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The Dying DVR Box and Woz Wisdom
Lucas123 writes "At SNW in Santa Clara this past week, a diverse group of techies shared insights into their industries, such as the DVR market. TiVo's senior director of IT, Richard Rothschild, for instance, explained how those set-top boxes track everything you watch for advertising and marketing and then combine the information with supermarket membership card data to determine how effective ad campaigns are. Oh, and TiVo's planning to integrate its box with your flatscreen, so no more set-top device. And Steve Wozniak attacked the American education system, saying students should be graded on a single, long-term project rather than a short learning/testing cycle. 'In school, intelligence is a measurement,' he said. 'If you have the same answer as everyone else in math or science, you're intelligent.'"
but I can not take comments on intelligence seriously from a man who wasn't smart enough to say NO to Dancing with the Stars. Let the Flaming begin in 3...2...
Fast, cheap, correct. You get to pick two.
'In school, intelligence is a measurement,' he said. 'If you have the same answer as everyone else in math or science, you're intelligent.'"
Well.. not really. Schools don't measure intelligence, they measure compliance and effort. If you're intelligent and willing, it's easier to comply with "memorize this crap" and "be able to solve math problems in this form" - but grades are not intended to measure intelligence, nor are they good at doing so. Nor would it make sense. The feedback mechanism grading is requires something you can change - and that's why grades usually target things that all students are capable of and that are easy to evaluate: memorization, putting time into a report, etc..
At issue, he said, are rules that tell each student exactly what they should be studying and when.
Everyone knows there's more effective ways to teach, but it's also clear why teachers have structure: how else are you going to address the needs of 30 different students - many of whom don't want to be there - and keep them all doing something vaguely productive?
Let's not stir that bag of worms...
He might not have a degree in education or post grad in this field, but he has run a school and tutoring facilities for years out of his garage. I can only imagine this is a large garage. He also has a few charity orgs that are tasked with eduction...having served on the board of a charity like this, you quickly learn whats going on...often to a larger extent than those that are invested in their education because they want to appear right regardless of proof of being wrong -- where as the charities want to change something.
I have advanced degrees in psych with focuses on experiential learning and measurement (of learning / IQ / whatever). I can safely say I agree with his assessment. A lot of graduate programs focus on measuring overall knowledge through a final paper or otherwise...the rest is just bench marks along the way to show you if you understand the material and really only beneficial to the student. I've heard him talk about this stuff in the past, and I'd say he is exactly right...
Considering how many parents basically fuck up their kids, never bother to take any interest in their school and then blame the teachers while subsequently trying to rob teachers of any authority in the classroom when their little monster acts like a shithead? Yes, parents in most cases DO know nothing.
I'm not quite sure why you used quotes on teacher, but, seeing as how I have a Bachelor's in Electronic Engineering and I am a teacher, I'd say I meet your request.
Personally I find my career in teaching to be far more enjoyable and emotionally rewarding than designing circuits ever was. Are there flaws in the U.S. educational system? Of course there are. Rather than piss and moan about it, why don't you actually get off your ass and do something about it? Try volunteering in a public school near you. See what the actual demands are from the other side of the desk. See what differences there are between a good teacher who gets students interested enough in material to get them to improve, often against competing forces that teachers have no control over, and a teacher who is just punching a clock. There are plenty of the latter, but you'd be surprised at how many of the former there really are... Or at least were before they caved to the pressure placed upon them by administrators, parents, and various levels of local, state, and federal government.
Until you are willing to do something about it, quit acting like an ass and work on opening your mind a bit.
Mess not in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.
I had no idea that he has a degree in education or did postgraduate studies in education or even home schooled his own children. Is this just as iffy as a Musical composer telling an engineer how to build a bridge?
You are correct, you have no idea. After leaving Apple Wozniak gave back to the community, literally, as a fifth grade teacher at a local public school. He instructs teachers on the use of technology. He also setup and helped maintain, personally, computer labs at local schools. So he does know a little about child education.
To a large degree, we don't take teachers advice on teaching. I'm not even sure that most teachers would disagree with Woz. Most of the reason that classes are structured the way they are is because of regulations at the state and federal level. Teachers don't get as much leeway as you think they do.
"In America, first you get the sugar, then you get the power, then you get the women..." -H. Simpson
This is fucking stupid.
Are we discussing the education system or are we discussing set top boxes?
These are two completely different topics and should not be merged like this.
You're right, of course, we should discuss the merits of the discussion, thus adding yet another thread to it.
A feeling of having made the same mistake before: Deja Foobar
"Rather than piss and moan about [the US educational system], why don't you actually get off your ass and do something about it?"
I do my best to vote for people who will get rid of the public schools' effective monopoly on K-12 education for all but the few; does that count?