Every time I write a tuition check, buy books, wait in line for books, sit through a boring lecture or pull an all nighter on a stupid homework assignment, I’m forced to ask myself why I even do it. Let me get one thing straight: I LOVE LEARNING, which is exactly why I have such a problem with schools who (1) don’t tailor to my learning style or (2) don’t teach me much of value (considering what I’m paying) to my future.
Learning is essential, important and fun!
I’m not the type to watch TV, see too many movies, play video games for hours on end or any other similar activity that I consider to be wasteful. Instead, I spend my time improving myself — reading interesting books, setting goals, being active in my church (which I think is the best way to improve one’s self) and other similar things. I LOVE LEARNING — The more I know, the more I know I don’t know and the more urgently I feel the need to find it out. It’s one of the most rewarding things I’ve ever done.
Not all methods of learning are equally benefical
Of all the ways I bring information in to my head, I have learned that some ways are more effective than others. I find educational movies to be among the best — requiring my full attention and appealing completely to my senses of vision and hearing. I also like reading. Quality material, of course. I also think there’s a lot of crap. Stuff like the Harvard Business Review is a little costly to come by but bestows incredible amounts of knowledge in a short amount of time. I also really enjoy a good, stimulating discussion — particularly with an expert on a topic. I ask the questions, the expert or experts in the room answer them and they have my full attention.
Current university-style learning is not for me
Every time I sit through a boring lecture or turn in a pointless homework assignment I feel dumber. I have this incredible desire to move forward in life, and yet, I feel like my hours in class are wasted. Why am I still in school you ask? Well, I’m already pretty far in to it, and there’s something to be said about not giving up. I’ll also frankly admit that there’s a lot of social pressure from family, friends and society that makes quitting college difficult. I find it easier to just “suffer through” and try to supplement my learning in other ways.
In talking with others about this, I can tell that I’m not exactly “alone” in my thinking, but I am in a minority. It seems that university style teaching does work for most, but not for me. Unfortunate? Maybe. But that’s why I’m so frustrated with tuition. I hate paying as much as I do (even you scholarship people should understand that if it’s not your money, someone else’s money is being spent) for something that is of little or no value to me.
You might also think that it’s my attitude — that school is what you try to get out of it. Believe me, I’ve tried and I am trying. But when I think about “investing in my future” or “investing in education,” I don’t think it’s unreasonable to expect that I shouldn’t HAVE to learn the same way that others learn. If I’m a paying customer, I should get the knowledge and training I’m paying for, shouldn’t I?
I believe that there is great value to the university experience beyond the schooling. The social experience makes me more well-rounded. The networking is beneficial. Forcing me to learn about topics that I never would have thought about (like psychology) actually proves to be very interesting! I am only humbly submitting that the learning could be more efficient.
What do I mean by efficient learning? I would like to see “choose your own homework assignment” where grading would be based on (1) what you chose to do and (2) how well you did it. I would like to see more stimulated discussion in class where teachers basically say “Ok, I’m the expert on Economics in the room. What would you guys like to know?” I would also like to see better use of online collaboration tools. I’m a big fan of learning at your own pace in your own timeframe under your own parameters. Online tools make it possible for you to exceed the efforts of your classmates if you so choose, or if circumstances require it, scale back a little to devote more energies to other areas of life.
If this were the case, for me, senioritis would completely go away. I intend to be involved in a lifetime of learning. I wouldn’t be opposed to taking 1-2 classes a semester for the rest of my life so long as I felt like it was the best way for me to learn. That’s my rant, thanks for listening!
Dallin
8 responses so far ↓
1 jkieth // Jul 10, 2008 at 3:59 pm
The “choose your own homework” idea is really good. Of course it would have to be mandatory that you actually choose an assignment otherwise I don’t think anyone would subject themselves to any assignment whether they got to choose it or not. It might be hard on the teacher trying to keep track of everyone’s individual assignments but I think it would give them a chance to learn from the students as well. Good thoughts!
2 anton // Jul 11, 2008 at 12:41 pm
Universities should get with the times? What are you referring to? Who’s times? Who’s setting that standard that universities should follow? You? This was a very egotistical rant. I’m sorry you’re frustrated with your learning experience, but to put the blame on anyone other than yourself is ridiculous. I’ll admit that the teaching style at ASU isn’t always great (but my complaint stems more from the fact that some teachers don’t teach you anything you couldn’t learn by yourself with your textbook), to think that the university has to cater to your specific learning needs is absurd. I know you’re paying for it…but you get what you pay for. Do you know how much tuition is at ASU? It’s DIRT CHEAP. It’s one of the cheapest state universities in the country. I invite you to go look at the costs of other universities around the country…And it’s not like they’re robbing you….
And look at the number of students at ASU. How do you propose the university could possibly attend specifically to the “learning style” of each and every student? It’s impossible. While some homework might be “dumb” to you, or some lectures “boring,” that doesn’t mean they’re not helpful and insightful to others. I mean, you want to learn with movies? Really? This is college…If I watch a movie in class, I’ll fall asleep within five minutes. See the problem? The fact that you don’t like your learning experience should tell you something about yourself. Either you already know what’s being taught (then you should have no problem getting an A) or you don’t get it (hence your frustration). But in any case, your unhappiness doesn’t mean the teachers or university is wrong in their approach to teaching and learning. Thats my two cents.
3 Dallin // Jul 11, 2008 at 12:59 pm
Dirt cheap? Hah, maybe compared to the other universities in the country, but that’s only because they’re robbing people too. Plus we aren’t considering the large part of the tuition bill that is footed by tax dollars. University education is not cheap!
I honestly believe that if I were to take my tuition dollars (and those of the state) elsewhere, I could get a much better education.
I’m not saying that hope is lost for universities. When I say “get with the times” I mean they need to take advantages of new ways of presenting information so that they CAN tailor to my learning style and the learning style of others (I’m sure I’m not alone) because otherwise, what are we paying for?
4 anton // Jul 11, 2008 at 4:29 pm
Dirt cheap? Yes! What are you HAhing about? You obviously don’t understand basic economic principles if you think that instate tuition in Arizona is in any way, shape, or form expensive. Believe me (or better yet, believe university financial reports) universities aren’t money making machines. The money you pay is necessary for the education you receive, whether or not you believe you learn anything. You want a better education? You’ll have to pay more money.
You say you would take your money and go elsewhere— where exactly would that be? Specifically? I’m telling you, you’re not going to find a better education anywhere for what you’re paying here. If you disagree, please be specific on where you’d go. Again, how would you propose that universities “take advantage” of “new ways of presenting information?” What exactly are these “new ways?” Movies? (You could go buy whatever movie it is you want to watch for five dollars on ebay, instead of paying tuition to watch it in class). And before you rant about university costs, go take a gander at how much ASU spends…go see how much money it takes to run a large university…they’re not robbing anyone. And to top it off, you provide nothing that backs your claims. This truly is nothing but a rant—there’s nothing in the whole article that’s fact based or persuasive.
But my real point, and disagreement with you resides in the fact that you think a university should cater to specific, individual needs of each student. Its simply not possible. Or, for it to be possible, we would have to spend an incredible amount of money (more money than we currently spend) in order to pay for more technology, more staff, teachers, buildings, etc. So basically, you’re in a catch-22—you want a better education, you have to pay more money. And that’s the way the world works.
5 jkieth // Jul 12, 2008 at 2:19 am
Whoaaaa there Anton! I can sense your resentment of the article but let’s not forget the title of our blog here. I welcome your feedback and I’m all for having opposing opinions on any article that’s posted (it’s useful in expanding everyone’s perception on both sides of an argument), but let’s try to keep the criticism to a minimum eh?
6 pelegray // Jul 12, 2008 at 5:37 pm
Just because ASU, in my opinion, offers a great opportunity to get plenty of bang for your buck doesn’t mean that it shouldn’t look for additional ways to improve. They have the infrastructure for such things as better collaboration outside the classroom through the internet and an increase of outside the classroom media resources. Improvement must always be the focus. I love ASU, that’s why my vote is to go there and I do, but we can make things better. What I see is that some teachers don’t understand the internet and multimedia resources that they have and therefor don’t use it. If the did, they could greatly improve ASU, which is what we all want.
Saying that something can be improved does not immediately mean that it is bad.
So ease off that fallacy Anton…
7 anton // Jul 13, 2008 at 10:41 pm
Wow.
Way to back each other.
Look, no one answered any of my questions…
To you pelegray…What fallacy are you talking about? I addressed specifically the author’s points in this blog…I never implied, anymore than he did, that he currently thought ASU was “bad.” Believe me, I didn’t lean on that “fallacy” in my replies…Go read my post again… Obviously everything can be improved, so don’t throw that little tidbit in there just for a parting jab. But I’m sorry I disagreed with the author (and seemingly every other author that runs this blog). But at least you did give a few specifics to what ASU should do, something the original author did not. And that was part of my criticism. I still don’t think anyone, including you, has said anything that makes any real sense in respect to “improving” the learning experience at ASU. That’s just my opinion, and certainly you guys can respect that, since that’s all you really seem to deal with.
But good luck with the blog… you guys have a nice start, but you might want to work on mixing it up a little bit, and work on getting a little tougher skin. (Its not like my criticisms were cruel, vulgar, pointless, or completely off base, and it seems like you guys collectively freaked out about it. I like to debate, but not when people seem to be sensitive or they steer the argument all over the place (the fallacy jab)). Anyway, thanks for filling up a few boring minutes at work…and you won’t have to worry about me posting again since it seems like its a little off limits.
8 dallin // Aug 14, 2008 at 8:10 pm
I found this today.
http://digg.com/educational/For_Most_People_College_Is_a_Waste_of_Time?OTC-ig
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