What college or university courses do you think should be mandatory?

[War Lord]

But it seriously depends on the major. I highly doubt an art major will need algebra while they're painting, or a music major needing political science while composing music, or a engineering major needing a course on 19th century Russian writers while drafting plans for a big building

It's just a fantasy question. You don't need to analyze it to death.

If you want to get specific, I happen to think our educational institutions are almost worthless these days. We might actually be farther ahead if we could change the way we teach skills to a more hands on, job situation than teaching it in a classroom.

 

[War Lord]

If that's the case then I don't think a SINGLE course should be required by all students.

Which is an acceptable answer.

 

[Addendum]

It's just a fantasy question. You don't need to analyze it to death.

If you want to get specific, I happen to think our educational institutions are almost worthless these days. We might actually be farther ahead if we could change the way we teach skills to a more hands on, job situation than teaching it in a classroom.

I will if I so choose. Quite fun

 

[guitarsingerguy]

It's just a fantasy question. You don't need to analyze it to death.

If you want to get specific, I happen to think our educational institutions are almost worthless these days. We might actually be farther ahead if we could change the way we teach skills to a more hands on, job situation than teaching it in a classroom.

To an extent I agree with this, but unfortunately, at this point in time, college is a necessary evil for people like me. There aren't many other choices for me.

 

[War Lord]

I will if I so choose. Quite fun

It can be fun, but it usually amounts to having meaningless answers.

 

[Addendum]

It can be fun, but it usually amounts to having meaningless answers.

I find it amusing when someone gets an answer they didn't expect or want

 

[incurock31]

I think having to take College Algebra and an English course is beyond wasting money.

Tell me about it.
Actual exchange from College Algebra:
Teacher - "So if we take the regular hourly wage, $12, and multiply it by 1.5, we'll get the overtime hourly pay. What would that be?"
Girl - "$5."

This course requires placement.

 

[Addendum]

You forget the $5 is "after taxes"

 

[Abaddon]

Accounting

 

[War Lord]

I find it amusing when someone gets an answer they didn't expect or want

I'm just looking for honest answers, whether I like them or not.

There must be something that you think people should be more knowledgeable about, whether it be an environmental course or something.

 

[The Overlord]

What courses do you think every student should take when they are in a post-secondary educational institution to make the world a better place.

I wish that every student would take a course in economics, because as idealistic as some people are, there are some things that we can't do for the world because it would either result in mass poverty or the economics of doing some things is just not doable.

I believe that if every student had some grounding in the principle of economics, they would not be so idealistic in their thinking.

Marx was an economist, so your theory doesn't work.

 

[maxwell's demon]

more math and science classes, more engineering classes


and most importantly

more RHETORIC courses so people don't continually get spun by the network tiny-prick-pantses.

 

[The Overlord]

It's just a fantasy question. You don't need to analyze it to death.

If you want to get specific, I happen to think our educational institutions are almost worthless these days. We might actually be farther ahead if we could change the way we teach skills to a more hands on, job situation than teaching it in a classroom.

Let me guess our education system would be more worthwhile if taught creationism instead of evolution in science, right?

 

[The Overlord]

more math and science classes, more engineering classes


and most importantly

more RHETORIC courses so people don't continually get spun by the network tiny-prick-pantses.

No one way man, I was art student and there was no way in hell I would take classes like that.

 

[maxwell's demon]

No one way man, I was art student and there was no way in hell I would take classes like that.

iwas too- tht's precisely why i said it

 

[The Overlord]

iwas too- tht's precisely why i said it

Then why do you want to take courses I would flunk out of, I became an arts student because I wasn't good at science or math.

 

[maxwell's demon]

because in the real world you pretty much need to know that stuff?


plus it would force the curriculum to start making those subjects a bit more accessible to the math-challenged liek you adn most other artists (even me, to some extent)

 

[War Lord]

Marx was an economist, so your theory doesn't work.

My theory works just fine. The principles of economics doesn't change, but some people are willing to over ride these principles for fantasy.

 

[SLVRSR4]

I think having to take College Algebra and an English course is beyond wasting money.

That's the smartest thing i have heard all week!

 

[Leto Atrides]

I don't think there are any courses or fields of courses that everyone should have to take. I like my college's system, which is that you have to take so many quantitative reasoning courses (i.e. Math and Science), so many Writing Intensive courses, etc.

When you get into specific fields you'll end up with a bias. Someone who studies math, for example, is more prone to thinking everyone needs it. I'm studying Archaeology, and I think people should have a better grasp of history to understand things. However, I know my view is skewed.

And seriously, people much smarter than any of us have thought for much longer about these sorts of things and found no solid conclusion, so our "If everyone had to learn [economics, logic, history etc.] the world would be better off" statements really mean nothing.

 

[War Lord]

Let me guess our education system would be more worthwhile if taught creationism instead of evolution in science, right?

That's not what I said and I wonder why you brought it up?

The fact is that most jobs don't really need a whole lot of education as much as they need experience.

And any skills needed could probably be learned quicker by doing that job than learning it in a classroom. It's just that we've taken the responsibility away from employers to teach skills and placed them on teachers who can't really teach those skills by talking about them to students who learn in a passive way instead of in an active fashion.

Your grandaddy learned most of his skills on the job and he learned it well enough.

 

[War Lord]

I don't think there are any courses or fields of courses that everyone should have to take. I like my college's system, which is that you have to take so many quantitative reasoning courses (i.e. Math and Science), so many Writing Intensive courses, etc.

When you get into specific fields you'll end up with a bias. Someone who studies math, for example, is more prone to thinking everyone needs it. I'm studying Archaeology, and I think people should have a better grasp of history to understand things. However, I know my view is skewed.

And seriously, people much smarter than any of us have thought for much longer about these sorts of things and found no solid conclusion, so our "If everyone had to learn [economics, logic, history etc.] the world would be better off" statements really mean nothing.

It is biased, but that is the point. I think people should take economics because I have a very reasonable understanding of economic principles and think that people who have a better understanding of economics also have a better understanding of what can actually be accomplished in the world as opposed to what they think or would like to be accomplished.

As I said, this is just about insight into other people's thinking patterns.

 

[Corinthian™]

anyone who says Algebra is a waste of money is a braindead.

Algebra is the basic foundation on problem solving anywhere

 

[Leto Atrides]

anyone who says Algebra is a waste of money is a braindead.

Algebra is the basic foundation on problem solving anywhere

Algebra is most definitely important, and should definitely be a part of the high school curriculum. I think it was having to pay money take a slightly harder version over again in college that was the point of contention.

 

[Addendum]

I'm just looking for honest answers, whether I like them or not.

There must be something that you think people should be more knowledgeable about, whether it be an environmental course or something.

No. There isn't