• lugal@sopuli.xyz
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    2 months ago

    The original idea behind school isn’t to educate the masses. Why would a factory worker need to know calculus and Shakespeare? He needs to read the clock and timetables, be on time, wake up in the morning early enough to be punctual, …

    Likewise higher education isn’t about the thinks you learn. It is about learning methods to learn. If you can learn the nitrogen cycle, you can learn our scrum statuses. If you can hand in your homework in time, you can keep our deadlines.

    This isn’t to say the system is good, but it helps to understand it when you want to criticize it.

    • pumpkinseedoil@sh.itjust.works
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      2 months ago

      But learning to critically question statements and judging them yourself (which requires some knowledge, for example you can’t question anti-vaxxers when you don’t know anything about how vaccines work) instead of simply believing them is extremely important in a democracy.

      • lugal@sopuli.xyz
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        2 months ago

        I have watched YouTube videos of smart people reading a smart book that basically said that our education system has the focus on learning facts which gives us a submissive attitude. It gives us a feeling of passivity, of the silent observer.

        That said, I realize that the system is getting better in the sense that it tries to evoke curiosity and makes kids to explorers instead of observers if that makes sense. Also, as someone who got interested in history only after school, I know that basic knowledge is important and bad if missing. Than again, why didn’t school make me want to know stuff.

      • chonglibloodsport@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        There’s ample evidence to show that no one learns critical thinking in college. At best, you select for people who are better at it.

    • Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Cant you find out the answer for these questions with a series of short tests?

      I once applied for a job at IBM and instead of an initial interview they sent me a series of interactive tests to check my skills. I ended up moving to another country and didn’t follow through, but still liked this approach.

      Also in the EU I can see lots of job listings are using now a system where you either have a certain type of education/degree or a certain previous experience to be eligible to apply.

      Still you need to have knowledge of the specific field, but technically if you started at the bottom with an entry level low skill job you can get higher with experience alone and without a university degree.

      • Transporter Room 3@startrek.website
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        2 months ago

        Can they? Yes. Absolutely. 100%.

        A local factory likes people with college degrees, any degree, no matter what college or course, but also offer tests twice a year in large groups for exactly the reason that plenty y of people are qualified, and can do everything they need, but never went to college.

        Will they? Probably not unless it’s a niche employer. Why bother going through the extra effort when you can just say “degrees only” and turn your nose up at anyone without one?

        • Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          I guess 5 rounds of 90 minutes long multi-stage interview process is much more efficient, where people selling an idealised version of themselves in imaginary scenarios.

          Also talking to HR/recruitment department, who has no idea of the actual job is a great way to find the right candidate.

          …its ridiculous

          • Rhynoplaz@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            I hate interviews. I’ve been on both sides and neither is fun.

            One person is pretending to be what they think the employer wants. The other is trying to figure out who’s the least full of shit.

            I just generally hate situations where everybody is expected to be fake, and not playing the “right character” will get you shunned.

      • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        A college degree ahows you can complete a series of seemingly-unrelated tasks (courses) across multiple phases (semesters), to finish a major project (degree).

        It means you finish what you start and have an eye on the future instead of the present.

        • Macaroni_ninja@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          Your answer sounds like it was lifted from a LinkedIn motivational post.

          College favours the rich, who can afford it and I don’t think people with higher education are better at planning their future.

          Lots of people are forced through college by their parents, often backed up with money and safety nets of security - if they fail the first time they just throw more money at it and try again.

          • chiliedogg@lemmy.world
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            2 months ago

            A lack of a degree isn’t proof of anything, good or bad (for most jobs).

            But a degree is a positive indicator.

            The reality is that when hiring an employee I don’t care how privileged they are. I care about whether they’re going to be a good fit for the position.

            There are other things people can use to demonstrate their ability to be a good employee. If someone worked for a company for multiple years and was promoted during that time it’s a good indicator.

            If someone is 23 and has worked for 10 different companies, I’m gonna guess they’re flaky.

            However, if someone worked for the same company more than once that’s a good sign, because after leaving the company wanted them back.

            But, all else being equal, having a degree is better than not for a skilled position, and will usually demand more money.

          • niucllos@lemm.ee
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            2 months ago

            It’s definitely not a perfect system and you’re absolutely right that it significantly favors people with strong support and safety nets, especially those of a financial nature.

            That being said it’s a very easy shorthand for a company to take and is reliable enough to keep using it, just like how financial institutions in the US use SSNs as private identifiers because it’s easier and cheaper than running and supporting their own systems/assessments and mostly works well enough

            • drosophila
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              2 months ago

              The SSN system is one of the more moronic things the US does, which is really saying something.

          • uis@lemm.ee
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            2 months ago

            College favours the rich, who can afford it and I don’t think people with higher education are better at planning their future.

            I’ll rephrase it to show flaw: Schools favours the rich, who can afford it and I don’t think literate people are better at planning their future.

    • uis@lemm.ee
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      2 months ago

      The original idea behind school isn’t to educate the masses. Why would a factory worker need to know calculus and Shakespeare? He needs to read the clock and timetables, be on time, wake up in the morning early enough to be punctual, …

      In certain country reading clock and timetables was deemed not enough for factory worker.