Engineerless
Apparently, America isn't producing competent engineers anymore. This is only news if you don't work in the industry.
The problem isn't with the colleges--or at least it doesn't originate there. It starts in the public schools. Oh, sure; the numbers that are generated by the bureaucrats in charge of public schools look fantastic. If only those numbers reflected even the tiniest portion of reality, we'd be doing great. Unfortunately, the reality is that children aren't even required to produce the correct answer on a math test. Just so long as they show their work, and "make an effort," they get credit.
I think I'll try that excuse some time: "Well, yes... The piping exploded because my pressure calculations were incorrect--but I made an effort! I should still get paid. In fact, I want a raise!"
You don't believe me when I say the public schools are that far gone? Ask a school teacher. Believe me, I know; I was raised by two teachers, and I'm engaged to one now. The reason we can't produce engineers anymore is that we can't produce a sufficient quantity of high school graduates who are precise, focused, accurate, and possess critical thinking skills. That's because the teachers' hands are tied behind their backs by litigious parents, cowed administrators, and self-serving politicians. The kids aren't learning because the teachers are no longer allowed to teach them.
But they all come out of the system feeling great about themselves. A weak ego is not one of their problems--just a lack of jobs skills, work ethic, and education. It's no wonder we can't build a decent automobile anymore.
The problem isn't with the colleges--or at least it doesn't originate there. It starts in the public schools. Oh, sure; the numbers that are generated by the bureaucrats in charge of public schools look fantastic. If only those numbers reflected even the tiniest portion of reality, we'd be doing great. Unfortunately, the reality is that children aren't even required to produce the correct answer on a math test. Just so long as they show their work, and "make an effort," they get credit.
I think I'll try that excuse some time: "Well, yes... The piping exploded because my pressure calculations were incorrect--but I made an effort! I should still get paid. In fact, I want a raise!"
You don't believe me when I say the public schools are that far gone? Ask a school teacher. Believe me, I know; I was raised by two teachers, and I'm engaged to one now. The reason we can't produce engineers anymore is that we can't produce a sufficient quantity of high school graduates who are precise, focused, accurate, and possess critical thinking skills. That's because the teachers' hands are tied behind their backs by litigious parents, cowed administrators, and self-serving politicians. The kids aren't learning because the teachers are no longer allowed to teach them.
But they all come out of the system feeling great about themselves. A weak ego is not one of their problems--just a lack of jobs skills, work ethic, and education. It's no wonder we can't build a decent automobile anymore.
posted by Jar(egg)head at 11:08
5 Comments:
Thank Krsna for educated hardworking Indians!*
* Note for recent graduates of the American Education system. "Indians" as in the people from the densely populated and well educated nation on the Subcontinent bearing the name. Not to be confused with the fellows who are still kicking themselves for not letting those pushy Puritans starve that one cold winter back in 1621.
I can't quite agree with you entirely Egghead. I've worked as have generations in my family as teachers and support staff in public schools as well, and while I agree that improvements need to be made in general; there are some excellent programs in place in high schools today producing young adults that do have critical thinking skills, are career minded and highly proven and tested knowledge (and not just completion grades). Some are graduating with test scores high enough to get them college credit and not to just community colleges either but more difficult universities like UT and Rice.
I think just like with anything else, one shouldn't use a broad stroke to characterize or stereotype today's public high schools or high school graduates. You do a disservice to those that do strive and achieve their goals and do so in astounding fashion.
The problem overall isn't quality; there are still good kids coming out of the public schools. But they're coming out in spite of the system, not because of it. The politicians have taken over the public schools, making them little more than financial blood-chutes for the state governments. That's why politicians are such fans of standardized testing; it puts them in the catbird seat.
No, the real problem is quantity. We simply aren't producing enough bright young people. Worse, we're spending far too much time coddling their egos in public schools, instead of reddening their behinds.
The real corporate world, where most people will end up, is not kind. It does not say "it's okay, you'll do better next time" when you screw up. It punishes you mercilessly, (and rightfully.) If the system is teaching the children that there are no consequences for their actions--and it is; witness the "no zeroes" policy and "nothing less than a 50 on a test" policy most districts have adopted (and let's not even go into "social promotions"--then it is in essence prepping them for failure and misery later in life. Likewise the lowering of SAT standards, no less than twice in two decades. You don't fix a problem by adjusting the testing standards; you fix it by adjusting the students.
Besides, do you really want someone who can't get the correct answer, but does pretty lead work, designing the bridge you drive across every day?
I agree quantity is lacking and of course I don't want someone who isn't qualified building bridges. Perhaps I've been fortunate enough to work in excellent schools and/or school districts that I have not witnessed these dummied down academic policies you give as examples.
I agree some administrators do have a group coddling mentality such that they intentionally don't recognize excellence to prevent lesser abled or lesser achieving students from feeling badly about their abilities or academic performance. I do think that mentality is detrimental in our society and will only encourage mediocrity. Thankfully, those administrators are either hearing an earful from parents who disagree or have test scores that indicate their coddling isn't working and have changed. At least, this has been my experience.
One thing I have wondered about is whether or not the advent of computers and the evergrowing field of computer science, which includes everything from networking and pc game programming to computer engineering is usurping the majority of the math/science pool of students.
I know when my son graduated from high school in 2004, there was a great deal of competition amongst the math/science colleges within the Universities he had been accepted. Perhaps the reduction in engineering majors is due not only to a shrinking pool of math/science students, but also the result of broadening fields under the math/science umbrella.
Interesting idea - that the need for math/science educated students has expanded. It could be because I came from a smaller school in a rural area, but I'm very impressed with the levels of classes available to high school students. I'm not sure I would have done as well in them. Where I was finishing Pre-Calculus my Senior year, I know of many younger people who've completed or are getting through Calculus and even Differential Equations before finishing High School.
It could also be that because there are more people in general going to college, colleges are seeing more of the "mediocre" students.
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