(These thoughts have to be brief because (a) I’m here again, and, (b) the Hex hatch is on! ) Speaking of fly fishing, my next post will be about the connection between fly fishing and the fact that you can’t count on professors to change the system. Now for the thoughts. First, a not very deep […]
Author of University Studies/Site Visits Reports Wonders How Washinton University’s Engineering School Got Accredited
July 9, 2014 by
Posted as a reply to my comment on a story in the New York Times : Peter C is a trusted commenterBear Territory If your engineering story is true, how did the engineering program get accredited by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology, Inc. )? Most American do not realize that certain professions are accredited […]
American College Grads Don’t Do Well Overall, Period.
July 7, 2014 by
I’m surprised that so many people thought the data on US college grads was not representative of the job we are doing. I find the letters that the author answered interesting in themselves. More on American Colleges’ Standing in the World – NYTimes.com. In any case, this is what I wrote. Though I have taught […]
Prof. Teaches Stats But Doesn’t Seem to Have a Clue About the Most Fundamental Notion
July 6, 2014 by
(At a regional public university) This is from a “teacher evalaution” (of me) by a tenured professor who regularly taught statistics. First, here is a little background about the class. (Math now, then I will try to explain non-mathematically.) I was talking to the class about the sample mean. The previous day, I had showed them that […]
Ralph Had Trouble With Continuity – But Why?
July 1, 2014 by
Statistics Prof. Kevin Doesn’t Understand Basic Math, or Statistics
June 30, 2014 by
(Another story from the same regional state school – the math is in color) Prof. Kevin was a full professor. He was about 70, very nice and pleasant. I was teaching a graduate course (Intro to Complex Variables). He asked to sit in and he took notes. Early in the course I wrote something on the board in a […]
To Ross Douthat: Universities Acting Against Their “Business Plan”? No, Not Even If It Reduces Rape, Sorry.
June 29, 2014 by
In Stopping Campus Rape – NYTimes.com. , the author makes suggestions for college administrators that he thinks (probably correctly) would reduce campus rape. The only problem – they would hurt the universities. Here are the two suggestions he makes for administrators: “…break their schools’ symbiotic relationship with the on-campus party scene…” “…separate the sexes and […]
This Week’s Economist Cover is About Higher Ed. But Makes Bad Assumptions
I only commented on this article. (Several people made interesting comments.) Higher education: Creative destruction | The Economist. “This piece makes the same mistake most journalists make. They don’t realize that, even at many “elite” schools, it may be your grandmother’s DEGREE, but it isn’t your grandmother’s EDUCATION – and, if skills matter, it won’t […]