A Loss of Learning
Brian Alger,
Inside Learning Weblog,
Jan 07, 2004
Discussion prompted by some of Jay Cross's observations and on what counts as "stupid" in learning. Things like this, certainly: "Twice per week my son joins a group of students in a barren classroom setting. The professor has never appeared in real life, not once, but instead delivers lectures via videotape. The students watch the videotape and take notes. Once per week a seminar takes place with the aid of a teaching assistant to help answer any questions about the videotape or the required reading. All evaluations have taken the form of computerized multiple choice tests - a trite form of assessment that often has more to do with word games than it does knowledge. While my son is sitting in the classroom with his classmates, identical "lectures" are taking place in other parts of the campus simultaneously and after looking at the course calendar it is clear that these "lectures" are being presented to thousands of students. These same students are about to embark on the same process in the new term. What we are in fact viewing here is a new problem to the problem of overcrowding. It's not too hard to imagine what Neil Postman might think about this - didn’t he write 'Amusing Ourselves To Death?' And all this for the sale price of a mere $12,000 (CDN) per year - what a great deal!"
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