Posted on 07/24/2019 3:20:20 PM PDT by TigerClaws
A reader who is also a college professor in a STEM field e-mails to say:
My students are unable to analyze, follow and understand written text. To be more specific, they are unable to decipher compound sentences, understand relationship between subordinate and main clauses. They can’t grasp the logical relationship between sentences, let alone paragraphs, which are totally opaque to them.
When I started to teach (only 2 years ago), I prepared material written in normal, rational, technical prose — for adults, or as I understood they would be. Immediately, it became apparent that there was zero comprehension. Well, thought I, let’s make it a bit simpler. So I reduced the paragraphs to bullet point lists.
Still nothing? Hmm.
I started to write step by step, basically cut-and-paste instructions, highlighted the important points, wrote in notes and cross references (like NOTE: you did this in step #2 please refer to #2). Abject failure.
So, especially in the exams, I started to write in answers in the follow up questions, like so: “If you correctly answered #1 as ABC what is the cause of …?”. Basically I give them the answers in followup questions, plus cut and paste documents. My exams are open book, open notes, Internet access.
95% of them fail.
This is what I attribute this phenomenon to: I don’t think that they are able to concentrate for more that a few seconds. Hence compound sentences become an enigma. Their brains are ’trained’ to hold information for the minimum time possible and to move on the next soundbite or tweet. They are unable to hold a thought in their minds long enough to abstract it, analyze it, and form required relationships. As a result they lack the fundamental building blocks for inductive and deductive reasoning. They want to be spoon-fed without ever having to resort to a single abstract thought. They have been ‘educated’ by quick turnaround, expensive and largely incorrect multiple choice question textbooks.
Imagine how this would (and soon will) affect the medical profession. “When you treat appendicitis you will remove a) spleen, b) heart, c) appendix, d) none of the above. “Well, done!” Here is your first patient … (or, in Dr. Zoidberg’s context: Scalpel!, Blood bucket! Priest!).
Their problem is that they are unable to formulate questions. It’s difficult to come up with answers if you don’t know what to ask. So I tell them that my ambition is to teach them how to ask questions. They love my classes but I am told repeatedly: “This was the best class we have had but by far the most difficult.”
Good grief. We have totally destroyed this generation.
Online i the time all am.
effect no me on has brain had.
But they score so high on self-esteem testing!
LOL
Shakespeare must be required reading in all schools and taught by competent teachers.
Remember also these are STEM students - best and the brightest one would hope.
Re self esteem:
Dude, don’t go all intellectual on us.
They are LOST.
Time to withdraw.
It’s actually much worse, the majority of millennials are literally incapable of holding a conversation with spoken words, oh they can text and tweet, but speak coherent and thoughtful sentences with real substance? Not a Frikkin chance.
I had 2 people in the last year offer me a job for 150K just because I can actually speak to the customers.
Why do you hate ROD DREHER?
He’s the author of this material yet you deliberately
left his name out of the “Author” field when you posted this.
Has ROD DREHER harmed you personally?
Has ROD DREHER stolen your car or your tools?
Has ROD DREHER pawned your bicycle?
Did ROD DREHER kick your sister?
Why does this hatred of ROD DREHER dominate your life?
Simple.
“A”s all around!
It’s the American way.
In my opinion, it’s not the internet causing the problem as it is social media. I doubt many spend any time on the internet. I spend a lot of time on the internet but I am reading news items and FR. If they’re on the internet, what are they reading? Certainly not news. Well, perhaps there is something there for them that I’m not aware of and I prefer it that way, I guess!
They’re on their phones texting for the most part and have learned that they don’t need to know how to compose or even read a proper sentence. Didn’t anyone with a brain see this coming?
This is rooted in a bait and switch.
What professor wants you to think that their indoctrination is the reason kids are less able to critically think? So of course the internet will be scapegoated. Something has to be scapegoated.
STEM professors also push social justice nonsense.
Are you kdding!?!
I’d be happy if they could read comic books with big letters and pictures well, at this point. :)
I was about to post him as the author, BUT...
he actually just passed along something he got in an email.
So, sorry, Rod!
I got bored at this point and moved on to something else.
[/jk]
That poor dude is about to off himself over your act of total disrespect.
I’ve already called the cops.
Hope you’re proud, killer.
Good point. The education system is more responsible than the internet, but he couldn’t blame that.
It’s amusing to watch the college ‘debates’ when conservatives destroy the libtard kids asking questions. They’re incapable of engaging in a conversation and soon the discussion devolves into namecalling, “Racist Nazi!”
This is the Russian collusion delusion. They can’t win on the arguments, so distraction and b.s. and reliance on people feeling they are victims and oppressed.
Yoda? That you?
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