Education by the Numbers

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Author Message Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Senior Member Username: rliebing Post Number: 1394 Registered: 02-2003 Posted on Wednesday, May 15, 2013 - 08:02 am:    130515 EDUCATION, BY THE NUMBERS ! by Ralph Liebing, RA, CSI, CDT Cincinnati, Ohio Who needs education? We all do, of course, but other factors play into our education. One primary factor is the progressive sequence of the education, i.e., the various “levels” of topic matter that build one upon the other to provide a complete and rational array of information. In some instances the underlying education is “lost” as the final result is the information that is actively used and which has grown out of the basic prior levels. All of this, of course, is easily seen in the normal progress of education for any person. From the play-learn time in pre-schools, to kindergarten, to elementary school, to secondary school to the collegiate level. Basic “numbers” learned in pre-school are used in differing ways through the whole of this sequence-- but are still the numbers used from “how many is three?”to the most advanced college courses. The obvious path, progressively and ascending, layer upon layer! We all remember the massive impact of algebra where suddenly letters were “numbers” and all sorts of new manipulations were introduced-- whew!!!!! But then, through the “levels” system we got into geometry, advanced algebra, trig and solid geometry. And then into the college sequence comes the wonder of calculus?-- whew, again!! Get through that and we find it was given merely to show the derivation of structural formulas-- which are used as formats or the end result. Yet another, whew!!! And today, this scenario is changing as youngsters start their sequences earlier and move to higher level more quickly The point in all this is to identify that education really is many things. And one can enter any specific sequence of levels, just randomly, anywhere along the line, for any given group of people. The resulting success of those persons AND the program is in what level of understanding walks in the door with each student-- i.e., what have they been taught before that will appropriately support or translate into the new instruction. An opportunity to service a whole industry with educational efforts would seem to indicate that all members of that industry, from entry level students, employees, interns, apprentices, skilled trades workers, etc. should be afford at least some portion of the offering. To offer only upper level [i.e., advanced] instruction most suited to experienced personnel, is short sighted and defeats “service to the whole industry”. Introductory instruction, basics, fundamentals, square-one, or first step instruction is an absolute necessity to make the later instruction of value and seen as the normal upward progression of education. This holds for any educational effort by any professional organization, or by the many manufacturers and representatives [both teachers and students all]. It is simplistic to say “one must crawl before walking”, but that principle is correct and valid in many places, including education. There needs to be a good and valid foundation set up for whatever is to follow, for the complete sequence to be helpful, meaningful, informative and instructional. Number 1, as in “square one”, as used in popular vernacular, is still proper and essential! Indeed, consequential-- in every case!