tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post815293905645697483..comments2024-03-12T14:31:50.264-07:00Comments on Bits and Pieces: Against ConcentrationsHarry Lewishttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17088418333536732728noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-64307232421877123152017-08-07T08:24:51.004-07:002017-08-07T08:24:51.004-07:00This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02036141162168507103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-63971115386608984292014-10-06T11:32:59.941-07:002014-10-06T11:32:59.941-07:00Professor Lewis,
Harvard has never tried to demons...Professor Lewis,<br />Harvard has never tried to demonstrate that it provides a better education than many other cheaper schools, including state schools. A big reason lots of students and their parents are willing to pay $65K per year is to get a Harvard credential. When you charge an exorbitant amount and continually increase that amount faster than inflation, don't be surprised if your buyers think in mercenary terms.Quanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01331772613078493504noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-88717655223074495342014-10-05T07:05:04.741-07:002014-10-05T07:05:04.741-07:00Boy, do I know that "I need only X more cours...Boy, do I know that "I need only X more courses that I don't want to take to get this gold star" conversation. I try to use it focus students on whether they want an education or just credentials. Harry Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17088418333536732728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-51736969039415674582014-10-02T20:59:22.238-07:002014-10-02T20:59:22.238-07:00I very much like the idea of someone getting a sec...I very much like the idea of someone getting a secondary in Art History because they like it not causing their parents to shudder in fear of the job market.<br /><br />I also like that it avoids the following absurdity I have seen: Gee, I am majoring in CS and if I just take 3 more math courses, I can get a math major-- even though I don't like math and aren't that good at it. That is, the<br />`all I need is x courses for a major so I'll grit my teeth and get it' would go away.<br /><br />One caution- if the three are in (say) Math/CS/Physics that seems to defeat the purpose.Same with Bio/Biochem/Entomology (they are diff depts are my school. Really!). Requiring that at least one be a science and at least one be a humanity might be okay. And might help battle what CP Snow lametnted as the two cultures-- that people in the humanities brag that they don't know any math.<br /><br />Would this work at other schools? Lets try it at Harvard first :-) But,<br />having brought it up, Harvard has people who are good at many things. But other schools may be able to live up to the challenge. And the list of problems you wrote down are certainly not unique to Harvard.GASARCHhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06134382469361359081noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-5541676061666225372014-10-02T11:36:23.492-07:002014-10-02T11:36:23.492-07:00You'd be interested to hear that the idea of u...You'd be interested to hear that the idea of using an out-of-division secondary to replace Gen Ed came up at last night's Gen Ed "Town Hall" in Eliot (http://www.thecrimson.com/article/2014/10/2/gened-first-meeting-confusion/, though the Crimson, uselessly enough, chose to refrain from citing any of the ideas aired, and stuck to soundbites instead).<br /><br />I do think the idea of concentration as a thing you choose *to do*, and not a thing you choose *one of* from a list is more liberal [arts education] than "a little of everything, and one thing well".Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06425182901548329436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-1064964955900943502014-10-01T12:00:00.260-07:002014-10-01T12:00:00.260-07:00There are probably plenty of better arguments agai...There are probably plenty of better arguments against this idea before you get to this one! You are certainly right about the superficial screening, but in one sense I think you are underestimating the savvy of the recruiters: by now they know that saying you have a "3.8 in economics at Harvard" tells them almost nothing, except that four years ago you were promising enough to get into Harvard! The situation in CS is probably extreme, but CS recruiters don't care at all about transcripts or GPAs, they just want to figure out what you know, so the interviews are problem solving sessions.<br /><br />My revised proposal on thinking about it: Everyone has to have three 5-course minors, one each in an area of Nat Sci, of Soc Sci, and of Hum. To have a "concentration" and be eligible for honors, which as now would go to ad most half the class, you'd have to do more in one area and write a thesis or do some other capstone project, and be recommended by a department or committee, but not based mostly on GPA. There would still be plenty of room for writing, language, and elective courses.<br /><br />I thought I'd never say it, but kill Gen Ed. There are too many bypasses already, and the remaining courses include too many that are weird in ways that make them poor evidence of general education. With a proper minor in an area distant from your main interest, you'd have to develop a bit of sophistication about thinking in another area. Put the resources into making sure departments took seriously their responsibility to create departmental courses appropriate for all students.Harry Lewishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17088418333536732728noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3116442395849122822.post-8225039068532693862014-10-01T07:30:21.256-07:002014-10-01T07:30:21.256-07:00It's my impression that employers do not look ...It's my impression that employers do not look at transcripts with much depth. They will look at the major and GPA, if that. If students could not summarize their record in a simple sentence such as "I earned a 3.8 as an econ major at Harvard", that could disadvantage them. Professor Lewis probably wishes employers and graduate school admissions committees were more thoughtful in judging applicants, but I wonder if they are.Quanthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01331772613078493504noreply@blogger.com