What is a college education? David Ray at TEDxOU

University of Oklahoma professor, David Ray, asks what is a college education? Does everyone need one?
David Ray joined the OU faculty in 1992, after teaching for 14 years at Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and before that 3 years at Boston College. Ray received his BA cum laude from Yale (1967), and his MA and PhD from Stanford (1969, 1978) in political science. He served in the US Army from 1969 to 1971. At OU, he has taught Honors courses almost every semester, but also large lecture sections of the required Gen Ed American government course -- Ray typically has taught about 900 students per year in 3 or 4 classes per semester. He also supervised Graduate Teaching Assistants for the Department of Political Science and administered a program in teacher training for the Department's GTAs. At Georgia Tech, he received the University Award for Teacher of the Year and the IFC (Inter-fraternity Council) Outstanding Teacher Award.
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. At a TEDx event, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection in a small group. These local, self-organized events are branded TEDx, where x = independently organized TED event. The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events are self-organized.* (*Subject to certain rules and regulations)

[@PONYBOYonline]

College is pointless. You know why? Because you can just go to the KZbin comment section and read all of the intelligent comments from the people who know everything.

[@chelsealivingston1302]

+Oromia Channel I apologize for this, but the correct term is You're or You are.

[@anthonylemkendorf3114]

PONYBOYonline like you ?

[@Saved.by.Jesus.]

College is a business industry period. Find ways to redefine purpose of college and lower the cost of attending college before attempting to increase the workload. Some students cannot even afford to pay for one book because the cost of books. How do you expect them to pay to nine books just for one class? Do not forget there are several other classes with their own demands. The entire system is corrupt. Employers are seeking college graduates with experience on the job at hand but refuses to promote someone with the experience simply he or she lacks the college degree. No employer is will to invest in someone without any experience. The Economy is greatly affected.

[@dustyrose9679]

It is saddening that I know you are saying the truth. I recently took a job in a phone center as a representative for an "education referral" service. Shortly after completing my training, I came to realize that my role and the work expected of me is to perpetuate the commercialization of higher education for business profit. Education and the much needed reform of the current system is one thing I am very passionate about, and after learning what my sugar-coated job duties actually are... absolutely sickens me. It all reeks of money.

[@qtigrizzly490]

Emmanuel Omoruyi buy your own books and find interships. easy peasy

[@qtigrizzly490]

internships*

[@michaelc2321]

Becoming an effective autodidact can be one of the most valuable skills for your self & future.

[@ChrisHarperKC]

This video is missing about 300 million views.

[@allend433]

Why watch a lecture about college education when you can watch a rap music video?

[@TheRealMonnie]

@@allend433 unfortunately compulsory public school has zapped all interest in elective learning ☹️

[@hello_dayana]

I think college is about getting ur foot in the door for a job, networking, opportunities, and moving up in academia so u can get ur masters and phD.

[@jgonsalk]

Loved the talk and agree with it, although he doesn't have a solution. The case for "working harder" doesn't really work as it simply won't happen. I think the first step is to define the mission as education, which it currently is not. The idea now is about revenue generation before generating real value nor education.

[@theliddler]

As somebody currently approaching the choice to go to college or not, I find this video very interesting. Many of my classmates now are saying there is no need for college as without degrees you can still get into good, well paid jobs these days eg managers of businesses such as hotels, administrative assistants.

[@zerziszain]

Yes, if your 'only' aim for doing higher education is getting a job, then perhaps you should not do it. There are various other ways to get to a good high paying job.

[@theliddler]

king78802 not where I live

[@theliddler]

Saurabh Patil by good and well paid, I mean enjoyable. I wouldn't like to be in a fun job where I can barely afford to have a good quality of living due to not going to higher education.

[@RevolutionaryThinking]

Becca Liddle Where is that I live in LA it sucks.

[@glenncolby3791]

On one hand, you could look at cost/benefit issues to decide if college is worth it and decide perhaps not. On the other hand, you would be less likely to meet folks as thoughtful and generous as David. I sometimes look back at my life (I am approaching 50 years old) and think I made a mistake in going to college, but then I think about how important it was to have an opportunity to interact with some of the folks I got to know while in college (e.g., David).

[@InkTracer]

Wise man... I should go to OU

[@nauj92]

I will agree we have to work harder

[@shamanoftruth3414]

Agree with him when he was pointing out the problem, didn't necessarily agree with the solutions he proposed

[@anthonylemkendorf3114]

Give unforgivable loans to 18 year olds and call your self an educator. That’s brilliant.

[@mpking-ey7ys]

For non-Americans, we just don't quite get why do you spend so much on college football, basketball, and that kind of things? Paying your coaches millions, building large stadiums, ... By all means do competitive sports, but why make them so commercialized? Are you a college or a football club?

[@checkerzzzgaminghi6523]

Yes I went to college online

[@Mntrmaheffa]

Very good point.

[@TheNdhp123]

We need to change our entire college system. About half of my degree in accounting from OU, is made up of courses that I had to take, and have nothing to do with writing, math, business, or accounting. Instead I had to waste so much time and money in courses like Understanding Music or African Dance. I had to go to graduate school to have a great majority of my classes to actually be accounting. Imagine the money we could save if we stopped forcing students to take classes that in reality don't benefit them. Don't get me wrong I understand the whole well rounded argument, but entirely too much of a degree is dedicated to liberal arts courses. They could have easily taken out an entire 30 hours of credit saving me an entire year of time and money. However, it will never happen, and professors are to blame. If we stop forcing students to take these classes then people who get a phd in philosophy will be out of a job and there would be outrage. Colleges keep the current status quo because it is profitable to the professors. Next, advisors need to actually advise students, not just schedule courses. I always laugh when a person complains about capitalism and complains they should have a job after graduation. I ask them what their major was and it is always multi-disciplinary studies or psychology or some other pointless degree. Before every student declares a major they should be given statistics of the potential outlook for their degree. What kind of job they can expect, chances of getting a job, and expected salary.

[@oumammerjammer]

Show me the sheet that required you to take African Dance, and I'll show you my pocket-sized leprechaun. Administrators and budget shortfalls are to blame, not professors, especially not professors like David Ray.

[@TheNdhp123]

Derek, of course African Dance is not specifically required. What is required is an excessive number of liberal arts course from Art, humanities, western and non-western civilization, and etc. My example was an obvious hyperbole to draw attention to the issue. I am not blaming any one professor, but the system as a whole. Sorry you missed an obvious point.

[@mhz12]

Nick Parson I don't agree with what you list being 'pointless' because of the content specifically, I think it only becomes pointless when considering how it is typically structured/presented to you and very importantly, the money you have to pay to endure it - that's when it easily becomes frustrating and yes, pointless. I think that is deeply unfortunate.

[@TheNdhp123]

Good point

[@eson3d]

Who else is here for school?

[@heathbell8375]

The whole education system itself is screwed up. Why do you need two or more English classes if you are going to be an engineer? What's sad is, even my baby boomer dad says this and he encourages me and my sister to go to college.

[@sethzeiter6663]

As an English teacher, you need two or more English classes because the reality is that engineers need to communicate with each other. Communication is key in any workplace, regardless of vocation. English classes (should) teach you how to communicate clearly and argue effectively. You may agree with me, but it's hard to tell if you're simply using your dad as an example of someone who believes the education system is screwed up or if you agree with what he said. :P

[@luckyadeloye3452]

I like his voice.

[@ayjaye5772]

Lew Rockwell & Gary North Brought me here....

[@Spider_7_7]

+Ay Jaye Ditto

[@nunurbuisness5877]

I think there are too many people going to college. we only need so many highly educated people. we need janitors we need genral laborers ect. how many people do we really need to know calculus.

[@nunurbuisness5877]

Kinsel Your sadly right and it is terrible. College is so over valued.

[@acerwilson6605]

What is the book that he recommended? I can't seem to pinpoint exactly what he said.

[@vz-Hello-ANewDay]

The Iliad?

[@carlalinton7983]

Carla Linton. I would love to go to college and get a College Education so i can get a Better Paying Job.

[@laviebanale]

Good.

[@usgovernment9922]

Learn a trade. Lots of money to be made in the skilled trades.

[@noynoybaqui]

sad but the reality is universities are business

[@ayjaye5772]

+noynoybaqui yeah and they're connected to the Student Loan Bubble... well, I guess they're always sports to keep the $$$ rolling in...

[@anthonylemkendorf3114]

Straight White Male of course! That’s the whole problem. 100%

[@TheRealMonnie]

Compulsory Public schooling strips kids of the desire to learn. Unschooling is the solution for that. Let kids seek out what they are interested in and they learn by accident. A k-12 unschooler is statistically much more successful. Not just in college (where they are better prepared, smarter, get higher grades, and are harder working), but in their careers as well. The problem is compulsory public education. Check out John Holt, or John Gatto, both authors and proponents of unschooling.

[@sayandutta5226]

That's a horrible take

[@toitman2]

But why read the Iliad? What did he mean by that? Does he mean because stem majors don't read enough? If that's so why not say any novel, or is there a certain message about that story. Because the story emphasizes failure in a large scale and only few succeed. there are a lot of characters in that story and most of them die.

[@____5t]

What does he mean by read the illiot/Elliot English isn't my first language

[@joshbutler8311]

He said Iliad: It’s one of the first works of Western literature, and was used as a source book of philosophy and history by the Ancient Greeks, but had further influence after the conquests of Alexander the Great. Many writers and philosophers still study it. In many universities it is still considered a fundamental work for most liberal arts students.

[@markandrews7116]

And so good Dr, what of 70% level of adjuncts? How do you inspire those toiling under economic slavery? When you pay someone 12 thousand dollars a year and not pay them at all for 14+ weeks each year, call them the week you need them to begin teaching a class, how do you inspire them? When you've hired them for five years in a row it's difficult to state that they aren't very good at teaching so how do you inspire them then?

[@19darek99]

He thinks professors should teach more, makes sense to me, at my school a prof's "full load" is six hours per week

[@MrApplewine]

Credentials do not equal education, especial High School and University credentials.

[@Myrslokstok]

Students study less, also beqause smarts students do not take hard corses. They cant afford to fail so they play safe.

[@georgecortes197]

@Straight White Male if you watched the talk, he explains how on average students are studying less and less and by his own syllabi, was reducing the course work as well. No doubt you could be an outlier but it's generally true.

[@TuongNguyen-te8zy]

let me tell you why it is deficient. most of B students with C- English ability who r from developing countries (while having a part time or full time job) could make A or B in the U.S. grading system

[@matthewgoldfarb9580]

This dude looks like Sheldon Cooper but older and with bushier eyebrows

[@nononouh]

17

[@Jimbo1257]

8:50

[@2SmooveProduction]

He sounds like dr.phill

[@mpking1374]

Why is he and the other people here complaining? This is free market capitalism. We want it. If you are not happy about it, change it, or emigrate to Cuba. University students in Cuba are learning and the graduates are getting good jobs.

[@stephenshuman1]

In my opinion, I think education should be treated like a business. Yes, colleges today have a profit motive and therefor are acting like businesses. But the way it should be is that the government needs to get out of education and let private entities educate people. With government subsidizing colleges, massive price spikes are occurring in tuition leaving us young people in debt which is not right. Let non government entities compete amongst each other so you are guaranteed a good education at the best prices. The free market at work!

[@pjd0ioas]

+stephenshuman1 and how would that work? Would each private college still ask thousands of dollars to their students or would the simply educate them to then go work for them or some company from where they can get some revenue out of their students? I guess I don't see how that would work. In my opinion education shouldn't be treated as business, because if you treated it as such in the end you will want to work "efficiently" which will lead to professors who simply teach little, grade little and students who don't do well.

[@stephenshuman1]

++pjd0ioas maybe the school can come up with a way where they won't have to hire professors? Maybe the school can teach its curriculum to students via online so the school doesent have to pay for land, labor or propert? It's more cost efficient that way. If the school can teach students without professors or having a campus, the owner of the school can still make a profit of course of his revenues exceed his expenses. Thank you to the power of the internet, it's very possible to have an online college.

[@waynycely91]

+stephenshuman1 Easier standards attract more students and money. Capitalism works great for technology, but not so much with fields that require benevolence beyond giving the consumer what feels good like health and education. Fast food and video games on the other hand work fantastic in capitalism.

[@TheRealMonnie]

@@waynycely91 i believe capitalism could fix it if governments got out of the way. Colleges would want their students to not just pass, but get great jobs and be extremely prepared for them and be successful. That's because companies would be happier with their graduates, and that college would get good reviews, and more kids would go to that college because employers like hiring from that college. It's simple.

[@Myrslokstok]

Or spend a couple off moore trilion dollars on the banksters at walstreet they will fix it. You cant speend it on education it might change things.

[@TheRealMonnie]

This is a horrible talk. The answer is "work harder"? No, the answer is "change the system".

[@learningbest239]

how to get better grades: www.dailymotion.com/video/x5coyf4

[@travisc2894]

His message is "work harder"? Worst TedTalk I've seen so far.

[@sdenniscrosby]

Yeah, he totally should've said "work less, it'll be aight".....

[@allend433]

Yeah, how dare someone tell us to work hard! That is BS!

[@pacificalliance3782]

Daryl A His point was that it is not an effective solution. Not that working harder is a bad thing.

[@allend433]

Pacific Alliance I was being facetious.

[@allend433]

Pacific Alliance also, look up irony.