Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2004/06/26
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]We have what we feel is a fairly good safeguard against letting people OUT without writing skills (a written exit exam graded by 2 different people with no student names on the paper, thus eliminating bias). But we have no control over who we let in, as we're an open admissions college. Part of our mission is to educate the masses regardless of the condition they are in, with the following two restrictions: Students must have a HS diploma or a GED. If they don't have either of those, they have to score at the 9th grade level on an ability to benefit test in order to get financial aid. The limitation on financial aid used to be 5th grade, but the chances of a student getting out of college from that low of a starting level is pretty remote. Jeffery Smith New Orleans, LA -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+jls=runbox.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Leonard J Kapner Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 6:44 PM To: 'Leica Users Group' Subject: RE: [Leica] declining quality now why are these illiteratesevenadmitted to college Sorry for the intrusion, but this whole issue makes me see red. When academic administrators are rewarded for managing to a set of numbers rather than to the independently inspected quality of their product, we get this kind of "felgerkarb" result. Higher education is the only industry in America (other than politics and used car sales) that flourishes, despite the almost universal condemnation of the quality of their contribution to the nation's economy. What is wrong with us?? Maybe I'm just wearing a red filter today... Len -- -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+ljkapner=cox.net@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+ljkapner=cox.net@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Don Dory Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 4:07 PM To: 'Leica Users Group' Subject: RE: [Leica] declining quality now why are these illiterates evenadmitted to college Sorry for the rant, but if these 18 year olds are being admitted to university; shouldn't they be able to string a few words together coherently? Perhaps it wouldn't be too much to require basic communication abilities before admission. My mother taught at the graduate level and every semester flunked out a few who couldn't/wouldn't write the required papers in the format provided the first session. I can still hear her on the phone to the Provost explaining that if a student could not follow a basic style requirement at the graduate level she saw no reason to provide a passing grade, and explaining it again, and again. Don dorysrus@mindspring.com -----Original Message----- From: lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org [mailto:lug-bounces+dorysrus=mindspring.com@leica-users.org] On Behalf Of Adam Bridge Sent: Saturday, June 26, 2004 3:17 PM To: Leica Users Group Subject: Re: [Leica] declining quality of writing My engineering education dates from the early 1980s, but at UC Davis at least writing reports, GOOD reports that people could understand and which were literate, was a part of the general engineering curriculum that all engineers were required to take. The University also had entrance tests to discern who could actually write an essay in English that someone might, should they read it, have a shot at understanding. I used to carpool with one of the specialists who taught that course and the amount of understanding she brought to her course was well beyond what a vast majority of the engineering faculty had at their disposal. Teaching writing and composition is a specialized field, just like teaching circuit design, chemistry or any other field. It seems natural to me to let those who studied how to do it actually do the job they studied for. On the other hand the demand for well-written reports and essays in the sciences and in engineering seems even more crucial now than it ever has. But in an era where some elementary curricula are designed around using Power Point (shuddering) I wonder how well we're going to be doing a decade from now. Adam On Sat, 26 Jun 2004 14:32:08 -0500, Jeffery Smith <jls@runbox.com> wrote: > > I have tried to push "writing across the curriculum" at three different > colleges, and each attempt has invoked cries of "academic freedom" being > violated. The invention of the scantron hasn't helped our cause either. > > Jeffery Smith > New Orleans, LA _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information _______________________________________________ Leica Users Group. See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information