Overcoming the obstacles of change

So, I already stated earlier that education is an adaptive process, constantly evolving. But, so much gets in the path of this evolution. One is paperwork, and policy implementation. A big problem with changing things is that it can not happen instantly. Silly formalities always get in the way, like paperwork and approval. Even if the change is feasible, don't expect it to occur instantly. This is a huge problem with education right now. How can it constantly adapt to the times if it takes 1-2 years to get new policies implemented. Because then education will always be a year behind. There is also the obvious problem of ultra-conservative opponents. For example, if the board of trustees at a school is debating a new technological change, this makes no sense. The entire board consists of digital immigrants, unlike the student population, which is made up of mainly digital natives. Thus, the people making the decision are biased, and can not accurately represent the student population. They will tend to be more conservative, and the change will be very hard to implement. An example would by trying to convince senior citizens to vote against Social Security- not going to happen. Ever. Education needs to keep up. Look at how computer processor speed has gone from MHz speeds to GHz speeds in just 20 years. Education can not lag behind, for the students won't be keeping up either, and that is something we can not and should not have.

New educational method

So, on the topic of new methods of education, I want to give an example: video lectures. Many universites have begun to record their lectures and post them securely to their school website. This way, students who did not make it to class (be it sickness or another reason) can view the entire lecture as if they were actually there. Now, there are tons of arguments against this, the principal one being that students do not need to go to class. This is true, but if the students are learning, then where is the problem? For the objective of education is to educate the students. If they can view the entire lecture, then they can not miss any of the information. If a student is legitimately sick and can not make it to class, it is great to have access to the lecture and not be penalized for missing class. Students will still go to class, they will always do so. And if that is an issue, then here is an idea branching from video lectures: live video lectures. By this, I mean that the students can connect to a webcam, and view the lecture live, from their rooms. If the professor were to ask this student a question, the student would even be able to answer. Yes, this would be very difficult to do, but it is definitely possible, and is implemented in many business settings already, where video "conferences" are common.

Technology

The world of technology is rapidly changing, evolving right in front of our very eyes. While some may argue that there are disadvantages to some aspects of technology (and I do not disagree), there are also so many doors that have been opened. The application of technology to education can be hugely beneficial. We have already seen what personal computers have done. Nearly every student either owns a computer, or has direct access to one. This has increased the flow of information to a ridiculously high level. Now there are so many ways to communicate, at the touch of a button (ok, you do have to actually type a message, yes). With Email and instant messaging, there is no more delay in the flow of information. The internet also allows for the exchange of an incredible amount of information. I believe it is crucial that education constantly adapts to the times, and I think technology is a huge part of the evolution of education.

Problems

There are several problems I have personally noticed in my university setting. I feel like a lot of teachers are not teachers to impart their knowledge on their students. They do not enjoy teaching or the company of students. To those teachers I pose the question: are you not concerned with the future? For that is what we are, as students. When our generation finishes college, and graduate school (medical school, law school, etc...) we will take over where our parents have left off. Is it not imperative, therefore, that we receive the best possible education. Teachers should have a desire to teach, for this will surely lead to a positive reaction from the students, who will be more eager to learn. Not only will they be more eager to learn, but they will also be able to learn more and they will retain more. It is a win/win situation for everyone. Thus, my point is that in order for the process of education to be efficient, the person imparting the knowledge should want their students to do well and should have a desire to teach.

Welcome

Hello. In this blog, I will share my feelings about being a college students. Mainly, this well end up being suggestions / problems / barriers I find in my educational college experience. Education is defined as: "the act or process of imparting or acquiring general knowledge, developing the powers of reasoning and judgment, and generally of preparing oneself or others intellectually for mature life." Ideally, this "process" should be adaptive to the times, constantly changing as new knowledge is discovered, or errors are discovered. It should also change as new methods are discovered to improve it. It is the last category especially that needs work. Today, we have access to so many more resources than we previously did. We also have access to many new technologies that have the potential of greatly improving this "process" that is education. The problem is that not everyone can adapt as quickly as others; therefore, it is important to examine the system of university education.