Posts tagged education
“ Why do I even need to have this discussion? Why, if I had proposed educating people about gravity or plate tectonics, would there have been no debate? Why would any other drive to educate be seen as positive, rather than dogmatic? Why are we expected to roll over and simply accept that some people are going to ignore the fact of evolution? Because religion is protected in our culture. Telling someone they’re wrong is “dogmatic” if it’s contradicting their religious beliefs even if, you know, they’re wrong. Mincing words and avoiding hurt feelings is more important than education and reality. Religion does not deserve this special status. We don’t have to tiptoe around, pretending the universe bends to their wishes when all of the evidence says otherwise.”
Accepting evidence is not dogmatic | Blag Hag
My favorite thing I’ve read all week. I’m so glad it’s back up, because this is something that should be openly discussed, not just in academia but in popular culture.
“ Here’s an interesting contrast: We claim to be preparing students for global competitiveness, and we reward mastery of basic skills. Our guiding principles: Competition, accountability, and choice. Finland has this singular goal: to develop the humanity of each child. Isn’t that a shocking goal? Their guiding principles: equity, creativity, and prosperity. Finland rightly deserves attention today as a nation that treats its children as a precious resource and that honors the adults who make education their passion and their career. Someday, I hope, we will recognize the failure of the behaviorist approach now in vogue; someday we will see that our current “reforms” are appropriate for the industrial era of the early 20th century, not for the needs of the 21st century.”
Sadly, I doubt it. But anyway, the article explains why the Finnish educational system is the antithesis of the American one, and surprise, it’s far superior in every way.
“ It’s all about the truth, people. And all the evidence is crystal clear right now: the earth is far older than 6,000 years. Evolution is a real, and it is a process built on raw chance driven by the brutal engines of selection, and there is no sign of a loving, personal god, but only billions of years of pitiless winnowing without any direction other than short-term survival and reproduction. It’s not pretty, it’s not consoling, it doesn’t sanctify virginity, or tell you that god really loves your foreskin, but it’s got one soaring virtue that trumps all the others: it’s true.”
Confrontation all the way : Pharyngula
Brilliant. Read this, all of it, now.
“ Legislation hailed by supporters as the most significant change to college student lending in a generation passed the House on Sunday night.”
15 Podcasts That Will Make You Smarter
nyminute:libraryland:(via references)
To this list I would add any of the podcasts from How Stuff Works, but particularly Stuff You Should Know, and my personal favorite right now, Astronomy Cast.
“One of the more underrated benefits of the internet era has been access to quality radio style programming at any time of the day or night.”
I agree completely. Why podcasts - particularly considering the number of quality educational podcasts available - aren’t as ubiquitous as YouTube videos is beyond me. Along with iTunes U, I think podcasts are the greatest thing to come out of the iTunes store. And amazingly enough, both of these features are completely free.
With all of these awesome resources, I’m amazed that people still mostly use their iPods to listen to music. I can’t remember the last time I did.
