Classic Education, Science, and Scientific Method

A Learners’ View (ALV) Is Of Choices On The Shortest And Fastest Path To Learning, The Oxygen Of Social Life.

A common commitment to connecting the dots of social life.

Main Article:

Theme: Common purposes.

Definition of a Classic Education: The highest standard of learning, because learners have read and critiqued what others know in order to expand or replace it through rational means.

Definition of Science: A human activity to observe and classify events in order to arrange (mostly by induction and hypotheses) verifiable principles (generalized facts) that represent the likelihood (probability) of events to reoccur.

Definition of Scientific Method: A systematic way to check repeatedly the reliability and level of confidence to have in observations and generalizations made from them.

Commonalities identify individualities.

CLASSIC EDUCATION, SCIENCE, AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD share a common commitment to dispel ignorance through rigorous study and third party verification. This rigor results in continuity and reasoned adjustments to what is known by informed people.

They also share reliance on rationally and empirically advancing what people know. This reliance results in changing social thought and behavior patterns.

Classic Education

Classic educators expect rigorous academic preparation and reliable performance. In first through some advanced graduate courses, these educators tell students what and when to learn. Some infer, others say it once, some more often, depending on the kind of performance they expect and how soon. Some expect instant responses, others allow more time, sometimes counted in seconds. More count in minutes and most expect improvement by the next class or assignment.

Responses include recitations, critiques, and extrapolations with reasons and citations, but seldom opinions. (More usual than not faculty comments, mostly in private: This isn’t therapy. You’re opinion plus $5 will get a cup of coffee. If you’re opinions’ were sufficiently informed to have value, you’d be the teacher, not the student.)

In class, they lecture, lead discussions, assess strengths and weakness of learner’s progress, and provide directed ways to increase learning futher. Some mix these procedures in a dynamic process. Others schedule time for lectures, time for discussion and provide a running assessment and directions for improvement.

Discussions range established formats, such as so called Harkness Tables. Others assign student lead informal questions and answers.

Science

Scientific Method

Last Edited: September 20, 2015