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Neal Joslin Bug Kanyo ENG.111.P14 28 October 2013 Learning in the 21st Century Before schools where funded by the government teacher and students learned collectively in groups. Older kids used to help younger kids, and even in college the student and the professor used to work together. Now with the modernization of the current age, schools have become a sort of indoctrination into the workforce. School Schedules are set in stone in which bells ring to signify the end of class much like the end of a shift in a factory. The schools in the 21st century has been turned into a standardized learning environment, in which there are only certain a type of learning that is taught while the other is ignored. The two types are understanding and the other one is memorization; the 21st century is more concerned about memorization. Its test day, but instead of the students actually understanding what the subject is they have memorized arbitrary information in which they regurgitate on a right/wrong format. Gone are the days of schools teaching information that is crucial of succeeding, now is the day that students only care about the final grade in the class. In the article by John Tagg, he explains this unfortunate way of learning in which the better student is the one with the higher grade. This whole idea that Tagg drives into, points out the problems with todays teaching where both parties, the institution and the students, only care about the transcripts at the end of the road. Tagg explains We [Teachers] did not sign on to be cogs in transcript-generating factories (Tagg 2). This explains that even the teacher dont like the way the current way of learning is viewed by students. The higher test scores help out the university, high school or other school with funding and because of this teachers cant change their method of teaching as they need to

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get though the required information. Teachers, students, and the institution are stuck in a big circle in which not only are they depending on each other, but they are sacrificing learning for test scores and in turn more funding. Most of todays teachers have a way of learning in which there are only two ways, their way or the high way. As explained by Tagg teachers dont have a choice are almost forced to teach a certain way so the class can get though the required information. In the story by Alexander Calandra, he tells a story in which a student tries to fight the system of the right/wrong system. While the student knew he was stirring up trouble he was technically right has he gave a right answer to the question. While the students answer didnt have the required subject matter in the answer and that is why there was such a dispute. he [The student] was fed up with highschool teachers and college instructors who would rather teach him how to think and use the scientific method in a pedantic way that teach him the structure of the subject (Calandra 2). As stated above, the teachers arent at fault as they are forced in a corner just as much as the students. While both student, for purposely stirring up trouble, and the teacher, for not fighting the system himself, are at fault its the whole learning system of the 21st centurys fault as its main focus is funding. While so far it was said that teachers and students are caught in this circle where everyone is stuck, who is making the choice on what to learn? The article the Eugene Provenzo, he combats cultural conservatives and how they believe that there is fundamental core of knowledge that everyone should know. While Provenzo explains in a highly diverse and multicultural society such as United States, it is not enough to assume that there is a set a defined culture that all people know (537). Provenzo makes a good point, when trying to make standardized learning some group is always going to be left out and its unfair. Standardized

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learning is flawed just for this reason, an example of this is that no one has the right to say that part of a cultures history is not important and isnt going to be taught. As the 21st century is obsessed about memorization of arbitrary knowledge, a lot of students forget about what they are being taught. A reaction of this type of learning is that students learn about things that arent academic, like celebrity gossip. In the article by Samantha Calarusse, she is horrified by more people knowing about celebrity gossip than major events going on around the world. While this train of thought is that major events are more academic and by that boring, while celebrity is a leisure activity. After a fourth grader said that she didnt know who MLK was, Calarusse thought, If this child couldnt recognize any of his [MLKs] accomplishments while alive, what else did she not know? (360). While it is scary to think that this younger generation is going to be part of the workforce, while they dont even know basic history. Even though the student was in fourth grade, MLK is one of the most influential people in the 20th century and should be common knowledge. While this whole dilemma ties directly with Provenzos article about how should choice what students should learn. While MLK might have not been in the curriculum, the teacher couldnt go over it because they wouldnt have had the time to cover the needed information so the students could pass then test. While this is an unfortunate reality of learning in the 21st century, there isnt a seen end in sight. Schools are stuck in a circle of dependence with teachers, students and the institution; the government can arguably be added because of its funding to the school. All of the people in this circle are powerless and none of them can change what they are doing unless they all agree on it, which is very unlikely. While the current type of learning isnt going to change any time soon, the current students can only hunch their shoulders and take it. The 21st century learning is a factory of workers, they are training people to do what they are told and not question it.

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Reference Page Tagg, John. Why Learn?: What We May Really be Teaching Students. About Campus 9.1 (2004): 2-10. Print. Calandra, Alexander. Angels on a Pin: The Barometer Story PDF file. Calarusse, Samantha. "Don't Super Size Me... Dumbify Me" Everythings A Text. Ed. Melzer, Dan. Coxwell-Teague, Deborah. New York: Opiela, 2011. 358-360. Print Provenzo, Eugene. Excerpt from Critical Literacy: What Every American Ought to Know Everythings A Text. Ed. Melzer, Dan. Coxwell-Teague, Deborah. New York: Opiela, 2011. 337-342. Print

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