Today I was contemplating our education system with all it's problems when I had an epiphany.
How can we demonstrate the level of importance of education for the average person---and then I realized---what "reflects" our interests and concerns the most?
Our media perhaps.
So I did some investigating and found the following:
These media outlets have a "top topic" place which acknowledges an interest in education:
http://www.nytimes.com/ …the Learning Network
http://www.examiner.com/los_angeles/
http://www.sfgate.com/
In contrast, these following media outlets do not have a "place" for education as a "top topic"
http://www.foxnews.com/
http://www.cnn.com/
http://news.yahoo.com/ has a place for “odd news” but no place for “education”
http://abcnews.go.com/ will give you “travel news” but no place for “education”
http://news.aol.com/ reports on “weird news”
http://news.google.com/ “most popular” but no “education”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/
http://www.dailynews.com/ has a whole section for obituaries…but not education
http://news.cnet.com/ apparently there is no place for education in technology either
http://www.msn.com you can find a date here….but nothing listed for education
http://www.fox11az.com/news/ has a “very bad movie” category…but nothing for education
http://www.cbsnews.com/ has “puzzles and toons” but nothing for education
http://www.newscorp.com/ here you can check out their “other assets” but No education link
The media listings which do not bother with a category for education---compare/contrast that information to the 3 measly listings which actually feel education is important enough for its own top category---it is obvious the majority needs their priorities to "evolve."
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Panache
Just cause a news outlet does not have a topic or section devoted to it does not mean they do not cover it in depth. The NYT lies and makes up stories so no matter how many headlines or topics they have, how many are true?
1***************
"I will marshal all the forces of darkness to hound you to an assisted suicide." - In the Loop
agree Sam- and who has the time these days to investigate the validity of their stories.
2When I began to think of what it meant for a media outlet to have a section devoted to education, I also started to see how it literally could be a good thing. However, the way the several media outlets use it now is just in segregating the issues which can be deemed part of education... and frankly lots of those things aren't really about the fundamental issues.
There are two main groups in this country and one of them has succeeded in pushing its agenda to the point that secondary education has become marginally useless and a college education is watered down to the point of it being close to high school. Although I have only attended one higher education center during this century (I love saying that!) It seems to me that our focus is nebulous. When I talk to educators who tell me that education is good just for education's sake, I tend to become irate: there is no such thing.
The purpose of an education is the same at advanced levels as it was at more basic levels: to be able to teach a student how to reason, discuss and express him or herself efficiently. the subject matter may be somewhat relevant, but the overall intent cannot be lost. Hence I suggest that even if one has a degree in dirigible design, he or she should be able to deal with new issues in a straightforward logical manner.
Our focus in technical areas ought not to preclude giving one the skills by which all educated human beings can fall into situations and put issues into perspective and hopefully make greater sense out of them. Unfortunately we have become mere technical schools, instructing people in a very narrow view of the world which may happen to be useful for a business. While there is nothing wrong with being able to program various kinds of computer network configurations, the actual technique of a broader intent has become lost.
3Gosh. Speechless.
Confirmation that "what" is a focus is not nearly as important as it was perceived.
It shouldn't surprise me how easily the focus could shift off topic so quickly.
BTW...I just stated facts--facts that I INVESTIGATED myself. I never "rely" on only one source and just because you dislike one of the three which actually emphasizes the need for an actual focus category for education...I was merely acknowledging a huge disparity between those that DO and those that DON'T which obviously was lost.
Yes...For the first time here on teamsugar I just got defensive. I just assumed education would be a priority but..DUH...it isn't obviously.
I spent over an hour investigating these media outlets.
4Not referring to your post Eleuthera..we must have been posting at the same time.
I agree with you. An education in any area--if based on academic principals--is easily built upon. Critical thinking skills have to be built--they cannot just "appear" and on that basis, an education moves forward and you gain the ability to develop "insight" in many areas. This carries over into anything you do after achieving that goal. Hence the real accomplishment of an "education."
Pity, mine is being ignored---but my critical thinking skills are intact and they cannot deny them.
5Our thinking is nebulous. Love that word.
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