Wow, I received a lot of responses on this one. I would like to address
several in one message.
First of all, I don't mind receiving requests from students who are prepared
and ask well thought out questions. In fact, I spent over an hour the other
night putting together some information and typing out a reply to one
student. It is the students that do not have specific questions to ask, and
their poor presentation, that I have problems with.
As to the wealth of information available on the web vs. the library, I
agree. The web does have great information. It is also filled with junk.
It takes solid research skills to weed through it. I also have some
problems with, what appears to me, the dismissal of the use of the library.
While the web changes and is updated constantly, and libraries may be
stagnant and lag behind on current information, they are still a great place
to start research. Libraries contain research, studies, and other
information that can build a foundation for future research on the web.
Furthermore, there are some books that may be timeless. I'm sorry, but I
don't feel that the web can ever replace a book. They are two different
animals. And the research skills that I learned to use in the library were
easily transferred to web research.
As to research skills, it appears to me that these skills are lacking in our
current students (and many other people). I learned how to do research and
write a term paper in high school. I would certainly expect a college
student to be able to do one, and definitely a graduate student. If they
can't, then maybe schools are putting too much emphasis on entrance exams,
and not enough on the student's skills. If colleges required it, then the
high schools would teach it. However, if colleges are not getting students
in who have these skills, then it is up to them to provide them. Students
are paying good money to go to these schools, and they should be getting
solid skills for the future, not just a head full of information that they
can't apply to the real world.
I agree that there will always be lazy students, just like employees. But
schools (professors) should be motivating them to do better, just like a
manager, or get rid of them, just like a manager. Also, busyness is not an
excuse for poor organization or presentation, or a poor thought out
question. When I was in college, I was also involved in numerous clubs and
organizations (including the manager of the campus radio station), a
fraternity, the Army reserve, had a part-time job, and took a full load of
classes. I was not exceptional from the rest of my fellow classmates. For
my graduate classes, I had a full-time job, recently married, house to take
care of, full class load, and commuted one hour to school one way each
night. And when I look back on my college days, I realize how easy I had it
compared to today.
Maybe I do expect a lot from our college students and future managers.
Instead of lowering the bar, we should be raising it. Maybe because of the
web, technology advances, wealth of information available, and it's ease of
availability, that I do expect more from college and graduate level students
today, not less. Maybe the educational system, and all of us, should, too!
Maybe, also, schools should be looking at what their customers (businesses)
want in well prepared students, and not just give the customer what the
schools want to deliver.
Of course, this is all my humble opinion.
Gary Lear
President & CEO
Resource Development Systems
Management & Training Consultants
P.O. Box 3185
Lake City, FL 32056
Phone: 904-754-0920
Fax: 904-754-0094
Toll-Free in U.S. 888-909-6194
Web:
www.rds-net.com
e-mail:
gelear@rds-net.com