Hanson: Make More Than GPA Saturday, Nov 28 2009
random 12:21 pm
Robin Hanson on how students are too obsessed with GPA and should instead focus on original, independent research:
Students seem overly obsessed with grades and organized activities, both relative to standardized tests and to what I’d most recommend: doing something original. You don’t have to step very far outside scheduled classes and clubs to start to see how very different the world is when you have to organize it yourself.
For example, if you try to study a subject in depth without following a textbook or review, you’ll have to decide for yourself which sources seem how relevant to your topic. If you try to add something to the subject you’ll have to decide what changes are how feasible and interesting. Doing these may feel awkward at first, but they will be very useful skills later in life. Similar skills come from writing your own game or starting your own business or composing your own album.
Along with many other things that Prof. Hanson says, this sort of thing should be obvious, but neglecting it is nearly universal. How come so many of the “smart people” we all know are so focused on activities organized for them by other people?
This is just one of the many ways by which the grading system produces negative outcomes. See Alfie Kohn’s work on the subject.
I think this phenomena has to do with the nature of schools themselves which, at least in our society, are primary institutions of indoctrination. Schools are meant to impose conformity and obedience, not encourage free and creative thought like Alfie Kohn and other Deweyites think it ought to.
After all, there is a pretty strong pressure for those students to focus on their GPA over the creative independent study the world needs, because that’s the way they’re going to get to the next academic rung, or into a well-paying job or some other position of power. It doesn’t matter if they haven’t internalized one ounce of knowledge; what matters is they were able to regurgitate information handed down to them, complete whatever nonsensical homework assignments given, and not cause too much trouble in general.
Rational and independent thinkers are mostly weeded out, expelled, or have trouble conforming and eventually leave the system. They usually go on to revolutionize fields of science, win Nobel prizes, or you know, become media directors for the SIAI!
Chomsky articulates it better than I can: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0g2Gn0kq8QY
““smart people” we all know are so focused on activities organized for them by other people?”
– self-motivation is hard, and requires unusual effort that most people don’t put in. I aim to not fall into that trap!
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