From Inside Higher Ed, a review of a new book about the failings of contemporary higher education, “Academically Adrift.” “How much are students actually learning in contemporary higher education? The answer for many undergraduates, we have concluded, is not much,” write Richard Arum (professor of sociology and education at New York University) and Josipa Roksa …
In The Chronicle of Higher Education‘s ongoing “Brainstorm” blog series, Diane Auer Jones (a former assistant secretary for postsecondary education at the U.S. Department of Education) argues that the humanities aren’t dying–rather, the academic world is no longer the center of humanities education. She writes: “[T]raditional institutions of higher education may no longer be the …
Are the Humanities Dead, or Are Academic Programs Just Too Narrow? Read More
Though I do not agree with David Frum on many points, I believe his recent Marketplace commentary hits at an idea I have held for a while: that we as a society need to seriously reconsider the cost and value of higher education. I hope to have more on college and higher-ed in the weeks …
An article in today’s Los Angeles Times proclaims: “Not since the 1970s have workers with bachelor’s degrees seen a prolonged slump in earnings during a time of economic growth. … According to U.S. Census Bureau figures, college graduates earned an average of $51,206 last year, whereas high school graduates earned $27,915 and those with no …
A Tale of Two Gaps: Why we should really care about education and the labor market Read More
Take a look at this article entitled “They’re Not Stupid—They’re Lazy: The real reason American high-schoolers have such dismal test scores.” It continues to highlight the problems of incentive-driven testing. “When states begin imposing penalties for failure, it makes a difference—sometimes a big one. Look at Texas: In 2004, results counted toward graduation for the …