zipper

It's much better NOT to have competition in education. Have you ever heard of the Socrates system of learning? This will be like that, but better. First, you learn the basics on a very interactive computer system, and then you discuss the material with a professor or friends, etc. If you have questions, you can always ask the professors.

davnasca

Oh yes, Socrates loved having a governing body breathing down his neck telling him what he can and can't teach. That really worked out well for him.

The immense problem that I see from this is the fact that one omnipotent body decides every facet of what is taught. I have had no less than 41 teachers and each has made mo who I am. I absolutely deplored and disagreed with some of them, but my experiences with them have shaped my perception and the way I think.

So basically what you want is to be the dictator over a group of people who all have exactly the same morals and educational background. For someone who claims to be so well versed in the views of other cultures, you sure have a difficult time respecting the differences among people. I don't care if your utopia combines aspects of the !Kung, Nuer, Ancient Greek and Atlantean cultures- it still seeks to create one oppressive uniform mold- especially where education is concerned.

Nickel Xenon

I don't know, if there's no competition, then what's the point? What's going to make you want to learn? If you're not being graded, why work so hard? I know plenty of people that don't know what's good for them. I don't see them having a thirst for knowledge, more like a thirst to slack off. I don't like the thought of learning through a computer either. I'd rather have a debate with my peers or read the book and then have a class discussion over it first rather than starting out with the computer and then moving on to this.

zipper

Chaps,

Their will be absolutely no "governing body" determining what to think. The computer courses will be created by professors, and will do their best not to inject opinion. Computers will be used to learn facts.

The discussions with professors and such will be very open to different opinions.

Also, their will be popular vote to determine if a course is too opinionated.

Also, many many people learn for fun.

LEARNING IS NOT WORK!!!!!

You see, school is WORK, but learning what you LOVE and are PASSIONATE about is not work.

I did research, and spend A LOT of time on it, and not one minute was work.

I also take colleges courses in subjects I love--not one minute was work.

Also, to have debate, you have to know some information first. How the hell can you have a debate over WW2 if you know nothing about it? for example.

dietcoke14

if everyone sat around a computer all day (which is pretty much what i do anyway) they would get fat
really FAT (which is kinda what happened to me... jk)

amb3r

You cannot learn unless you work and practice. We don't just absorb things straight off the chalkboard - or at least we do, but then we lose our grasp of those concepts a minute or two later.

Why are you calling us chaps..?

zipper

^^^^^^ I know, chap. THATS why I said, research will be ample.

Can't you guys comprehend english? I said tons of times, research is important, discussions, very little time on the computer, but none of you seen to understand.

Com'on, chaps, read and comprehend.

I call you chaps because I try to create a friendly tone--chap refers to friends.

Nickel Xenon

School *is* work, though. Even if you love your job and are passionate about it, it's still work isn't it? And what about the people that have no passion? What's keeping them from not trying?

catsushi

You should just call us "comrades"...."Chap Zipper" doesn't have the right flow as "Comrade Zipper" does.

And I already replied to your pm that "survival of the fittest" also applies to learning. Everyone wants to be the smartest, most powerful, good looking; so they can mate and have sexy-intelligent children. And for self-gratification. Without that, we have no purpose.

zipper

No one has no passion. Everyone likes at least something.

Do you know anyone who does not like anything? I talked to a psychologist about this, and he said this to me.

zipper

"Everyone wants to be the smartest, most powerful, good looking; so they can mate and have sexy-intelligent children."

You seem to have no understanding of human nature. What you said is a very AMERICAN concept. Read about other culture.

Nickel Xenon

So if someone has a passion for sleeping all day, that's what they should do? I really don't get your way of thinking at all.

Edit: So we'll have a different system per culture? Like how it already is?

zipper

Regarding "survival of the fittest":

But how can you possible, and logically, apply that to education and the human world?

You cannot. In the human world, sick people don't just die,they get medicine and such.

Sorry, I read a book all about evolution, and am currently taking a college class in Human Physiology, and to apply "Survival of the fittest" is not logical at all.

zipper

Also, you see, humans evolved not to sleep all day. They evolved to work together--like how most other primates to--to make a living.

Sleeping all day is no at all natural. And besides, these people will, today, drop out of school, develop even less self confidence, and become more distraught with their lives.

In my system, the person can at least get a chance to work on something the is interesting.

Also, their will be schools and shelters and help for such people.

catsushi

"But how can you possible, and logically, apply that to education and the human world?

You cannot. In the human world, sick people don't just die,they get medicine and such.

Sorry, I read a book all about evolution, and am currently taking a college class in Human Physiology, and to apply "Survival of the fittest" is not logical at all."


You yourself seem to be somewhat of an idealist. Sick people do die in the world, only some people take the time to treat them. Take the situation in Darfur, for example. Or the problem with AIDS in poor countries. However, I do not see how this has to do with the idea of survival of the fittest.

Also, I happen to be Russian. I just gained US citizenship last summer. I think I have plenty of insight on a different culture.

You also seem to not take in what I am saying, so I feel that this argument is going nowhere and is quite hopeless. Once again, I will state finally that since our society values power, creativity, and intelligence, then it is only natural that individuals try to gain those characteristics as a way of ensuring their survival in that very same society.

Also, it's nice that you are taking classes, but that does not give you credibility or substantial evidence to say that it is not logical at all.

I think I'm going to work on my website some more. Thanks for stopping by, by the way.