...Why You Won't Get the College Education You Paid For

[annasdad]

<p>Lectures can be entertaining, and many students like them because they require no effort or preparation on the part of the student. But lectures are not teaching. And the alternative need not be poorly thought out group exercises with poorly motivated peers - though that is often what you get from misguided attempts to add interactivity from professors who know not the first thing about designing effective instruction.</p>

[cobrat]

<p>

@annasdad

Lectures can be entertaining, and many students like them because they require no effort or preparation on the part of the student. But lectures are not teaching. And the alternative need not be poorly thought out group exercises with poorly motivated peers - though that is often what you get from misguided attempts to add interactivity from professors who know not the first thing about designing effective instruction.

</p>

<p>Though I agree with you about lectures, where will these Profs learn about “designing effective instruction”?</p>

[annasdad]

<p>

@cobrat

where will these Profs learn about “designing effective instruction”?

</p>

<p>Start here: [Amazon.com:</a> Principles of Instructional Design (9780534582845): Robert M. Gagne, Walter W. Wager, Katharine Golas, John M. Keller: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Instructional-Design-Robert-Gagne/dp/0534582842/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1317750188&sr=8-8]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Principles-Instructional-Design-Robert-Gagne/dp/0534582842/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1317750188&sr=8-8)</p>

<p>A classic that’s been around 40+ years (extensively revised and updated). This isn’t new stuff, nor is it rocket science.</p>

[MidwestMom2Kids_1]

<p>

what is the reasoning behind the tenure system? How does it benefit anyone other than the professors themselves? I find it very disturbing that tenured professors can never be fired.

Wikipedia explains it well:

Academic tenure is primarily intended to guarantee the right to academic freedom: it protects teachers and researchers when they dissent from prevailing opinion, openly disagree with authorities of any sort, or spend time on unfashionable topics. Thus academic tenure is similar to the lifetime tenure that protects some judges from external pressure. Without job security, the scholarly community as a whole might favor “safe” lines of inquiry. The intent of tenure is to allow original ideas to be more likely to arise, by giving scholars the intellectual autonomy to investigate the problems and solutions about which they are most passionate, and to report their honest conclusions.

</p>

<p>(Tenured professors can be fired.)</p>

[mini]

<p>Though I agree with you about lectures, where will these Profs learn about “designing effective instruction”? </p>

<p>[Home</a> Page - McGraw Center - Princeton University](<a href=“http://www.princeton.edu/mcgraw/]Home”>McGraw Center for Teaching and Learning)</p>

<p>My d. is actually working toward her “teaching transcript” certification through them. (Have to admit, when I was at Chicago, there was nothing of the sort.)</p>

[toblin]

<p>Lets face it; ALL government employees enjoy either a codified or un-confided protection by “tenure”. </p>

<p>Read: Civil service rules and disputes are interrupted and ruled upon by fellow civil servants. (judges included). </p>

<p>Hence an immense sense of entitlement and arrogance.</p>