tingilinde

views on higher education

The political divide in America appears in attitudes towards higher education.

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This broad overview of data on views about higher education in the U.S. reveals a complex set off attitudes – a public that still sees the benefit of a college education but has grown wary about the politics and culture on college campuses and the value of a four-year degree that has an ever-increasing price tag.

The partisan gaps underlying these views are reflective of our politics more broadly. From health care to the environment to immigration and foreign policy, Republicans and Democrats increasingly see the issues of the day through different lenses. But views on the nation’s educational institutions have not traditionally been politicized. Higher education faces a host of challenges in the future – controlling costs amid increased fiscal pressures, ensuring that graduates are prepared for the jobs of the future, adapting to changing technology and responding to the country’s changing demographics. Ideological battles waged over the climate and culture on college campuses may make addressing these broader issues more difficult.

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heading for a warmer and wetter world

But perhaps less water for human use.

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The new study’s findings revealed how the interaction of three key effects of climate change’s impacts on plants will reduce regional freshwater availability. First, as carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, plants require less water to photosynthesize, wetting the land. Yet, second, as the planet warms, growing seasons become longer and warmer: plants have more time to grow and consume water, drying the land. Finally, as carbon dioxide concentrations increase, plants are likely to grow more, as photosynthesis becomes amplified. For some regions, these latter two impacts, extended growing seasons and amplified photosynthesis, will outpace the closing stomata, meaning more vegetation will consume more water for a longer amount of time, drying the land. As a result, for much of the mid-latitudes, plants will leave less water in soils and streams, even if there is additional rainfall and vegetation is more efficient with its water usage. The result also underscores the importance of improving how climate models represent ecosystems and their response to climate change.

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on the decline of youth sports

From about a year ago.  Inequality and wall-building by the upper middle class. (via The Atlantic). The American model of youth sports is very broken going well beyond the lure of athletic scholarships in college.  Among other things the piece describes the much more successful (if motivating activity among the population along with dominating sport is a goal) Norwegian model.  Of course the American model has an enormous sport as a business component. 

a tip of the hat to Ross for mentioning it again

 

 

what colleges want

A depressing look at what elite colleges look for when admitting students...  $urpri$e. 

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At expensive prep schools, even students close to the bottom of the class usually have above-average SAT scores, mostly because they have access to high-octane test-prep classes and tutors.

“O.K., you’re not motivated, you’re doing the minimum at your high school,” Pérez explained, describing the students Trinity used to admit in droves. “You have not worked as hard as your peers. But you did the test prep, and you learned how to play the SAT game.”

‘Admissions for us is not a matter of turning down students we’d like to admit. It’s a matter of admitting students we’d like to turn down.’

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the next level of helicopter parenting

Pretending to go to college with your kids on Facebook.  (via The New York Times)

 

 

wealth rules at elite colleges

You knew that - but a good piece on the subject.

a tip of the hat to Bjarne

has childhood been ruined?

One person's take. I've certainly seen counter examples and can't judge how common this is, but worry that kids don't have enough free unsupervised time.

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No longer able to rely on communal structures for child care or allow children time alone, parents who need to work are forced to warehouse their youngsters for long stretches of time. School days are longer and more regimented. Kindergarten, which used to be focused on play, is now an academic training ground for the first grade. Young children are assigned homework even though numerous studies have found it harmful. STEM, standardized testing and active-shooter drills have largely replaced recess, leisurely lunches, art and music.

The role of school stress in mental distress is backed up by data on the timing of child suicide. “The suicide rate for children is twice what it is for children during months when school is in session than when it’s not in session,” according to Dr. Gray. “That’s true for suicide completion, suicide attempts and suicidal ideation, whereas for adults, it’s higher in the summer.” But the problems with kids’ mental and emotional health are not only caused by what goes on in the classroom. They also reflect what’s happening in our communities. The scarcity of resources of every kind, including but not limited to access to mental health services, health care, affordable housing and higher education, means that many parents are working longer and harder than ever. At the same time that more is demanded of parents, childhood free time and self-directed activities have become taboo.

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experiments for kids

Scientific American has a number of experiments kids, sometimes with help from a parent can do.  Ages 6 - 12.

 

republicans don't like education

A shift in Republican attitudes towards higher education 

Perhaps they want their kids to stay uncompetitive so they won't; leave or...?

a tip of the hat to Jim

 

 

 

 

 

teaching children genocide is okay

Not that many weren't hearing it in their classrooms, but Schoolhouse Rock was an education cartoon that primarily aired in the 70s reflecting and reinforcing views of history.  This one, sweeping the hard parts under the rug in the bicentennial year of 1976, is okay with genocide.

ah lebensraum!

(a tip of the hat to John).