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Do You Think Education is Dumbed Down?

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I don't think Bohemianism is anything to take pride in, it was the bourgeoise in this country which abolished slavery, introduced social security and nationalised medicine, parliamentary democracy, the basis of civil legal systems based on presumption of innocence, industrialised living conditions supplying food at low prices.

If you want to go experience real class hatred you're more than free to move to a country which practices it. You likely won't be free to return though, they won't let you.

Shut up!

Reply 41

George VI

Original post by Thomb

Shut up!

You've answered your own question. Yes the educational system is dumbed own, and you are a prime example of it, who would rather stick their finger in the ear and be rude than listen to facts.

Reply 42

okey

Original post by _Xenon_

The question is why?
Why does this happen?

Because most students expect everything to be handed to them on a plate, and because we educate to memorise rather than to understand.

Harder education would result in a lot of students being completely unhappy and hopeless, but also much greater academic success. Unfortunately, few choose the latter.

Reply 43

okey

Original post by George VI

You've answered your own question. Yes the educational system is dumbed own, and you are a prime example of it, who would rather stick their finger in the ear and be rude than listen to facts.

Sadly true.

Reply 44

Retired_Messiah

Original post by Thomb

Why? You don't have to literally do what they say just say well that's irrelevant to the question, why? Because you're dumbing down the thread with your mediocrity.

I've really not got the point you're making here but anyway...

I found some random ass maths A level paper from 1980 and I couldn't do the majority of it but I haven't done the full A level yet and it appeared to be a full A level in the one paper. Also potentially part of it could nowadays be classed as "further maths" so I haven't a clue really...

Reply 45

d-_-b

I can't comment on past education as I have no idea.

I will say that I don't believe education is necessarily where it ought to be.

As an example, consider the fact that we have to write exams based on prescribed content and books almost exclusively above mixing this with a learner's own ambitions and interests. I believe students should be encouraged to think for themselves and do more of their own research in their own given field of interest.

Mathematics is one of the fields where pedagogical practice falls short of what it should be. It is an art form and should be taught as an art form first and foremost. The book A Mathematician's Lament: How School Cheats Us Out of Our Most Fascinating and Imaginative Art Form explains this viewpoint in much more detail.

Reply 46

grimApocalypse

Original post by Thomb

Do you think education as a whole is made to easy and could be made harder for any reason?

Try doing OCR AS Physics this year and you'll instantly answer no :tongue:

Reply 47

annaj97

Original post by Thomb

Do you think education as a whole is made to easy and could be made harder for any reason?

GCSEs are very easy. SCIENCE A LEVELS ARE A NIGHTMARE (and GCSEs provide very little preparation)

:smile:

Reply 48

natninja

Original post by annaj97

GCSEs are very easy. SCIENCE A LEVELS ARE A NIGHTMARE (and GCSEs provide very little preparation)

:smile:

You think A levels are a nightmare? try a degree

Reply 49

Dartychu

George VI is an elitist, immature, prescriptivist child. Not much else to be said.

(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 50

TimmonaPortella

I think standards at A level are poor now. I imagine they used to be higher, but I haven't actually found solid evidence in all cases.

Degree courses obviously vary.

Reply 51

username1560589

Yeah. For primary and secondary school at least and obviously you'd have to shift A-levels and degrees accordingly.

Reply 52

Thomb

Original post by Dartychu

OP is an elitist, immature, prescriptivist child. Not much else to be said.

Go on I mean carry on with your determination of what I am.

Reply 53

Thomb

Original post by grimApocalypse

Try doing OCR AS Physics this year and you'll instantly answer no :tongue:

Yes but that may be due to the dumbed down education I've received.

Reply 54

B_9710

Original post by TimmonaPortella

I think standards at A level are poor now. I imagine they used to be higher, but I haven't actually found solid evidence in all cases.

Degree courses obviously vary.

https://telescoper.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/advanced-level-mathematics-examination-vintage-1981/

Reply 55

Dartychu

Original post by Thomb

Go on I mean carry on with your determination of what I am.

whoops, managed to convince myself George VI was OP. I apologise.

Reply 56

annaj97

Original post by natninja

You think A levels are a nightmare? try a degree

I am doing next year :smile:

Reply 57

annaj97

Original post by grimApocalypse

Try doing OCR AS Physics this year and you'll instantly answer no :tongue:

Totally agree with this. I also think science A levels are on a different level to humanities ones. Doing English Lit and 2 sciences, I can safely say that sciences require 5 tonnes more work and should be given extra recognition!

Reply 58

nulli tertius

Original post by George VI

I think standards are very low compared to the past. People may have left school at an early age previously, but a lot of them did get a good education and were writing sophisticated poetry at grammar schools when they were just 15, you'd be lucky to find someone doing that at university these days.

Maybe it's still the same for the upper tier of society, but there does appear to be a real lack of standards in 'modern' society.

Education has always been dumbed down. There are Romans making the same comments.

"dumbing down" reflects that the present generation never values the things that the previous generation values and which that previous generation expects their successors to value.

The generation who were writing sophisticated poetry were in turn being criticised for their lack of familiarity with Greek and Latin literature. The folk complaining about the their knowledge of classical literature were in turn criticised for their ignorance of theology.