities-wailing-and-gnashing-of-teeth-2/#comment-772 PF Sat, 14 Jan 2012 18:27:06 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1259#comment-772 Assuming that SIU fits the category of a regional university, it is very interesting to read Dr. Wendler's re-consideration of "Southern at 150" aspirations in favor of SIU's current direction emphasizing expanded undergraduate enrollment. It is also interesting to note Dr. Wendler's call for a substantial role at regional universities for professional and masters degree programs, which has yet to emerge as a clear priority for SIU. But such programs don't attract the research grants of doctoral programs or the tuition base of undergraduate programs, so funding is still a challenge. Perhaps limited state funding should target professional and masters programs at regional universities? Assuming that SIU fits the category of a regional university, it is very interesting to read Dr. Wendler’s re-consideration of “Southern at 150″ aspirations in favor of SIU’s current direction emphasizing expanded undergraduate enrollment. It is also interesting to note Dr. Wendler’s call for a substantial role at regional universities for professional and masters degree programs, which has yet to emerge as a clear priority for SIU. But such programs don’t attract the research grants of doctoral programs or the tuition base of undergraduate programs, so funding is still a challenge. Perhaps limited state funding should target professional and masters programs at regional universities?

]]> Comment on Our Universities: Sowing and Reaping by DC http://walterwendler.com/2012/01/our-universities-sowing-and-reaping/#comment-760 DC Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:11:25 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1251#comment-760 This is an interesting and timely piece. Today (1/11) and since the publication of this piece, the Chronicle has an online story on the same topic but with a focus on the granting of "badges" to those who complete the various online modules. For those with access to the Chronicle, this is the link: http://chronicle.com/article/Badges-Earned-Online-Pose/130241/ As a kind of counter-point to Wendler's point about private/public activity in this space, the Chronicle highlights private/corporate participation. A snippet: "But the biggest push for badges is coming from industry and education reformers, rather than from traditional educational institutions. Mozilla, the group that develops the popular Firefox Web browser, is designing a framework to let anyone with a Web page—colleges, companies, or even individuals—issue education badges designed to prevent forgeries and give potential employers details about the distinctions at the click of a mouse. Hundreds of educational institutions, traditional and nontraditional, have flocked to a $2-million grant program run in coordination with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, seeking financial support to experiment with the educational-badge platform." The other comment I want to make is the parallel of this issue to the momentum behind open access to the published results of taxpayer-funded research as represented by the NIH deposit requirement policy and in the push for FRPAA (Federal Research and Public Access Act). If Wendler's discussion is about open access to the classroom then FRPAA is about open access to the results of our research labs. And as further evidence of the momentum, there is a terrific OpEd piece in today's (1/11) NY Times entitled "Research Bought, Then Paid For" by Michael Eisen. Interesting stuff. This is an interesting and timely piece. Today (1/11) and since the publication of this piece, the Chronicle has an online story on the same topic but with a focus on the granting of “badges” to those who complete the various online modules. For those with access to the Chronicle, this is the link:
http://chronicle.com/article/Badges-Earned-Online-Pose/130241/
As a kind of counter-point to Wendler’s point about private/public activity in this space, the Chronicle highlights private/corporate participation. A snippet:

“But the biggest push for badges is coming from industry and education reformers, rather than from traditional educational institutions. Mozilla, the group that develops the popular Firefox Web browser, is designing a framework to let anyone with a Web page—colleges, companies, or even individuals—issue education badges designed to prevent forgeries and give potential employers details about the distinctions at the click of a mouse. Hundreds of educational institutions, traditional and nontraditional, have flocked to a $2-million grant program run in coordination with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, seeking financial support to experiment with the educational-badge platform.”

The other comment I want to make is the parallel of this issue to the momentum behind open access to the published results of taxpayer-funded research as represented by the NIH deposit requirement policy and in the push for FRPAA (Federal Research and Public Access Act). If Wendler’s discussion is about open access to the classroom then FRPAA is about open access to the results of our research labs. And as further evidence of the momentum, there is a terrific OpEd piece in today’s (1/11) NY Times entitled “Research Bought, Then Paid For” by Michael Eisen.

Interesting stuff.

]]> Comment on Our University: Summertime Revisited by TW http://walterwendler.com/2011/12/our-university-summertime-revisited/#comment-739 TW Fri, 30 Dec 2011 19:19:22 +0000 http://walterwendler.com/?p=1246#comment-739 DL is not real learning but the equivalent of Enron and junk bonds. The previous comment about the old system says it all. Let us not discard the values of a real university education for the latest gimmick. DL is not real learning but the equivalent of Enron and junk bonds. The previous comment about the old system says it all. Let us not discard the values of a real university education for the latest gimmick.

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