Educational Philosophy

It seems to me that all colleges, university professors and journals should have one universal standard for all footnotes, endnotes and references. It should not be one standard for one college or journal and another standard for another college or department and a third standard for particular professors.

For example, some require the standards set by the American Psychological Association for footnotes, references, etc. While others require the standards set by the University of Chicago. Still other universities and journals require some other style; some even go so far as to have their own particular style.

Nor is there any agreement on various abbreviations. Although many abbreviations are universal, this is not the case for all abbreviations. For example, some require that the biblical book of Matthew be abbreviated as Mt., others as Matt., still others as Mat. or something else. The same is true of other abbreviations. This makes it extremely hard for writers to prepare papers for publication.

This is ludicrous! There is no reason why colleges, universities and journals cannot get together and have one, universal standard for footnotes, endnotes, references, abbreviations, etc. Such would go a long way in helping students in writing their papers.

It would also save colleges, universities and journals money in publishing the style they demand, as everyone would be using the same style and everyone would know what that style consisted of. This style could then be taught to first year college students – or even in high school – as part of their advancement requirements.

(I have used the APA format for most of my references only because that is the style I started out using when I began my writing and because I like where it puts the publication date. But this is only my opinion.)

My second criticism of colleges and universities is minor. Actually, this is only with some departments. With all the advancements in physical anthropology, astronomy and some of the other sciences, there is no reason why a student cannot retake some of the courses offered in these areas and still get credit for them. This is especially true when there have been several years separating the first time the course was taken and any subsequent retakes of the course.

For example I took my first physical anthropology course back in the late 1970s. Now, over 30 years later, I would like to take that course again because of all the advances made in that area. But if I do I will not get credit for it. It is true that refresher courses can be taken but such is not the same thing.

It seems to me that if a student can demonstrate that substantial advances have been made in a particular field since the last time he or she took a particular course then there is no reason why that particular course cannot be retaken for college credit.

My third criticism is with the college finances. The cost of obtaining a college education has skyrocketed in the past several years. Even though education costs are partially beyond their control, colleges and universities are doing nothing to keep the cost of tuition and books in check.

One area they could help to lower costs is in the stipends they pay to guest speakers and the exorbitantly high salaries they pay college and university presidents. In order to pay these outrageous costs they must raise the cost of tuition.

Then there is the cost of books. It is true that publishing companies are mainly to blame for the high cost of books. For example, publishing companies force the student to buy the text book, the workbook, the CD and the study guide as a unit at an extremely high price – whether or not the student wants or needs the extras. But colleges and universities do nothing to prevent these companies from raping the students.

It’s a vicious circle, and one which the poor college student must carry. There is no excuse for this! Colleges and universities should do what they can to help lower the cost of a college education.

While I’m on the subject of educational costs, there is no reason why ALL university students, including graduate students, cannot receive a tax free grant or subsidy from the government in order to further their education. (These monies should also be given to those who wish to further their education in vocational fields.) At present many students must borrow money through student loan programs that they must repay upon graduation – when they can least afford it!

If the government has billions of dollars to waste on useless projects (building sound walls along the interstate) then this money should be redirected toward helping ALL students receive a proper education from preschool all the way through college or vocational training.

Those who disagree with this are not looking at the fact that the government is gaining an intangible asset for itself – something that cannot be measured in dollars – when it educates its citizens.

Finally, colleges and universities should not rely on standardized test scores for admittance into their institutions. As I have said elsewhere, standardized tests are not reliable or valid as they do not and cannot measure the individuality of students. For each student carries with him or her self a different “school bag” or set of life experiences which cannot be tested for by any standardized tests.

Rather, colleges and universities should rely mainly on a student’s grades in particular fields, the GPA of the student and the overall course load taken by the student.

College Education