The Biggest Flaw of Our Education System - Loss of Motivation & Received Ideas

[@emtcubby]

Part of the problem I see is a push to get through a set amount of material in a class that one cannot take the time to properly read learn and critically think about the material.

[@julialomotey]

It’s so annoying how you try and properly learn and understand a book or a multi-page assignment and you don’t even have the time to do that. School doesn’t allow you to be comfortable and enthusiastic about life or learning, cuz ur on a constant time crunch and ur so stressed and miserable all the time…. it’s so horrifying it should be a crime.

[@danielle2577]

as a teacher, this what "learning goal" called (altho I think it's too exaggerated) and it's indeed really difficult to achieve the goals with the time available for the goals. also, every student has their own time to really understand and this is what I think the challenge. I want my students have some motivation to learn by themselves. and I think, motivating them, sparks the curiousity, and the process/method of understanding the materials are the things I should put carefully into the lesson plan. still a challenge tho, plus with class management, everything is still difficult but I'm trying my best.

[@keeptaiwanfree]

Yeah I fully agree. As a university student (pre-law student) I’m currently taking a government and history class and my prof makes us get through so much material in a short amount of time and doing exams and quizzes right afterwards, and I was upset because there is no time for me to fully process the material and ideas, and reaching valuable conclusions. There’s no time for ideas to speak in your mind, there’s only barely enough time to get through the texts and regurgitate the information on tests.

[@teal2111]

Also, needing passing grades makes learning a big pain. It's become a cycle of needing to pass and dump whatever you studied around that time to get to the next level. Eventually it becomes as 'you don't care about what you studied and just care that it's enough to let you pass or advance'.

[@zehraozcan4692]

Hi! A physics student here! I totally agree with your thoughts and observations on the lack of insight into the education given in STEM. But I want to emphasize a difference between the way engineering and physics/math approach using mathematical/physical equations. As you said, probably most engineering students don't know how to derive a physics equation. I think that's how it is supposed to be because their primary purpose is designing stuff. So for engineers, these types of equations are just a bunch of tools. However, if we approach from a physicist's perspective, we're expected to know how to reach the result of a problem. There is a similar difference between the approach of physicists and mathematicians for mathematical equations. Physicists view math as a way to understand nature/physics. But, mathematicians do the math for the sake of math. I am not a supporter of this kind of system, though. Especially making multiple-choice exams for math or physics is nonsense. These types of exams are absolute curiosity killers. I hope you recover from the flu quickly! Looking forward to new videos!

[@VanessainSTEM]

I agree. As someone who studied mathematics in college, I think there's a misunderstanding in how people view STEM because they often don't consider the more theoretical areas. I feel the problem lies more in the fact that we are encouraged to not delve as deeply into a concept due to the way the education system is set up. It's difficult to do so when you are studying just to pass an exam (which college necessitates), versus having the time to actually explore.

[@chrono4998]

Hey man, I'm starting physics in a couple months and what he said about not going through the steps in STEM kinda scared me shitless cause i thought that was what physics was all about. Thank you for saying this.

[@marckenleu795]

@@VanessainSTEM as a college student, I can totally relate to this TvT

[@annelliott1384]

In the STEM fields, there’s a common problem, often hits in grad school, where someone who loved learning things and was good at passing tests discovers they don’t enjoy the uncertainty of research. Learning what other people have already figured out is a different skill set from discovering new knowledge. In research, you don’t get the emotional validation of knowing you’ve gotten the right answer. And if your experiment isn’t going well, you may not get any clear answer at all. Some people drop out of grad school because it’s not until that point that they found out that they don’t enjoy research.

[@echo6093]

You hit the nail on the head. I have always had the same problem in school. Whenever we'd cover a new subject, I'd be interested in it for a week or two before quickly realizing that it was all just compressed information to get a better grade on your test. I want to KNOW how somebody came to that conclusion. I need to understand why a math formula is structured the way it is. Even if I'm not always interested in the pure technicalities of it, it makes me more engaged in actually achieving something in school. I remember in primary school we had these books on various subjects that we could borrow and read to get a better idea of something previously not known. There were also questions in it to test whether you remembered what you had read. Reading and completing the questions in those books is one of my fondest childhood memories because it engaged my curiosity and in some sense my academic skill, too. Though, when I started to become competitive in completing them as quickly as I could, I could see my interest wasn't in understanding new concepts anymore but to "run away with them" like you said.

[@readreadwriteread9039]

The sad truth is, sometimes the "product" isn't students who think critically. Not always the case though...

[@chrono4998]

I've always wanted to go into academia/research for work but the more I learn about it the more yikes it seems. Guess I'll become a data analyst

[@keeptaiwanfree]

Personally as a second year uni student, I have had several professors or lecturers who are good at teaching in a method that makes students remember and understand the information effortlessly (not just regurgitating, but truly understanding the logic) and so naturally, from that, comes good scores. Good scores from students who actually understand the information are a good reflection of the person who taught them that information. I understand that your job is difficult, but there are ways of achieving both high grades AND actually “getting” the material. It seems to me that it doesn’t have to be only one or the other (good scores OR actually learning information)

[@inkompetenzkompensationsko4188]

@@chrono4998 Same. I wanted to go into aduld education, maybe in philosphy but at this point i don't think i will

[@sethtallred]

Many astute observations. Our generation is adrift on a tide of utilitarian and reductionist thinking. I look forward to your continued dive into this and other topics related to the education system. Bravo!

[@rourkerothenburg323]

The originality and novelty of our academic curiosities should be celebrated in schools. It’s easier to present an idea which has been revisited over and over, rather than inquiring on your own and unique findings. Let’s let our students ask questions ! Some of the best academics in the world taught themselves.

[@rourkerothenburg323]

Love how you put it: “the original spirit of discovery”.

[@morningdewacademic]

I think you would enjoy the book, "Dumbing Us Down" by John Taylor Gatto about the faults of our educational system. I'm a huge proponent of education; however, I am one who is behind self-study and being free to choose your own path.

[@chai9926]

i recently attended a graduation ceremony for Federation University in Victoria, and it deeply worried me how much the Dean and Arch-chancellor focused on ‘employment’ and ‘outcomes’ in their speeches. Much as i have respect for these wonderful educators, it made me very uncomfortable how much emphasis was placed on career outcomes over education for education’s sake

[@stephaniedonst5309]

I think it is important to also realize that you can cultivate curiosity and discovery yourself as well (you have control over what you learn, and how you learn as well. Sure the education system is flawed but that doesn't mean you have to follow it's footsteps.) Some ways you can do this is by exploring the world. See the world for yourself, don't get stuck on a computer or in a book. When you currently don't have access to the world for whatever reason (keep in mind exploring your own backyard counts as well) you can read books, journal, and meditation are great techniques that will also enhance your studies.

[@ecaepevolhturt]

Engineering is about getting things working, applying science. Knowing how things actually work and testing their limits. The mathematicians and theoretical physicists can play with maths all they want but engineers are the ones that makes things happen. That was what was so great about scientists like Tesla. Tesla could do all the hardcore math and could also actually build rotating magnetic fields using AC currents. The same goes for Feynman. He did great work in QED but he was always looking for mathematical analogies so that he demonstrate or test some principle. At University, if your studying engineering but you are not building projects on the side for fun because you do not have a real interest in bipolar junction transistors, control systems, etc, then the theory that you study will mean much less to you. The best scientist were not just great at complex mathematics, they were also practical engineers. Most businesses create value for customers by solving some real world problem. This is why engineering is so valuable in our current society.

[@sofiaramirezCU]

I find this topic fascinating, and also I believe can be traced back to elementary education in the United States. Children in the US are often only taught the subjects that policy makers feel are “developmentally appropriate” i.e. math and reading, while leaving out subjects such as history to “special” days such as veterans day, etc. Elementary schools also often us a skill based approach while completely disregarding content. These things and more I think lead to the issue you’re discussing in the video. Children are not taught to research, investigate, or think for themselves. Important ideas are also not introduced until much later in the academic career, if ever. The US education system is built off of the factory education model of education started during the industrial revolutions, meant to pump out thinkless factory workers.

[@cerise4662]

its funny how in practically all your videos you articulate elegantly, if i may say effortlessly, my exact same thoughts.

[@mehulkumar749]

9:00 Isn't the same problem available here on KZbin as well ? I mean, 90% of 'knowledge' in the modern world comes from summaries and commentaries, either in text or in videos or in lecture halls. Students just want the teachers to read the texts and convey the gist to them, enough to write in the examinations

[@sherlock7898]

Haven't watched the video yet, just wanted to add my experience in English class. I love reading and writing. I have since I first learned how to read and write. Its easy for me compared math and science. However, for the first time ever I have genuinely struggled to finish an assignment. Essays are usually pretty simple for me, but this assignment is just kicking my butt. I can't seem to think of anything to write.I am exhausted from my difficult biology course. My family is going through a stress full time, I have some personal issues going on as well. I am just tired. I am tired of college, reading, writing, meeting the unreasonable demands ofmy biology professor who expects us to go through the equivalent of finals week 4 times in a semester. There is no way I can pass my biology course without cheating, and I hate that. Every week one of my classes suffers because I need to make time for this course. I don't know what to do. I have a paper that is a week late and tomorrow I am going to beg my teacher to accept it. I just want it to be over. I do not want to be in college a minute longer but I have one more semester before I can graduate.

[@shamanicrevolution2204]

Glad to have found this channel, Just a few notes on your essay. You mention that philosophy is fundamentally about how to live, I believe that would be ethics. Philosophy is at the most fundamental level is about how our minds perceive reality. I agree with your main premise, I believe you could also apply it to most ideologies.

[@lucilazambrano2251]

Thank you. I've been waiting for your video. You do a wonderful job. I'm older than you but I really like your ideas. I'm glad you're in better health now.

[@margoburova5792]

I got way too excited when Flaubert was brought up, lol. Truthfully, received ideas are the great problem in any field of modern academia. How to solve it is a question tho. I tried studying topics that were way beyond my understanding before going to uni, that way I didn't really have a stable, "received" base I would build on. But now that I'm too busy with preparation for tests and exams and other boring things I don't have time for this, sadly.

[@NarutoUzumaki-lt3dg]

Yea I was waiting for you

[@SlugSage]

Dattebayo?

[@NarutoUzumaki-lt3dg]

@@SlugSage believe it

[@writtenwordsschoolofenglish]

I studied French literature a long time ago, but I’ve never come across Flaubert’s Dictionary of Received Ideas before. I must take a look at that. I can imagine it might be very relevant in the internet age.

[@jeffreybarker357]

What I saw during my master’s degree in literature was that professors expected us to create our own conclusion then support it with other works. It was hand-waved and assumed that’s what we would do. Maybe that’s a fair expectation. Maybe not. The timeline of classes we had and how much work we had to produce was a bigger detriment to creating something worth reading. I couldn’t spend time thinking through anything novel. It was about getting it done. The alternative is to take a decade to finish your degree. 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@vethopefully8535]

Because it's just for compliance, sadly 🙁 it's just about ticking the box, meeting the deadlines, agreeing with the professors.

[@apeacefulworld9095]

Get well 🙏🏻 soon !!!

[@salmanmoore5405]

Your videos are really usefull for students and your explanation is so clear to understand for everyone. Thank you for uploading this video.

[@nth2tell]

I found your channel through remarkable review and I am glad that I am here. The content is so fresh and interesting.

[@bingshatisaha2579]

A very insightful video. Extremely thankful to you for this one.

[@msanzesbri]

Dieu merci tu es de retour. Je commençais à me soucier pour toi. Merci pour ton travail toujours intéresant. Un abrazo dede CDMX!

[@callumfrench163]

I have had discussions with staff at two regional primary schools. I think it fits with what you are probing at. They keep coming back with at some point you just have to get on and do and that's why education isn't philosophy or humanities, it's a profession. The days are about doing, not questing the nature of education itself. I believe the original spirit of discovery is there in students and staff, but the deliberateness of identifying it is a skill and how it is done maybe fits more in the social sciences with some ethics than the humanities.

[@terrysullins9218]

i JUST FOUND YOUR CHANNEL AND AM REALLY ENJOYING IT

[@Nihal-wx3th]

Thank you for these tipps! btw you honestly have a really attractive voice, you could do podcasts and audiobooks :)

[@TheRavenLilian]

It has been forever since I read it, but if you haven't read it yet you might find some of the ideas in " Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: An Inquiry Into Values" on school and what is expected of you in both high school and college interesting.

[@maloryl.6946]

I'm not sure I get it. I would assume the emphasis on passing your exams and writing the perfect utilitarian essay wouldn't kill students' motivation. If we're used to being told what to think, then why don't we simply go with it? Why the sudden loss of motivation? Shouldn't we be impatient to learn more and more simplistic notions each time to have a sort of catalog of ideas? I totally agree with you on the comment, my recent return to college made me realize the excellence everyone is talking about isn't there and that college is a scam, but I'm not sure I understand your conclusion in that it's what kills our motivation. Aren't we so brainwashed that this is all we can aspire to learn and all we actually want to learn? And if we do notice an idea that hasn't been dived into enough, shouldn't we get an incentive to dive into it further ourselves?

[@mm-lo1ef]

Maybe we are going into survival mode? The same as in high school : remeber and pass exam. And we thought uni would be different, but it isn't and we go back to it

[@eamonnsweetman6126]

Perhaps the reason that the reductionism and utilitarianism of modern education causes students to lose the motivation to learn is because, naturally, the ingestion and regurgitation of simplified concepts and received ideas isn't satisfying or fulfilling to the human mind. We are curious beings; thinking through interesting ideas and arriving at conclusions and insights of our own is what makes us human, and therefore what makes us feel the most content and fulfilled. We live in a society, however, in which these abilities are less and less prized, and are not being nurtured by our education systems, which, in my opinion should hold their development as their primary goal. The mentality is always to get to a solution as rapidly as possible, to do things in the simplest manner. What we are coming to observe now is this approach to thought and to life is not conducive to people's wellbeing, as is reflected both through students losing the motivation to learn and through the explosion of mental health issues in recent years. Yes, we become used to never thinking critically and being swept along with the rushing tide of society, but we are unhappy with this, as it is not a part of our nature. I believe that systemic change both in education and in society at large is required, quite simply, in order for us as humans to lead healthy and happy lives.

[@cookiedestroyer402]

Do you think concepts like Reason, thought logic, objective Truth can be proven or do we have to presuppose them and go from there?

[@mrbass093]

It’s funny cause I actually do a lot better of schooling myself then having the school system educate me

[@aswindasputhalath932]

You are wonderful. I watch all your videos...can you do a video about " how to read a book" demo

[@Yesica1993]

Is KZbin no longer allowing people to reply to other comments? Or is it just me? I can't seem to respond to any comments on any videos lately.

[@arnavpandey3823]

Just you i guess

[@aperson3817]

Perhaps an interesting supplement to this would be ‘The Pedagogy of the Oppressed’ by Paulo Freire. It is relatively brief, but speaks on the ‘submerged consciousness’ and the ‘banking system of education’ which contains very similar sentiments. It also presents its contention within a dialectical analysis, which may be interested for someone reading Hegel.

[@user-rd3jw7pv7i]

To me, the biggest issue with our education system is how expensive it is

[@nelsoncassoma1480]

Good video essay!

[@sayantanbiswas6667]

As an Indian I think, American Education System is still better than present day Indian Education System

[@frustratedvetstudentee8783]

I agree. 👍

[@michaelschmitt2427]

Very good.

[@graceusala127]

This has nothing to do with the video but I love your hair

[@eenmens1970]

8:03 Can you spel out his name? I didn't succeed in finding him.

[@JessicaPawlitzki]

Gustave Flaubert

[@heranzekarias1995]

But same thing with physics too.

[@heranzekarias1995]

Where the new book recommendations at rand

[@iconindexsymbol]

Anybody hear about the math wars?

[@Shivamg415]

3:36

[@avimalka2552]

Hi ! Does political science a humanity ? I love it !

[@artstorelhr]

yupe it is

[@userabcxiv8513]

Political Science is a part of the Social Sciences not Humanities 😊

[@manujkantimazumdar]

Please tell me, how old are you ? I am Curious 🧐🧐🧐 ... PS:- I admire you content a lot,🦋🦋🦋.

[@GATE-lp2qu]

22

[@nononouh]

5

[@ecaepevolhturt]

8:04 - as a fart of my...

[@susej234]

LOVE YOU VIDEOS MAKES ME FEEL SMART 😂😂 correction everyone who watches your videos is smart ✨✨✨

[@3lmi__319]

It’s ironic because while we’re learning about animal farm and how bad napoleon is for indoctrinating the piglets, then the irony is that I’m being indoctrinated in the class room😂😂

[@samuelweber9987]

great video be more careful when shaving your mustache!!

[@LocalEarthSpirit]

Me watching this while doing homework for a class that only focuses on boring white people

[@KarinaLlanos]

I recommend a book called Exporting Policy the growth of multi‐national education businesses and new policy assemblages by Ball, S. J. (2011). I think it explains a lot of what´s going on with the education system, I know you are a good reader, so I thought you will engage with it