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JEROME DA GNOME
BANNED
2418 Posts |
 Posted - 09/19/2007 : 06:32:00
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2nd National Study About the Accountability of Colleges to Teach America's History and Institutions
* College Seniors Failed a Basic Test on America's History and Institutions.
* Colleges Stall Student Learning about America.
* America's Most Prestigious Universities Performed the Worst.
* Inadequate College Curriculum Contributes to Failure.
* Greater Learning about America Goes Hand-in-Hand with More Active Citizenship.
The overall mean for seniors was 54.2% correct answers. What a waste of $40,000.
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What a man believes upon grossly insufficient evidence is an index into his desires -- desires of which he himself is often unconscious. If a man is offered a fact which goes against his instincts, he will scrutinize it closely, and unless the evidence is overwhelming, he will refuse to believe it. If, on the other hand, he is offered something which affords a reason for acting in accordance to his instincts, he will accept it even on the slightest evidence. The origin of myths is explained in this way. - Bertrand Russell |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
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furshur
SFN Regular
USA
1536 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:00:21 [Permalink]
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I did not take any history or political science courses when I went to college. I had more important courses to take.
I looked at the test and could probably get a 'B' or so because I remember some of that crap from high school and from helping my kids in school.
Out of curiosity what is the big deal if I don't know what battle ended the revolutionary war of if I forgot that the Spanish-American war was after reconstruction. I really don't give a rats ass.
If I paid $160,000 dollars for my kid to go to college and he came out as a whiz in american history and political science, but was only able to get a job flipping burgers I would be pretty pissed.
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If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know. |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:31:28 [Permalink]
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I'm embarrassed that I missed so many answers (five wrong). For instance, I got Locke and Hume mixed up, and forgot about an important court case. My results: You answered 55 out of 60 correctly — 91.67 %
Average score for this quiz during September: 72.7%
Average score since September 18, 2007: 72.7% |
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 09/19/2007 08:38:45 |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:34:15 [Permalink]
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Good quiz!
I'm ashamed to say that I only scored some 63.33%. But in my defense, I never completed high school, and am self-educated. Anyone who did complete highschool should do much better.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:40:09 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
Good quiz!
I'm ashamed to say that I only scored some 63.33%. But in my defense, I never completed high school, and am self-educated. Anyone who did complete highschool should do much better.
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My last history class was in High School, Fil. Just an average, if that, public school.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
| Edited by - HalfMooner on 09/19/2007 08:40:43 |
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pleco
SFN Addict
USA
2998 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:43:38 [Permalink]
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I got:
You answered 49 out of 60 correctly — 81.67 %
Average score for this quiz during September: 72.9%
Average score since September 18, 2007: 72.9% |
I couple of the ones I missed were because I pick a less right answer - I should have been more careful.
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by Filthy
The neo-con methane machine will soon be running at full fart. |
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| Edited by - pleco on 09/19/2007 08:47:56 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:44:27 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by furshur
I did not take any history or political science courses when I went to college. I had more important courses to take.
I looked at the test and could probably get a 'B' or so because I remember some of that crap from high school and from helping my kids in school.
Out of curiosity what is the big deal if I don't know what battle ended the revolutionary war of if I forgot that the Spanish-American war was after reconstruction. I really don't give a rats ass.
If I paid $160,000 dollars for my kid to go to college and he came out as a whiz in american history and political science, but was only able to get a job flipping burgers I would be pretty pissed.
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On the other hand, if more of our people knew history, they would be less likely to allow our politicians to repeat history's mistakes.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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Gorgo
SFN Die Hard
USA
5310 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 08:54:02 [Permalink]
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On the other hand, if more of our people knew history, they would be less likely to allow our politicians to repeat history's mistakes.
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Most of the history I was taught was a mistake. Dates of wars and military leaders and lies that allow us not only to repeat history's mistakes, but to worship them. |
I know the rent is in arrears
The dog has not been fed in years
It's even worse than it appears
But it's alright-
Jerry Garcia
Robert Hunter
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H. Humbert
SFN Die Hard
USA
4574 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 09:04:54 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by furshur
I did not take any history or political science courses when I went to college. I had more important courses to take. |
Exactly. In order to believe that "schools have failed," one would first have to buy into the premise (promoted by this organization), that knowledge of history is the single most important educational criterion when judging the health of American democracy.
Otherwise it just isn't that big a deal.
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"A man is his own easiest dupe, for what he wishes to be true he generally believes to be true." --Demosthenes
"The first principle is that you must not fool yourself - and you are the easiest person to fool." --Richard P. Feynman
"Face facts with dignity." --found inside a fortune cookie |
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furshur
SFN Regular
USA
1536 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 09:12:35 [Permalink]
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| On the other hand, if more of our people knew history, they would be less likely to allow our politicians to repeat history's mistakes. |
I really hate to be so negative, but...
The United States reelected Bush.
It would appear we are not capable of learning from our mistakes.
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If I knew then what I know now then I would know more now than I know. |
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 10:07:15 [Permalink]
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I got a 78.33%.
Personally I don't have a problem if the majority of college graduates can't ace that test. Or even pass it. Most of that stuff is worthless to an engineer, physcicist, CPA or a doctor. Really, college isn't about civics education - it's about developing specific skill sets to lauch specific careers. Yes yes, there's the liberal studies aspect of it, but in the case of government or history, it's impossible to gain a broad working knowledge in all the quiz areas without more than a History 101 class. If there is to be a complaint about civics knowledge among Americans, it should start with grade school - that is the government mandated baseline education afterall. |
-Chaloobi
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| Edited by - chaloobi on 09/19/2007 10:07:47 |
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Dave W.
Info Junkie
USA
26022 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 10:44:00 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by chaloobi
If there is to be a complaint about civics knowledge among Americans, it should start with grade school - that is the government mandated baseline education afterall. |
Indeed, because we know that not all students will go on to college after high school, we should demand that the civics and history knowledge needed in order to be an informed voting citizen should be taught in K-12 classes. Anything extra learned in college, therefore, should be considered "extra." As should such "factoids" as the battle that ended the Revolutionary War that won't generally help in one's interpretation of current events and politics (and which I remember learning not in high school, but from Schoolhouse Rock). Is the name of a book that contained ideas used by the Founding Fathers as important to learn as the ideas themselves?
Edited to add link. |
- Dave W. (Private Msg, EMail)
Evidently, I rock!
Why not question something for a change?
Visit Dave's Psoriasis Info, too. |
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Siberia
SFN Addict
Brazil
2322 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 11:34:49 [Permalink]
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| Eh, I tried to take the test, but I couldn't really care less about that type of stuff (and I probably suck at Brazilian history, too, even though I came from a pretty damn good private school - my teacher didn't care about dates, either, but for the ideas behind them). |
"Why are you afraid of something you're not even sure exists?"
- The Kovenant, Via Negativa
"People who don't like their beliefs being laughed at shouldn't have such funny beliefs."
-- unknown
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chaloobi
SFN Regular
1620 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 15:02:28 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by Dave W.
Originally posted by chaloobi
If there is to be a complaint about civics knowledge among Americans, it should start with grade school - that is the government mandated baseline education afterall. |
Indeed, because we know that not all students will go on to college after high school, we should demand that the civics and history knowledge needed in order to be an informed voting citizen should be taught in K-12 classes. Anything extra learned in college, therefore, should be considered "extra." As should such "factoids" as the battle that ended the Revolutionary War that won't generally help in one's interpretation of current events and politics (and which I remember learning not in high school, but from Schoolhouse Rock). Is the name of a book that contained ideas used by the Founding Fathers as important to learn as the ideas themselves?
Edited to add link.
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Some of that crap was obscure enough to be only of interest to someone who studies such material for a living. To decry univeristies because a cross section of graduating seniors don't know many of the answers is pretty lame. |
-Chaloobi
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Dr. Mabuse
Septic Fiend
Sweden
9688 Posts |
Posted - 09/19/2007 : 16:30:55 [Permalink]
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I scored 70%, however, I'm not an American citizen, so I've not read American history more than as a foreign nation history. |
Dr. Mabuse - "When the going gets tough, the tough get Duct-tape..."
Dr. Mabuse whisper.mp3
"Equivocation is not just a job, for a creationist it's a way of life..." Dr. Mabuse
Support American Troops in Iraq:
Send them unarmed civilians for target practice..
Collateralmurder. |
| Edited by - Dr. Mabuse on 09/19/2007 16:33:48 |
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Schools Fail Again
