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usccte (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
The faculty at the University of South Carolina responded. Watch our video under Video Responses.
FatherElectric (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
@Professor3131 Phone/texting/email/facebook/google - that pretty much sums up much "work" today (and self aggrandizing) - welcome to the 21st century!Studying? I've aced many a uni course without opening a text, or attending a lecture. Modern info processing is different than yesteryear.Apart from lip service that "playing good student" imparts some metaphysical benefit , it's becoming obvious that slaving through this ritual doesn't benefit anyone except uni staff and their bank accounts.
Professor3131 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
@FatherElectric How many years have you been a college professor? You didn't see any indication that students were saying they don't come to class, don't pay attention in class, etc.? You didn't see that they spend time on the phone, texting, emailing, and on facebook more than studying? You're saying that if I walk into any corporate office, I'll see individuals doing anything but work? They'll be checking emails, working on facebook, etc.? That doesn't say much for our future businesses.
FatherElectric (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
@Professor3131 I didn't see anyone in the video whining. "short attention / stimulated / entertained"? What does that mean? These students are not entertaining themselves, they are communicating and conducting business. Walk into any corporate office, and you will see people doing the exact same things these students are doing. And if these kids are not up to date and grounded in the modern pace of life, they will be useless after graduation.Too bad academia is too insular to give a crap!
Professor3131 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
So, basically the students who made this video are indicating that they have short-term attention spans and if they aren't being entertained and constantly stimulated by technology then they are bored and think everything is worthless. They are telling us that they lack the wisdom to really understand what they are learning, the self-discipline and good manners to go to class and pay attention for they length of class, and the maturity to take responsibility for their part of learning! Whiny!
FatherElectric (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
Some of these responses seem to miss the point.Here's how I see it: There is a large disconnect between the "idea" of college, or the preconceived assumptions that many like to project onto the college experience - and the REALITY.This video just points out how on the one hand life has changed so much in past few decades (including what we expect from the young and college grads = the world), but colleges themselves have not really changed at all!So yeah, something's not right.
laukinis1990 (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
God, thats just touched me, couse in my country its just the point...
isaacwmiller (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
@DimebagVision But your whole claim is that professors are inaccessible and do not "help the students enough." If "the small percentage standard is objective, if a professor does not reach it, does that mean they weren't doing enough for the students? What about subjects like Math, where very few will become interested and most are taking it to eliminate some general studies requirements? If your standard is subjective (it is), how can you criticize?
isaacwmiller (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
@DimebagVision So if they teach from a textbook, that's not "their own way?" Maybe they prefer teaching from textbooks. Law Professors have to. Economics professors prefer to until math+modeling get involved (and even then some). Non-humanities majors (and even some of those) HAVE to teach from the classic texts and seminal texts; to some, that might seem like a cop-out, but its often the best way to understand a field of study - a large store of knowledge + an interpreter with experience.
isaacwmiller (November 30, 1999 at 12:00 am)
@DimebagVision You misinterpreted me on both counts - I didn't criticize students texting, as you initially stated - nor did I criticize "texting right after class," into which you backpedaled - If you read the whole reply in context, you see it was aimed at the **priorities of students.** (i.e. recreation>studying) You're focusing on a mere illustration and making an unrelated, irrelevant point - That I am against texting after class, which I'm not, nor did the context of that statement imply. |
