Path: utzoo!utgpu!jarvis.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!shadooby!samsung!uakari.primate.wisc.edu!pikes!udenva!isis!csm9a!fhadsell From: fhadsell@csm9a.UUCP ( GP) Newsgroups: comp.edu Subject: Re: Education Summary: Student info. aid Message-ID: <2074@csm9a.UUCP> Date: 7 Jan 90 18:00:10 GMT References: <7587@hubcap.clemson.edu> Organization: Colorado School of Mines Lines: 45 In article <7587@hubcap.clemson.edu>, billwolf%hazel.cs.clemson.edu@hubcap.clemson.edu (William Thomas Wolfe, 2847 ) writes: > From bralick@cs.psu.edu (Will Bralick): > > | I have proposed the outright elimination of absolutely > > | nothing except certain unnecessary requirements. > > > > You have proposed the elimination of _all_ requirements. Isn't > > that what allowing the student to "pursue his own interests" > > means? > > No, I have proposed the elimination of requirements which are > not strictly essential for the certification of a worker in a > . . . . . . . . . After a study of comp.edu it occurred to me that I didn't know where the people who need to know the pitfalls of higher education got the information they needed. In the above comp.edu debate academicians at all levels argue about the relative merits of specialization and generalization. A generally applicable conclusion does not seem to be in the making and hence incoming students, and their family, are charged with making critical decisions using inadequate and highly prejudiced information coming from us, the professionals. There is probably a useful analogy to specialized education/generalized education in the stock market. I site the comparison being individual stocks/mutual funds. If I know a lot about a particular stock, so that I have a special edge in the buying and selling of that stock, then the best decision for me is to get involved with that stock. If there are no such special stocks available to me then a mutual fund is probably appropriate. Usually the individual stock route is somewhat more risky, but offers the possibility of higher return. Our high school seniors and university freshman must make similar decisions, but it is their careers as well as their money that is at risk. What help is offered? What are these potential customers told? Who tells them? Are there expert systems available to these potential customers? If so, who certifies such expert systems? -- INTERNET:: fhadsell@csm9a.colorado.edu BITNET:: fhadsell@mines Frank Hadsell, Prof. of Geophysics, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401 (303) 273-3456