Older students and the liberal arts

[Scholar Interrupted]

Ryoder, I'm not quite as pessimistic as you are. I think a lot of things aren't working in our higher education system, but people are beginning to realize the emperor is naked, and the situation is bound to improve. As for India, I think a well-rounded education is important for turning out well-rounded people who know how to think, and I 'm not at all sure India is doing that effectively. There is even a recent WSJ article that calls the quality of Indian higher ed into question, noting, among other things, that many grads "lack a grasp of educational basics such as reading comprehension." That probably results from the lack of a sufficient liberal arts component.

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Education is the battleground of thought and the left is winning.

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The rest of the world doesn't even teach liberal arts in college. Ask any Indian how their BS went and it will be all technology or professional classes. There is zero liberal arts education after high school and they are kicking our buts in technology.

It's interesting how you seem to read things into what I wrote that I neither meant nor said. I said I'm not a liberal. I made no reference to gun-toting or tree-hugging, and in fact, I don't indulge in either activity. I also didn't pass any judgment on students but only stated the obvious facts of their situation. I didn't mention free speech at all. And finally, I don't know how you could take from my post that I was in any way disparaging liberal arts grads, since I am one. The liberal arts are what separate us from the animals.

I just don't like how people are either liberal or conservative in this world today. Either I have to be some communist tree hugging hippie, or I'm a un-educated gun toting redneck.

The students in university are adults, well performing ones at that. Their job is to critically examine information, I don't think you give them enough credit, and are treating them like children. Free speech is a two way street, if someone say something you don't agree with what can you really do?

Also there was a really interesting "dialogue" between Gates and Jobs regarding engineering or liberal arts study. It was argued that liberal arts grads might contribute more to society, particularly as entrepreneurs, as this education fosters critical thinking in every aspect of life.

Alison, your experience sounds like a great one (except for that one old lady ). You had instructors who appreciated the more seasoned perspective you brought to the classroom. I haven't taken a B&M class since I was 21, (a long time ago), and you almost make me wish I had. But I expect these experiences vary a lot according to where you're taking your classes.

I tried to get a fix on my Excelsior instructors as best I could. Only one had much of a "Google presence," though. And it's almost impossible to gauge where an instructor stands or how open-minded he might be when you're doing a CD-ROM course. In the one online course I took, I felt more or less "free to speak" because the instructor clearly had misgivings about some of the things he was required to teach us. He would add these little caveats here and there as if to say, "I have to teach you X, but you should know there is also Y. Make up your own mind."

My take on it is that as an older (over forty and fabulous) student that I could get away with so much more then the younger students in class. They actually noticed. I have taken many B&M classes and I feel that many of my professors noticed I wasn't 19 and noticed that I actually had a little life experience to back it up. I had one instructor that was OLD (I mean old) and she could not stand anyone's opinion but her own. Thank heavens she is gone now. I mean that for the new students coming into the program behind me. But she was a bit controlling with her behavior. Probably because of her underlying personality disorder. But as far as the rest of them went I actually think I had it easier then the young students.