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Score 1 for the good guys/common sense!
ShadowDancer
When I say, "Why aye, gadgie," in my heart I say, "Och aye, laddie."London, UK
in Zocalo v2.0
The judge in the[URL=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/4545822.stm]Dover[/URL] school ID case has ruled that:
[QUOTE]the school board had violated the constitutional ban on teaching religion in public schools. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Judge Jones said he had determined that ID was not science and "cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents". [/QUOTE]
It's good to know there are at least a few people out there who have their heads screwed on right! Score 1 for science!
[QUOTE]the school board had violated the constitutional ban on teaching religion in public schools. [/QUOTE]
[QUOTE]Judge Jones said he had determined that ID was not science and "cannot uncouple itself from its creationist, and thus religious, antecedents". [/QUOTE]
It's good to know there are at least a few people out there who have their heads screwed on right! Score 1 for science!
Comments
Jake
[B]Good, maybe we can move beyond this and focus on some of the real educational shortcomings in the US.
Jake [/B][/QUOTE]
Yeah... Like the lack of requiring a semester of Ancient Beer Brewing...
;)
:D
[B]Good, maybe we can move beyond this and focus on some of the real educational shortcomings in the US.
Jake [/B][/QUOTE]
Such as the frightening trend towards politically correct grading? (i.e. "Johnny or Sue put forth an effort, so they pass!" rather than grading based on the students demonstrating a functional understanding of the course material). We're in trouble. Serious trouble.
[B]Such as the frightening trend towards politically correct grading? (i.e. "Johnny or Sue put forth an effort, so they pass!" rather than grading based on the students demonstrating a functional understanding of the course material). We're in trouble. Serious trouble. [/B][/QUOTE]
Do you think that is where the Foot vs. Meter incident started in NASA maybe?
:D
[B]I hate to say it, but the USA doesn't have a monopoly on that concept. NZ is experimenting with the idea too. Apparently it's bad for a kid's self esteem to tell them they failed calculus. Never mind that maybe they just arn't cut out for that part of mankind's knowledge...[/B][/QUOTE]
Do you think maybe that is how the old great civilizations self destruct?
;)
:D
[B]Such as the frightening trend towards politically correct grading? (i.e. "Johnny or Sue put forth an effort, so they pass!" rather than grading based on the students demonstrating a functional understanding of the course material). We're in trouble. Serious trouble. [/B][/QUOTE]
Unfortunately, (not to get political) that came in with "No Child Left Behind". Which means literally, no child can be left behind, hence no child can fail.
I forsee the national science and math scores skyrocketing because little Johnny couldn't understand something in third grade and it compounded through 12th.:rolleyes:
Dug
My favorite all-time professors grade damned honestly and fairly. Doing nothing but the requirements gets you a C. Extra effort gets the student a B, and going above and beyond the requirements by a large margin gets them an A. It's truly rewarding.
[B]Such as the frightening trend towards politically correct grading? (i.e. "Johnny or Sue put forth an effort, so they pass!" rather than grading based on the students demonstrating a functional understanding of the course material). We're in trouble. Serious trouble. [/B][/QUOTE]
No, [url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1400052440/qid=1135205607/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-9538791-6380140?n=507846&s=books&v=glance]how about focusing on some real problems[/url].
[url=http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0060974990/qid=1135205613/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/102-9538791-6380140?n=507846&s=books&v=glance]You know, problems that actually matter[/url].
But yes those books are desturbing. My counter book for those is Made in America. I didn't read all of it, but it was quite insightful.
My oceanography prof actually did a real graded curve, except off of a B average. Everyone that was within one standard deviation from the mean receaved a B, so one would have to really suck to get a C,D,F or do really well to get an A.
What are your thoughts on adjusted grades (reducing total points possible to, for example, the highest score) and/or grading on a curve?
On the topic of teaching...one of my recent courses had a genuinely interesting concept presented within it: A "collective" education system in which the maximum achievable grade is that which is actually the lowest student in the class. The concept suggests that in an environment where success *demands* cooperation between students, those who are doing poorly will seek those who are doing well, and vice versa. The better-off students, those who clearly understand the material, have the most to gain by helping those who have little to no understanding. If the class slacks off, then the entire class' grades slide. Everyone is punished, whether for action against the system or inaction (through not supporting it).
I like it. Something I considered doing was working with the professor of this course to hold a few classes at my school using this theory as the basis, and observing how students handle the coursework. Would there be social collapse? Would everyone slack off? Hell, would everyone come out better? At the very least, it'd achieve my goals of being an evil bastard for a day.
Incentives to help out other students fine, but to chain them to a lesser grade no matter how well they perform etc. is blatantly wrong.
My personal opinion for what it is worth.
;)