this post was submitted on 24 Jun 2024
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Asklemmy

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[โ€“] [email protected] 113 points 4 months ago (7 children)

The quality of education at college and university is in free fall.

[โ€“] [email protected] 48 points 4 months ago (1 children)

I went to college before the internet was ever considered a valid source for any material. But using the internet made research extremely easy if I could determine the book source for reference.

I went back to college right around that time the internet just became the default source for everything. It was staggering how little information was expected to be known. The implicit ubiquitous access to information was a staggering foundational shift.

[โ€“] [email protected] 47 points 4 months ago* (last edited 4 months ago) (1 children)

I fear too many universities are businesses designed to fund seminars; and students graduating are whether an afterthought or an actual negative for them.

It was related to me that, because they want to keep their customers, one can solve any problem at uni - grades, minor victimless crimes, etc - simply by offering to take more courses. The only problem money can't solve is the one where the student has no more money, and it's over quickly after that (saw that one happen).

[โ€“] [email protected] 30 points 4 months ago (1 children)

It is far worse than that.

Universities have a lot of metrics that they are judged against that don't lead to a quality education. Research doesn't lead to good undergraduate students. A good pass rate just means the curriculum is soft enough to keep don't students from failing.

So you have university presidents who are incentivized to increase prestige and they aren't going to focus on the quality of education because that doesn't lead to better metrics. If presidents try to defend their universities' way of teaching, they get replaced by those who follow the system.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Why I likes the ABET requirement for engineering. Still have an 80% fail rate due to the standards, and you get audited for coursework.

I have yet to meet an employer who will hire an engineer from a non-ABET school.

[โ€“] [email protected] 18 points 4 months ago

Worked in higher Ed for a decade. Can confirm.

[โ€“] [email protected] 13 points 4 months ago

US universities are pro football teams with a sideline in education.

[โ€“] [email protected] 7 points 4 months ago (1 children)

Everywhere? or in what country/place?

[โ€“] [email protected] 12 points 4 months ago (1 children)

In Quebec/Canada at least. Haven't teach in another country but I fear it's similar.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

What is causing that? Anything I can do to offset that when my children will be old enough for it to be a problem?

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 4 months ago

Was it ever good?