Until recently I have taught technology
classes including
networking, web programming, web design, and others at a private
corporate run college. I prefer not to divulge the name at this
time. You've probably seen their advertisements on national
television, since they have many schools scattered all over the
United States. My involvement was with their school situated in
the Chicago area. This school was mainly filled with high school
graduates from Chicago and its suburbs. I want to tell you about
some of the problems I experienced with students at this school.
Many of the instructors that I've worked with as well as others
that I know from similar schools had comparable experiences.
The main reason I'm so opposed to our global corporate culture
is because it sets man's primary goal as financial wealth but
pretends that it is some common good. This is why the majority
of students choose a private college. One of the school's sales
staff convinces them that they'll make a lot of money upon
graduation. They either may have a mild or no interest in what
they need to study. Some have no prior skills in their field of
choice. They are told they don't need to know anything, but
they'll be taught every skill needed for their success. They can
afford all this education by taking out a government backed
financial loan. The college expects its instructors to open the
heads of their students and fill them with knowledge.
Standardized tests in high schools give the average student the
idea that the answer to a question is more important than
understanding what the question is about. Students then refuse
to be challenged. If the problem takes longer than five minutes
to solve, they demand the answer. The words "You gotta give me
the answer, cause I'm paying this school thirty-thousand
dollars!" seem to echo throughout the halls of private colleges.
No instructor has ever withheld an answer to an assignment.
Instead the instructor first wants the student to attempt the
solution by himself or herself. In so doing, the student
develops the most useful part of the educational experience, the
problem solving ability. Most of the time the instructor gives
helpful hints as the student searches for the answer.
Students seem to ignore what they're expected to learn, but
they're constantly concerned about their grade. It's nice to
have a good grade point average, but it's even nicer to gain a
good grasp of what is being taught.
It looks like TV has had a real effect on today's student.
Because TV watching is a passive event, students expect their
education to be passive as well. Students want to sit back and
watch while their instructor amuses them. So what students
really want is an entertainer instead of a teacher. If they were
studying quantum physics, the students of today would prefer an
instructor like Jay Leno rather than one like Albert Einstein.
When dealing with history, politics, or literature it's easier
for an instructor to develop an entertaining approach, but how
can one make a programming class fun? Even if the subject of the
program is humorous, the actual programming requires some
thinking which today's students were conditioned to avoid.
Because students can't get deeply involved in what their
supposed to be learning, they avoid studying and doing their
homework as much as possible. In classrooms where computers are
available, they use instant messaging to have on line
conversations with their friends while the instructor is
lecturing. They skip a lot of classes but remain in school so
they can graduate and get that high paying job they were
promised. To get the students to pass the class, a multiple
choice test is given for which they are well rehearsed. Most
pass with high marks, but some still fail.
If you know anything about education, you know that the majority
of learning comes from a person's own efforts. You must do the
studying while the school is there to help you as you evolve
from confusion to understanding. A school can issue a degree
validating that you've indeed learned the principles of your
chosen field. In today's competitive world, it's very hard to
find a job without some sort of degree or certificate. Sometimes
the high tuition is worth it, if the expected knowledge is
really attained.
Are there students going to private colleges that are highly
motivated and are excellent learners? Of course there are. I've
seen students that are every bit as good if not better than MIT
students. But they are in the minority. Some of them did not go
to US high schools but graduated from schools in countries like
India or Poland.
American high school graduates are able to master some computer
related subjects. Computer and Xbox game playing, instant
messaging, email, web surfing, and blogging are their best
subjects. Unfortunately, they're not part of the curriculum. Of
the actual subjects taught, about half can do basic HTML and
simple networking. Except for the gifted students, virtually no
one can really program in any common compiled or scripting
language. However, almost everyone passes these classes,
sometimes even with high marks.
If you plan on starting a career in a computer related field
here is some advice. Before going to a private college, ask
yourself how much you know about what you intend to study. If
you know nothing, then go to the internet and try reading about
it and doing some tutorials. If this doesn't interest you, find
something that does.
Invest in a good computer or two (if you want to study
networking). Get a DSL or Cable internet connection. If you
can't afford broadband or it's not available in your area, at
least, get a dial-up connection. Look into open source software
if proprietary software costs too much. I've encountered
students taking web design who didn't have a computer or
internet connection, so they couldn't practice what they were
taught or do their assignments at home.
If you have a hard time learning the basics take some remedial
courses at a community college. You might even consider a degree
from there. Tuition at community colleges is a lot less than
that of private colleges and often they teach the same material.
Get certification books in your field of interest and find
similar material on the internet. If you study hard enough, you
can get certified without any formal training. Certification
tests usually cost around one hundred dollars. Make sure you're
really prepared so you don't waste your money. Sometimes having
a certification can land you an entry level job better than a
degree from a private college.
Remember, if you want to launch an interesting career, there is
no easy way to succeed. You simply have to work hard for it.
By George Lunt is an someone who feels the world is getting too
corporatized. His writings relate the individual's struggle with
big government and big corporations. His website is
http://www.corporate-aliens.com.
