Norrin, I'm in the process of listening to that video you linked. I have the following criticism of it:
1) The presenter confuses outcome based education (OBE) with social-goal education. The two are not identical. OBE is a method of teaching which can be used with any curriculum, while social-goal education is a specific curriculum.
2) The implication is given that social-goal education has replaced academic education. Having recently had two children graduate from high school, I know from personal experience that this is not the case; that there is plenty of emphasis on ordinary academic studies in our schools, and hence the standardized social-goal tests that she refers to give a misimpression of education at this time.
3) If the purpose of this change in our education methods -- to the extent that it is real at all -- is to "dumb down kids deliberately, making zombie-like people who don't ask any questions but just follow orders," then based on the behavior of young people today, it has been a dismal failure by its own terms.
Now, let me consider the things you said to me in your last post.
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Originally Posted by Norrin Radd
The change I am talking about is the change in focus away from the founding fathers beliefs in individual liberty and a focus on collectivism.
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What do you mean by "collectivism"? Are you referring to something economic, or something else? If you mean something economic, then my response is that "collectivism" and "individual liberty" are not incompatible. If you mean something more basic, like cogwheel obedience to authority, then my response is that if that's the goal, it has failed miserably.
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Today children are taught to be "children of the world."
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Yesterday they were taught to be American chauvinists. Do you think that was better? There is always a socialization content in public education; that specific change in our curriculum does not bother me, in fact I approve. If, as you suggested, this was being emphasized instead of academic achievement, then I would have a problem, but as I stated I know from personal family experience that this is not the case.
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Do you know the goals of OBE?
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Norrin, as a matter of principle I am going to refuse to answer questions of this nature. If you want to say something about OBE, say it. Don't grill.
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"COLLECTIVISM" is now the main goal of OBE. You are not supposed to question the "norms" of society. You are not supposed to think like an individual. School is not about teaching information, it is about molding attitudes and perceptions.
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As I said, having recently had two daughters graduate from high school, I know for myself that the statement "school is not about teaching information" is untrue. As I said also, if the goal was to produce pepole who "don't think like individuals," then it has been a dismal failure.