Free Book (Kindle/Nook/Sony) - Change.edu

[koland]

Change.edu: Rebooting for the New Talent Economy, by Andrew S. Rosen, is free in the Kindle store. There have been a few chapters free before, but this appears to be the entire text -- if you are interested in education (fwhether for your kids or yourself or from the point of view of an educator or employer) and how it should be viewed in terms of preparing for being able to fit into the workplace later on (rather than graduating with >$100K in debt, but only being able to find a spot pulling espresso after graduation), you'll probably want to take a look.

Book Description
“The next twenty-five years offer an opportunity to transform the way students have learned for centuries. We will be able to deliver education to students where they are, based on their specific needs, desires, and backgrounds.”—Andrew S. Rosen

Imagine a university where programs are tailored to the needs of each student, the best professors are available to everyone, curriculum is relevant to the workplace – and the value of the education is demonstrable. In Change.edu, Andrew S. Rosen shows how that future is possible but in danger of being stifled by a system of incentives that emphasize prestige and tradition, rather than access and outcomes.

The U.S. higher education system has historically been considered one of the best in the world. This thought-provoking story presents the imperative for transforming that system for the 21st century and beyond. Rosen takes on the sacred cows of traditional higher education models, and calls on the country to demand the changes we need to build a qualified workforce and compete in a global economy. Change.edu is sure to open minds — and open doors to a wealth of opportunities.

[luqmaninbmore]

After all, we must increase the surplus value that our teachers create. You are not going to solve the problem of unemployment under a capitalist system; it is a 'feature' of such an economy, not a bug. There is a need for a reserve army of workers chilling their heels and keeping wages lower while at the same time the dynamic of the economy itself is in the direction of ever increasing labor productivity. I am also deeply suspicious that this is an attempt to do away with classical humanistic disciplines because a.) they are not immediately 'productive' in the sense that capitalists desire (i.e. they often do not relate directly to production of surplus value) and b.) they tend to create a critical consciousness that most employers would not want their workers to have. Be good at problem solving in a limited way? Yes. But engaging with fundamental questions or delving deeply behind appearances? No way.

[koland]

Originally Posted by luqmaninbmore

After all, we must increase the surplus value that our teachers create. You are not going to solve the problem of unemployment under a capitalist system;

Yes, communism/socialism has proven so much better at solving surplus, I will admit....

Of course, they do do by simply eliminating surplus for all, devolving into bare subsistence over time (as all chaotic systems must).

Although it's true that some surplus will always exist under the current system, it doesn't have to be quite so much as currently exists. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has employed college grad in a part-time, low-paid position as an intern, while they pursue a second degree in a major that actually will let them make a living (rather than the fun one they continued from college, but which hasn't led to actual employment unless one has a PhD for the last several decades). On the other hand, the architect grad who was our waiter last night (which I know because he remarked on the Kindle's screen saver) actually has a real internship that may lead to a career -- just in developing neighborhoods and suburbs, not cathedrals.

For the majority of those pursuing a higher education, the where doesn't matter much, in the long run - it won't affect how much they make or even the quality of their education much, so long as you are picking somewhat similar curriculums. It will affect their debt load (esp those automatically picking out of state colleges, just to get away from parents or moving to a campus that is an easy commute away or a beach school, but aren't pursuing a naval career); for some, where does matter (future politicians, for example, live and die on their network of cronies, while those who are at MIT for an engineering education probably won't go as far at the local community college). One of the biggest problems, though, is choice of major and how little thought is put in to how this college education will be used to pursue a career (gone are the days when you get hired to manage the corner store because you went off to college and grabbed a degree, unless you also happen to be the football star son of the owner).

[ATDrake]

Also free @ B&N and Sony (not available to Canadians).