The Education Assassins (Scary, Really)

There’s considerable animus for the Department of Education these days. Let’s not get carried away. Source: The Education Assassins – NYTimes.com I wrote. To see how scary it is, just go to my blog inside-higher-ed . Yes, the blog is about higher education, but it explains how higher education dumbs down all of education, doing […]

The Game Isn’t Rigged?

Can my working-class students avoid years of underemployment?… …As you learn quickly here in Vegas, the game isn’t rigged, but the odds don’t work in your favor. Source: Long Odds in the Game of Life – NYTimes.com  I commented. I’m sorry, Brittany. I really am. It is rigged; big time. I’m a former math professor. […]

“The University of Minnesota’s Medical Research Mess” is Another Unfortunate Symptom of the Fall of Universities.  It’s an Important Read

…in the felony case, university officials hid an internal investigation of the fraud from federal investigators for nearly four years.. Source: The University of Minnesota’s Medical Research Mess – NYTimes.com I commented. The author “…hope[s] the situation at..Minnesota..is exceptional…” It’s not. Nor is money an exceptional motivation. Ego and prestige work just as well. I […]

“What to Learn in College to Stay One Step Ahead of Computers” Ok, But is That the Problem?

Universities are struggling to figure out how to impart information to students that won’t be overridden in the near future by computers and robots. Source: What to Learn in College to Stay One Step Ahead of Computers – NYTimes.com I commented. (twice, unfortunately.  I thought they had deleted my first comment:() Unfortunately, as thoughtful as […]

What’s Behind Big Science Frauds?

Bad incentives are corrupting scientific literature and the media that covers it. Source: What’s Behind Big Science Frauds? – NYTimes.com Bad incentives? I don’t think so.  Good people don’t go out and do big harm because of bad incentives.  Anyway, here is what I wrote. “What’s behind big science frauds? Usually, little science frauds – […]

“Platinum Pay in Ivory Towers” Op-Ed Shows Frank Bruni is on to Something – That’s Good

The excessive salaries of some college presidents send a message at odds with higher education. Source: Platinum Pay in Ivory Towers – NYTimes.com I commented as follows. “..ostensible mission of academia..” Great word, “ostensible”. Here is how they get away with fooling us. “..advantage can..be taken of [students] by unscrupulous instructors and institutions..the student estate […]

“The In-State Tuition Break, Slowly Disappearing” is a Symptom

Source: The In-State Tuition Break, Slowly Disappearing I wrote this Here is Clark Kerr’s warning. “…I am concerned..that…the greatest threats to the university will be those which arise from within the university…” Right now the threat is not to the university itself – at least not to its financial and research arms. The present threat […]

Is Bauerlein’s “What’s the Point of a Professor?” a Demonstration?

We used to be mentors and moral authorities. Now we just hand out A’s. Source: What’s the Point of a Professor? – NYTimes.com I don’t know if it is a demonstration, but it may be.  He has been in this blog before.  The link is within the comment I made. I wrote, “I’m a former […]

“Is Testing Students the Answer to America’s Education Woes?” Think No? Read This

I made a previous comment on this subject. “…From a purely financial perspective, high income parents should be willing to pay about $6,500/yr to get [a teacher in the 84th percentile vs. one at the 50th percentile]…Impacts on earnings are…similar in percentage terms for students from low and high income families…great teachers [as measured only […]