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Re: Time to retire?



----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Edmiston" <edmiston@BLUFFTON.EDU>

I continue to be amazed how much common knowledge my generation had
compared
to today's students. Oh sure, some of this is selective memory and
nostalgia and all that. But I am worried about a population that gains
most
of its perception of the world from TV. I got to watch TV one hour per
night if my homework was done. But I didn't even watch it that much; I
only
watched if there was a particular show I wanted to see. Otherwise I had
other things I wanted to do. I entertained myself quite well all by
myself
and the world around me. Today many kids can't entertain themselves.
They
will complain there is nothing good on TV, but they'll sit there and watch
it anyway. I think it not only gives them a funny view of the world, it
also stifles their curiosity and exploration of the world.

Sorry... when we old timers hear people talking about students not knowing
stern of a ship or what a moving van is, we can get pretty cynical.


I think the problem is even more complex. Over my 20+ years of teaching I
continue to be amazed at how LITTLE students can pull from _very well done_
video material. Not just details, but major points are totally missed, even
if I stop the video and ask the questions within 30 seconds of them having
seen the material. Unlike the earliest 'TV generation' (mine), somehow
today's viewers are conditioned to NOT process, to NOT remember, to not
THINK about anything seen 'on the tube' even if the viewing is in an
academic setting and they know that they will be responsible for the
material. This phenomenon makes me very skeptical about internet based
learning (but then as most have gathered, I'm skeptical about a lot of
things! ;-)

Rick

**********************************************
Richard W. Tarara
Professor of Physics
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556
rtarara@saintmarys.edu

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