What did you learn in school today?
Mar 16/09
[ I know what I learned, and I think it's safe to say I'll probably only be using 1/3 of it at most after I graduate, unless I pursue a post-grad degree. ]
Most of us have been there at one point. We've let our foreheads drop down on the desk amongst piles of paper and strewn notes, wondering, is this really right? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?
I think some would even go so far as to argue whether their entire 4 or 5 year degree was really worth its buck. Let's take my manufacturing course, for example. We are presented with the current industrial methods of 'heat, beat and treat', and we get to perform all sorts of fun calculations on yield strength, fracture toughness, flow stress, elongation, temperature, force... I could go on. Are the principles there? Sure, it's great to be able to perform all of those text book calculations for producing materials. But we're just being taught to continue in the ways of the old industrial revolution mindset that brought us the ecological and economic nightmares of today.
We're the ones that are being expected to bring change, so why do we have to go through an entire undergrad of learning the old, outdated methods of manufacturing, only to have to find a specialized master program to begin to work on new ideas and processes?? Our course doesn't even mention environmental impacts of processes or materials! It's about time universities started updating their programs; because even if we don't pay for it through tuition, we'll still pay one way or another.
Most of us have been there at one point. We've let our foreheads drop down on the desk amongst piles of paper and strewn notes, wondering, is this really right? Is this what I'm supposed to be doing?
I think some would even go so far as to argue whether their entire 4 or 5 year degree was really worth its buck. Let's take my manufacturing course, for example. We are presented with the current industrial methods of 'heat, beat and treat', and we get to perform all sorts of fun calculations on yield strength, fracture toughness, flow stress, elongation, temperature, force... I could go on. Are the principles there? Sure, it's great to be able to perform all of those text book calculations for producing materials. But we're just being taught to continue in the ways of the old industrial revolution mindset that brought us the ecological and economic nightmares of today.
We're the ones that are being expected to bring change, so why do we have to go through an entire undergrad of learning the old, outdated methods of manufacturing, only to have to find a specialized master program to begin to work on new ideas and processes?? Our course doesn't even mention environmental impacts of processes or materials! It's about time universities started updating their programs; because even if we don't pay for it through tuition, we'll still pay one way or another.
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