[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

- I don't think the Primary Education - Higher Education - Workforce Entry model makes sense anymore. Rather, continuing education throughout life is critical. Moreso in some professions than others for sure, but I think it's valuable to all people capable of being educated (the relatively small percentage who unfortunately are not is another matter), and so a system in which education happens alongside professional life as opposed to mostly preceeding it is more appropriate for the current rate of change that technological advance has presented us with.

In the companies I've been to, "formal" continuing education is encouraged. There's basically 2 types (1) ethics, soft skills etc. (2) job related. For the former, the training is pushed out to me and I'm told to do them or else. For the latter, they budget at least 40 hours a year to go do related training like at a software vendor etc.

Also, younger/newer employees do get more training. It's not unusual to send those fresh out of college to a 2-3 week "boot camp".

I've been fortunate to be in companies that provide continuing education, and understand many other companies do/can not. I don't know what you envision as curricula and schedule (e.g. average 1 day a week, 1 day a month etc.). TBH, I would hate to go beyond what I described above unless its to learn a brand new skill like a different software package ... too much work already.

Memorizing facts is not nearly as important as it was, as we have devices that can give us all the facts and figures we want at our fingertips, and increasingly efficiently. The goal of education needs to shift to how to apply that knowledge.

I was thinking about multiplication tables when reading this. I think there are "basics" and then there are more advanced stuff. Even if basics are covered by my calculator, its good to understand and able to do the foundational stuff without a calculator.

There's a lot of grey area here. I kinda agree but kinda disagree. I think it depends on the level of stuff one if memorizing.

- I don't think building grand complexes/compounds where students go, pay an exorbitant amount for living quarters/books/exploding administrative fees/etc. is appropriate in this world. There are practical exceptions for training for certain careers, but most general education at a minimum has no reason to need to happen in person. It can and should be done remotely. In this manner a much smaller number of educators can reach a much larger group of learners, as we already see happening in various forms of social media. There's no good reason why we can't get a lot more education done at a much lower price. Remote learning should IMO by the normative method.

In my experience, remote training can definitely occur for continuing education stuff. If we are in a college model for 18-22, I don't think it works near as well. Part of the college experience is also college life, interacting with others etc. One can certainly also remotely collaborate with other students, but I don't think it works as well. Definitely more remote learning but similar to the job model, I'd wat on-site also like a 4-1, 3-2 ratio.

I understand you are not advocating for but want to upend the 18-22 college model. I want to change it not upend it.

And yeah, the costs are way too much for non-Ivy league or private universities.

I've personally learned more in my adult life than I ever did as a student simply because I sought it out in the age of the internet where so much information is available. There's also a lot of misinformation as well; I'm not suggesting a free-for-all. Education needs to move at the pace of technological advance, and the only way it can do that is to be a constant process. A traditional multi-year degree done immediately after high school is not appropriate to a dynamic society like this, but rather a more stagnant one that has long since been a relic of the past.

No doubt I've learned more in my adult life also, no argument there.

Bottom-line. Using the 80-20 model, I'm for keeping the 70 and changing the 30. I think you're more for keeping the 30 and changing the 70.