also the other side is that in countries that routinely kick our ass on math and science tests, the students are actually asked to learn fewer things than in american schools and they learn them more slowly ... but somehow they kick our ass when those students come to american school
― the late great, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:03 (twelve years ago) link
they are also generally going to cost more to train at the undergrad level, so universities have little reason to push people into the fields
― iatee, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:05 (twelve years ago) link
cost more? why?
― the late great, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:07 (twelve years ago) link
i'm not following what you're saying iatee
― the late great, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:08 (twelve years ago) link
I teach in the humanities at a public uni & a few years back had a Vietnamese immigrant who struggled hard with written & oral English, didn't understand well the Western debates on monotheism, etc. She ended up kicking every other student's ass. The difference was partly that she actually came to office hours, unlike the others. But I don't really know what else it was: intrinsic smarts? work habits? I dunno, but it was eye opening.
― Euler, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:08 (twelve years ago) link
science students require expenive labs, interaction w/ higher-paid faculty, humanities students require chalkboards and grad student teacher who you're paying 15k a year
xp
― iatee, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:11 (twelve years ago) link
not math faculty
― Euler, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:11 (twelve years ago) link
yeah I mean it's not true across the board but it's a partial explanation why there's not internal pressure to make science ed more accessible at any given university. it costs money and doesn't bring immediate benefits, unless your university is starting out w/ a surplus of science resources.
― iatee, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:16 (twelve years ago) link
well they do generally charge lab fees for the labs
― the late great, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:17 (twelve years ago) link
trying to find a breakdown, I remember reading it somewhere http://blogs.sciencemag.org/sciencecareers/2012/01/university-of-f.html
― iatee, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:20 (twelve years ago) link
http://www.today.ucla.edu/portal/ut/bottom-line-shows-humanities-really-155771.aspx
― iatee, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:25 (twelve years ago) link
science research otoh can bring in defense $$$$$ (and also other industry $$$$) while good luck getting grants for your novel interpretation of milton.
― s.clover, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:36 (twelve years ago) link
yes, on the research level the opposite is true
― iatee, Friday, 16 March 2012 20:38 (twelve years ago) link
My late father was a mechanical engineer by training, but it's amazing how the field hasn't changed. Sure, they use computers a lot more. My dad worked part-time up to the last month of his life, he adapted to the CAD programs just fine!
Engineers must maintain their math schools their entire life! My dad used to sit down at night with a math book! I envied him, people think math is hopelessly dry, it's interesting if you view it as an expression of spatial relationships! If you're into art or design or photography you might want to maintain some math skills.
My dad put a lot of pressure on me to learn math. It keeps your brain sharp and doesn't have any ideological bullshit in it. I like doing the odd math problem.
We had a math test in design school and I got a C! I got a high score on my math SAT but I hadn't practiced in a while.
Math and science don't discriminate based on background, but sometimes a student's social climate discourages them from learning math. i.e., if you struggle with math you are stupid! Conceptually, it is easier than philosophy or literature...doing the problems is difficult.
― โตเกียวเหมียวเหมียว aka Got Gym (Mount Cleaners), Friday, 16 March 2012 20:41 (twelve years ago) link
This seems quite salient here:
https://www.commondreams.org/view/2012/03/23-8
― Masonic Boom, Sunday, 25 March 2012 09:33 (twelve years ago) link
here's an interesting one
http://nyti.ms/MN6Q8s
― the late great, Friday, 3 August 2012 06:59 (eleven years ago) link
i am pretty sure nobody really answers the final question in the comments but i didn't read all of them
― the late great, Friday, 3 August 2012 07:02 (eleven years ago) link
post secondary education facilitated entry ime ; )
― buzza, Friday, 3 August 2012 07:14 (eleven years ago) link