Comments on: The Betrayal of the Smart Sons http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/ Mark Anderson Strategic News Service Sun, 16 Jan 2011 14:38:39 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: tim http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1900 tim Tue, 26 Jan 2010 05:05:20 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1900 More Liberals coming, but are they the smart ones? Freshmen Abandon Business http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/01/21/freshmen# More Liberals coming, but are they the smart ones?

Freshmen Abandon Business
http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/01/21/freshmen#

]]> By: David Brin http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1787 David Brin Tue, 12 Jan 2010 21:36:37 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1787 Interesting. Though the British system was smarmy and elitist to start with. Interesting. Though the British system was smarmy and elitist to start with.

]]> By: tim http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1784 tim Tue, 12 Jan 2010 08:29:44 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1784 Universities tell Gordon Brown: cuts will bring us to our knees The Russell Group warns cuts to universities, like Cambridge, above, threaten to reduce a 'gold standard' system to one that is 'silver, bronze or worse'. http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jan/11/universities-gordon-brown-cuts-recession Universities tell Gordon Brown: cuts will bring us to our knees

The Russell Group warns cuts to universities, like Cambridge, above, threaten to reduce a ‘gold standard’ system to one that is ‘silver, bronze or worse’.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2010/jan/11/universities-gordon-brown-cuts-recession

]]> By: tim http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1727 tim Tue, 29 Dec 2009 15:58:25 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1727 More on the key role of Education in Employment and Trade Deficits The manufacturing shibboleth Dec 28th 2009, 16:12 by The Economist | WASHINGTON I HAVE noticed an interesting line of argument developing on the American left—a reaction, I think, to America's current predicament of high unemployment and lingering trade imbalances. It goes something like this: American used to manufacture things but it doesn't any longer. When it did, worker wages grew rapidly, the middle class was strong, there were no trade deficits, and the economy was more stable. Now that it doesn't, all these economic ills have befallen this once proud economy. http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2009/12/the_manufacturing_shibboleth More on the key role of Education in Employment and Trade Deficits

The manufacturing shibboleth
Dec 28th 2009, 16:12 by The Economist | WASHINGTON

I HAVE noticed an interesting line of argument developing on the American left—a reaction, I think, to America’s current predicament of high unemployment and lingering trade imbalances. It goes something like this: American used to manufacture things but it doesn’t any longer. When it did, worker wages grew rapidly, the middle class was strong, there were no trade deficits, and the economy was more stable. Now that it doesn’t, all these economic ills have befallen this once proud economy.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/freeexchange/2009/12/the_manufacturing_shibboleth

]]> By: tim http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1717 tim Sun, 27 Dec 2009 12:52:28 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1717 How the status quo can kill: the example of free trade | Thu, 12/24/2009 - 2:19pm — Tony Wikrent “They don’t want to connect the dots, because they are part of the picture.” Extract | Seems to me that people who have secured comfortable positions in “managerial class” and “creative class” occupations tend to support the President and an incrementalist approach to addressing the nation’s problems. They tend to be reflexively hostile to any sweeping changes, such as actually annihilating the health insurance companies, or actually doing away with the big financial houses like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan Chase. They seem to insist on solutions that rely as much as possible on market mechanisms, such as cap and trade to deal with climate change. They recoil in horror at the suggestion that “the system” itself is the problem. Generally, they appear to be economic neo-liberals, who have actually become acclimated to the results of the Reagan Revolution. And there is one economic policy above all others that they believe in. Free trade. You’ve probably heard about how free trade has hurt American workers. Maybe you don’t really believe it. Maybe you think that the benefits of free trade – cheaper goods, more choices – outweigh the costs. Maybe you don’t really feel like your job or livelihood is subject to overseas competition. But free trade does affect you. To tell the truth, free trade is probably killing you. http://www.correntewire.com/how_status_quo_can_kill_example_free_trade How the status quo can kill: the example of free trade | Thu, 12/24/2009 – 2:19pm — Tony Wikrent

“They don’t want to connect the dots, because they are part of the picture.”

Extract | Seems to me that people who have secured comfortable positions in “managerial class” and “creative class” occupations tend to support the President and an incrementalist approach to addressing the nation’s problems. They tend to be reflexively hostile to any sweeping changes, such as actually annihilating the health insurance companies, or actually doing away with the big financial houses like Goldman Sachs, Citigroup, and Morgan Chase. They seem to insist on solutions that rely as much as possible on market mechanisms, such as cap and trade to deal with climate change. They recoil in horror at the suggestion that “the system” itself is the problem. Generally, they appear to be economic neo-liberals, who have actually become acclimated to the results of the Reagan Revolution.

And there is one economic policy above all others that they believe in. Free trade.

You’ve probably heard about how free trade has hurt American workers. Maybe you don’t really believe it. Maybe you think that the benefits of free trade – cheaper goods, more choices – outweigh the costs. Maybe you don’t really feel like your job or livelihood is subject to overseas competition. But free trade does affect you. To tell the truth, free trade is probably killing you.

http://www.correntewire.com/how_status_quo_can_kill_example_free_trade

]]> By: Brian http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1715 Brian Sat, 26 Dec 2009 20:19:21 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1715 >BTW, some of them went into science fiction, too. I won’t tell who. George McFly? >BTW, some of them went into science fiction, too. I won’t tell who.

George McFly?

]]> By: tim http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1713 tim Sat, 26 Dec 2009 15:02:19 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1713 John Kenneth Galbraith on Democracy, Leadership, Commitment (1977 video from TV series). Education features strongly. http://cdn-static.viddler.com/flash/publisher.swf?key=1820c83a&offsetTime=%22 John Kenneth Galbraith on Democracy, Leadership, Commitment (1977 video from TV series). Education features strongly.

http://cdn-static.viddler.com/flash/publisher.swf?key=1820c83a&offsetTime=%22

]]> By: David Brin http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1712 David Brin Sat, 26 Dec 2009 05:55:08 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1712 It is in keeping with European traditions, that identify people as specialized beings. "Boffins" or scientists are never encouraged to also take courses in politics or history or any of the other fields that lead to positions controlling policy. And policy people traditionally took great pride in knowing no science. Of course, times change. When I lived there in the 1980s, a higher fraction of Americans went to University, now the higher fraction is in Europe. It is in keeping with European traditions, that identify people as specialized beings. “Boffins” or scientists are never encouraged to also take courses in politics or history or any of the other fields that lead to positions controlling policy. And policy people traditionally took great pride in knowing no science.

Of course, times change. When I lived there in the 1980s, a higher fraction of Americans went to University, now the higher fraction is in Europe.

]]> By: tim http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1709 tim Sat, 26 Dec 2009 00:41:27 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1709 TWO-YEAR DEGREES Fast-track degrees are accelerated honours courses, announced in 2003, which have been tried in eight English universities. Staffordshire, for example, has some 200 students - out of a total of 17,000 - taking two-year courses in accounting and finance, business management, English, geography and law. Students do the same amount of work as on a three-year degree but use the summer vacation as extra terms. Courses suit people such as mature students whose priority is obtaining a vocational qualification rather than having the full-blown undergraduate experience involving being away from home for the first time. They save on fees and living expenses, though with less opportunity for paid work. The government saves on the financial support students get in grants and loans (loans are repaid but over many years, and have to be funded in advance). But they cause universities financial problems. They have had to provide a three-year syllabus in return for two years' tuition fees and two-and-a-half years' equivalent in Hefce funding. There were organisational and infrastructure implications - such as extending the opening hours of student support and accommodation, library and information services. Some academics who were resistant could be side-stepped in a pilot programme but their attitudes would have to be changed if it were to be expanded. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8427546.stm TWO-YEAR DEGREES
Fast-track degrees are accelerated honours courses, announced in 2003, which have been tried in eight English universities.
Staffordshire, for example, has some 200 students – out of a total of 17,000 – taking two-year courses in accounting and finance, business management, English, geography and law.
Students do the same amount of work as on a three-year degree but use the summer vacation as extra terms.
Courses suit people such as mature students whose priority is obtaining a vocational qualification rather than having the full-blown undergraduate experience involving being away from home for the first time.
They save on fees and living expenses, though with less opportunity for paid work.
The government saves on the financial support students get in grants and loans (loans are repaid but over many years, and have to be funded in advance).
But they cause universities financial problems. They have had to provide a three-year syllabus in return for two years’ tuition fees and two-and-a-half years’ equivalent in Hefce funding.
There were organisational and infrastructure implications – such as extending the opening hours of student support and accommodation, library and information services.
Some academics who were resistant could be side-stepped in a pilot programme but their attitudes would have to be changed if it were to be expanded.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/8427546.stm

]]> By: david http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/comment-page-1/#comment-1708 david Fri, 25 Dec 2009 20:49:53 +0000 http://www.tapsns.com/blog/index.php/2009/12/the-betrayal-of-the-smart-sons/#comment-1708 The Europeans already have a baccalaureate degree that takes one year less than the American 4-year bachelors. After living in both London and Paris, I know how they tend to explain this... that American students are so ill-prepared that they require an entire year of remedial preparation. This is a choice insult and many self-flagellating Yanks go along, nodding sadly that it must be so. But the facts don't jibe. In fact, the reason is simpler. European university students choose a specialized subject to study, upon entering University, and focus almost solely on that topic...much in the way that US students do, in graduate school. This reflects a tradition very different than in the US... where the bachelor's degree is meant to produce well-rounded citizens, with arts majors required to take some science and vice versa. In fact, the extra year consists almost entirely of "breadth requirements." If the Britis BA is being narrowed to 2 years, I shudder to imagine how it will be done. The Europeans already have a baccalaureate degree that takes one year less than the American 4-year bachelors. After living in both London and Paris, I know how they tend to explain this… that American students are so ill-prepared that they require an entire year of remedial preparation.

This is a choice insult and many self-flagellating Yanks go along, nodding sadly that it must be so. But the facts don’t jibe.

In fact, the reason is simpler. European university students choose a specialized subject to study, upon entering University, and focus almost solely on that topic…much in the way that US students do, in graduate school. This reflects a tradition very different than in the US… where the bachelor’s degree is meant to produce well-rounded citizens, with arts majors required to take some science and vice versa.

In fact, the extra year consists almost entirely of “breadth requirements.”

If the Britis BA is being narrowed to 2 years, I shudder to imagine how it will be done.

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