by Gerald Drueppel

Created on: April 29, 2009   Last Updated: May 17, 2009

University of Diversity

Even in matters such as education and industry a symbiotic relationship is established which goes beyond simple trade schooling and affects institutions of higher learning. Unlike our forefathers whose goals were more genuine as to the progression of knowledge, he education system, any education system that is part of a capitalistic machine, predetermines the quality and quantity that succeeding generations adhere to the laws of supply and demand. One example would be the oil industry's demand for chemists would create an influx of anyone interested in that field to basically go where the money goes. Even if said individual had higher aspirations in perhaps theoretical research, they have condemned themselves to reconfiguring molecular structures to increase profit margins which incidentally pushes every potential cure for anything five to ten years down the road.

Alternative education cannot fall into the same trap or it will lose its diversified status. Many of the techniques both old and new were born of necessity and the need for efficiency. An excellent example of an alternative educational method is the implementation of the Socratic Circle, which consigns all students involved to a more critical and analytical approach. Everyone gets an opportunity to input data and benefit from the results. Another technique, originated by myself, would be to create an individualized personal kiosk for each and every individual student. All the knowledge that they have accumulated, at the ready, for easy reference, to be continuously built upon throughout one's entire life. Absolutely necessary for the brain to maintain elasticity.

Combine the kiosk consideration with virtual schools and students would be covering light years of information compared to today's standards. Individuals from all over the world could attend the same school without leaving a significant carbon footprint.

The primary components of learning is recognition, association, and retention. Extensive research has been done into the retention component and therefore is of least concern. As for the other two components recognition is a process by which new data is directly related to past experience. The greater the experience, which is gained more effectively through hands on experience and observations, the greater the recognition in all future encounters with various phenomena which is propagated by the component of association both future and past. The accumulation of new data is the difference between old and new.

Our overall knowledge can be quantified in two ways. The known and the unknown. Which is a drop to the ocean, which is the finite in a contrast, so stark to the infinite, that the average mind is just incapable of reconciling the two.

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