Slashdot Mirror
College Students Lack Literacy
Frr writes to tell us that CNN has a rather disturbing confirmation of what many of us have already seen in practice. In a recent literacy study it was found that "more than half of students at four-year colleges -- and at least 75 percent at two-year colleges -- lack the literacy to handle complex, real-life tasks such as understanding credit card offers." The literacy study took a look at three different type of literacy: analyzing news stories and other prose, understanding documents, and having basic math skills needed for checkbooks or restaurant tips.
Credit card offers are considered a complex task? What kind of world is this turning into?
My college studys lacked lottery traning, and so farr, I havent one teh lottery yet.
Formal contracts & documents should be written in Internet slang. "If you fail to pay your credit card debt we will take your car lol"
LINUX ONLINE POKER: Linux Poker
I should have went to a US college. I probably could have graduated there.
Religion for nerds. Stuff that really matters
In one of the classes I teach, I had to explain to a student what the word "abundant" meant. Even her Mexican lab partner was rolling her eyes.
Here's another gem:
"The geology of Mesa, Arizona is significant because my family has lived there for several generations"
I'm reading this and thinking about the earlier story about humans being hardwired for geometry.
Maybe the Egyptians were onto something with hieroglyphics - we should have anything that looks remotely complex traslated into a series of small pictures and icons, or maybe even comics. Imagine that; a loan agreement graphic novel.
And as I type that, I'm looking at the giant icons Slashdot uses for its stories and thinking "hmmm... stick one of those at the top of each printed newspaper story and everyone'll figure out what it's about". For chequebooks and tips, well if you can't do that you either fail sociably or get stung badly. Maths, the choice is yours... probably.
Yes, but stupid Americans make fantastic Republicans.
"He wave flag, he say Jesus, me like Bush. Where my beer? Where my pikup truk?"
You read the article?
"Baby on board" sticker prominently displayed (wtf are they *for*, anyway?)
I don't know about most people, but I intentionally ram cars that don't have babies in them.
You are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike.
> Strangely the study doesn't mention what schools were part of this survey. Does anyone know?
Harverd, Printstun, Cornale, and other I've e-leeg colejes.
Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
Personally, I think a lot of this stems from grade inflation and its many causes. Instructor compassion, bureaucratic initiatives that try and get everyone to "pass," easy degree programs that idiots flock to, etc.
I swear, for many instructors the "A" is the new "C." Moreover, the "C" is the new "D-;" however, it's a D- which allows you to attain a prerequisite and move on to the next class.
Additionally, the bachelor's degree is the new high school degree, and the master's degree is the new bachelor's degree, with the exception of the MBA. The MBA is the new high school degree with sprinkles on top.
I also blame may of our educational systems problems on the ellipsis... fuck the ellipsis.
"Things are more moderner than before- bigger, and yet smaller- it's computers-- San Dimas High School football RULES!"
And, on the flip side, how was Graves at understanding technology?
Ah, so that's how we're spelling "playing Everquest" today.
Laws do not persuade just because they threaten. --Seneca
I don't understand. How can you use a ruler improperly?
Just in case anyone doesn't know, here are instructions on how to use one properly.
I saw a "Mother-to-be On Board" sign at a supermarket recently.
I'm thinking about making an "Abortion-to-be Inside" sticker in the style of an Intel Inside sticker. I could then make that "ding-du-de-du-ding" sound like on the Pentium adverts than flash my dick.
(I kid, angry pro-lifer, because I care...)
catch (HumourFailureException e) { e.user.send("You, sir, are a humourless idiot."); }
Sorry, I miss-read that. I thought it was only saying 75% of 2 year schools, I missed the 50% of 4 years. My bust.
-Rick
"Most people in the U.S. wouldn't know they live in a tyrannical state if it walked up and grabbed their junk." - MyFirs
Yes, but those are the girls you look for to date. We *need* those kind of people out there.
Wow, two semesters for four games? Sure, Civilization has always been great, but geeze. They could just skip 2 and 3 completely... 1 and 4 would be enough for the full Civ experience. You could do those in one semester, and study the Total War series in the second.
I haven't heard of War and Peace, though. Is that from EA? And is the peace part any good? That sounds lame.