Posts by KevinHicks
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Oh fun, you guys are quite harder task masters than kiwiblog.
No I'm not a troll and on kiwiblog its usually only the idiots who call people trolls. I'm interested in why finding out from ground zero why the dumbing down of the education system is a good thing for NZ (other than civil rest). I focus on the economy because that is an important reason for having a good education system but as one poster said above the education system is much braoder and more useful than that.
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I'm well known as the typo king when I get up a head of speed.
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Peter, that question depends a great deal on how you define corruption, for example whether you think EEO is corrupt. I don't think the current system is corrupt (thats why I said non-corruptible) but I do think that if you were giving out doses of $50K to the top undergraduates there would need to be a careful process involved because there is potential forr individuals to take it upon themsleves to tinker, even if their motive are well intentioned.
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Margaret, I'm sorry if this is confusing but there are several interscting threads I am responding to. And also I am disappointed with myself at missing the opportunity to given the goverenment a good bolloxing during the "consultation phase".
Much of the problem lies in people's attitudes - and many people are of the attitude that the eduction system should proceed at the rate of the slowest learner because they can't bear the idea that it might be their poopsy ooops child left behind. The government tries to respond to this attitude, usually by spamming its website with discussion documents until the problem goes away, but of necessity bringing in a system where children are treated like templates onto which they can stamp a character.
Some people opt out and go for unlimited (not for me sorrry) while some like me would prefer all kids got a more tailor made deal in a fiscally neutral way (because there really aint no more where that money is coming from).
so (c) I think it is, is just the logical outcome where you tell the government to give us (the people) the money they spend on bureuacrats spamming about the problems and let us have a go at solving it for ourselves, since they are incapable.
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So what did the other university lecturers think of the bollox, oops new curriculum?
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Yes to a certain extent thats right obserevationz, all I'm saying is that scholarships should go on merit and that merit should be assessed in a non-corruptable way. You may have a better idea. But we need to send a message to our brightest people that they are valued.
""University educator" my arse."
Slipped through the net eh? Better put a dozen policy analysts onto finding our how first thing!
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Oh please, no names on papers and the marker didnt teach the course, of course.
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Where on earth did anyone ever come up with the idea that it is fair an equitable to pour(!) more into one person than the other which is the necessity if you have the "no child left behind" system (which we do have in NZ even more so than the US so I dont know where she's been - its called mainstreaming here).
As I tried to say above - the problem is not in the system. The problem is in the attitude that that child is left behind and the paternalistic and condescending belief that you are so omnipotent that you can determine which child is left behind. I know many people who you guys would say were "left behind" and they brighter and lead happier lives than me.
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Paul, yes for example we should have at least one elite university where you have to sit double blinded exams with no identification allowed and externally audited marking to get into. We should put more effort into giving people a good broad general education until say the end of the fifth form and them guide them on the basis of double blinded audited assessments, knowing that you can change tracks if you suddenly get passionate and are prepared to work hard enough.
Scholarships should be handed out on the basis of blinded objective assessment only so that our best and brightest dont have to take out loans when unemployed who have never had academic interests go for free. What a message to send our kids - you may as well just say to them - piss off and never come back!
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Obervationz, thats exactly what I've been saying, except that NZ companies cant afford to pay more. We need to move our economy towards one that can afford to attract our top people back.
All we are asking is for the government and bureaucrats to trust us and let us get on with the job.
Tom, Unfortunately I'll have to come back and deal with you later but being a maths graduate I can see the usefulness in deriving but maths isnt the only thing in the world.
Heather, the logical outcome is to poor $10 mil of taxpayers money into the slowest learner - thanks a million. This "outing" or "mainstreaming" bollox is another rort we should face as a nation.