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Is there actually good evidence on the value of a "well-rounded education"? But in any case, I don't think shoe-horning general education into what is basicall

Is there actually good evidence on the value of a "well-rounded education"? But in any case, I don't think shoe-horning general education into what is basically jobs training is the right approach. We put kids through 12 years of "general education", if we haven't succeeded at that point, why would a few more college credits help?

mattkrause 8y ago
I’m not sure that knowing about Æthelred the Unready is particularly useful for most jobs, but if you think of these classes as (covertly) teaching critical thinking and writing skills, then perhaps they make some sense even if you don’t value knowing about the world beyond your particular specialization.
- Eridrus 8y ago
  But are they actually teaching critical thinking successfully? And why would you need to wait until college for those effects to show up? The humanities classes are taught throughout regular schooling.
  - walshemj 8y ago
    Not at that level its only when you get to A level and Uni you realy get to do much critical thinking.
  - jdeisenberg 8y ago
    The community college where I teach has English 001C: Critical Thinking/Composition -- “This course presents the elements of critical reasoning and logic. Students will learn to identify the basic structures of arguments and the ways people use language to fortify or to falsify arguments. Students will analyze and demonstrate these techniques by writing and critiquing essays and using research strategies.”
    - Eridrus 8y ago
      So, does this course actually work at instilling critical thinking in students, outside the narrow classroom setting? Does this effect persist over the long term? Is it better or worse to teach this in the context of composition, or something more domain-specific, e.g. economics/government policy? I feel like people making claims that education that students don't ask for is useful have the burden of showing that it is does what they say it will, empirically, and not get to hand wave about "critical thinking" or "well-roundedness".
walshemj 8y ago
Helps you pass the "Airport Test" If you have spent your uni years rote learning you not going to do very well. If say you had been in the foot lights (Cambridge) got a blue or been on university challenge. Our in a very interesting case when I worked at BT, been a under 21 international and had his foot blown off in the Balkan wars and been medevac'd to the UK

mattkrause 8y ago

I’m not sure that knowing about Æthelred the Unready is particularly useful for most jobs, but if you think of these classes as (covertly) teaching critical thinking and writing skills, then perhaps they make some sense even if you don’t value knowing about the world beyond your particular specialization.

Eridrus 8y ago
But are they actually teaching critical thinking successfully? And why would you need to wait until college for those effects to show up? The humanities classes are taught throughout regular schooling.
- walshemj 8y ago
  Not at that level its only when you get to A level and Uni you realy get to do much critical thinking.
- jdeisenberg 8y ago
  The community college where I teach has English 001C: Critical Thinking/Composition -- “This course presents the elements of critical reasoning and logic. Students will learn to identify the basic structures of arguments and the ways people use language to fortify or to falsify arguments. Students will analyze and demonstrate these techniques by writing and critiquing essays and using research strategies.”
  - Eridrus 8y ago
    So, does this course actually work at instilling critical thinking in students, outside the narrow classroom setting? Does this effect persist over the long term? Is it better or worse to teach this in the context of composition, or something more domain-specific, e.g. economics/government policy? I feel like people making claims that education that students don't ask for is useful have the burden of showing that it is does what they say it will, empirically, and not get to hand wave about "critical thinking" or "well-roundedness".

walshemj 8y ago

Helps you pass the "Airport Test" If you have spent your uni years rote learning you not going to do very well. If say you had been in the foot lights (Cambridge) got a blue or been on university challenge. Our in a very interesting case when I worked at BT, been a under 21 international and had his foot blown off in the Balkan wars and been medevac'd to the UK