From: Patsloane-AT-aol.com
Date: Tue, 25 Nov 1997 16:16:27 -0500 (EST)
Subject: Re: PLC: Art and truth


In a message dated 97-11-25 14:21:17 EST, you write:

> >4) I think an art school education is far superior to a liberal arts
>  >education in allowing mental devlopment and in teaching problem-solving
>  >skills.
>  
>  [Finger painting for all? Water colors for the ladies? Baseboard
>  contemplation for the engineers? Is Sumo art? Is Kendo? Bonsai? Ikebana?
>  Breeding koi? Gardening?]
> 
George,
 
For you, maybe, 100 hours of remedial finger-painting. What I actually
mentioned was scheduling.  I remember a life-drawing class that met from
Monday through Friday from 1:00 to 4:00 pm for a full year. Putting in that
amount of time (450 hours), you learn something. I've seen universities try
to teach the same class 3 hours per week for one semster.  So the students
get 45 hours of instruction instead of 450, and it's just not enough.

My point is, why can't the same intensity be brought to bear on any and every
subject? Why spread 90 hours of math instruction over 30 weeks?  Why not 90
hours in 3 weeks, so the students can really get into math? This is a much
more natural way to learn. If you buy a difficult new computer program, you
find time to sit down and really focus on learning it, and you don't pick a
time when you're also doing your income tax, grading student exams,  and
juggling half a dozen other things that also call for mental concentration.
 And who would dream of taking a "class" to learn the new program? If the
class met once a week for 15 weeks, it would be 15 weeks before you'd be able
to use the program. And why drag out for 15 weeks what you could learn by
yourself in 2 days?

It's the fragmentation of the liberal arts model that I find grossly counter
intuitive. I see businesses running classes for their employees that are more
short term and also more focused--more hours at once.  So maybe they're
beginning to realize what works.  

pat sloane


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