KiteZA

Supply and Demand of University Education

I had an idea for contributing effectively to changing the structure of education-related decision-making (that could be used elsewhere). It’s still a very hazy, undeveloped concept, but the basic idea is to use the tools that defend the status quo against it to achieve change. Take a look at this BBC News article: “Thousands march in student protest over university fees”, for instance:

Students are protesting because they object to increases in the cost of university degrees. They are clearly disillusioned with the status quo, and unhappy about the point that the university fee issue has reached.

The political elite tend to deny the possibility of change, in this case lower fees, by claiming it’s not feasible “in this economy”. The social factor is always spoken about (“help future generations etc etc”), but usually ignored in favour of the more pressing economic issues.

The tools used to justify the situation, namely economic principles, could be used by the protesters themselves to counter the arguments made by those in power. What about a little supply-and-demand to adjust the prices of university fees?

The idea, specifically, was set off by this graph:

Which I had initially thought was a graph showing the face-value costs of a university degree. So what if it was?

What if one was to take a survey of the views of university staff (academic and administrative) regarding what would be an ‘acceptable’ tuition fee?
What if one was to then do the same kind of survey with university (or university-aged) students, across a variety of disciplines, socio-economic backgrounds, and degree types, and ask what they would be willing to pay for their degrees?
Finally, what if one were to take the actual cost of a university degree today?

My guess is you would end up with responses that, when graphed, would look something like this:

When represented by a simply supply-demand graph, you would likely see that the status quo is not operating at a point of equilibrium. Furthermore, simplistic economic analysis would suggest a shift in the supply of university education, such that it would allow a greater proportion of the population into higher education (an increased equilibrium quantity), while reducing the overall cost of a university degree (reduction in equilibrium prices).

So, spread the word. Throw in a bit of intellectualism to general protesting.

Agitate. Educate. Organise.

Spread the powerful slogans.

Contribute to a more equitable future.

1 year ago | Permalink ∞

1 note, Comments

Paula - A teacher in New York was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stamp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bullies another child, they may say they’re sorry but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.
#StopBullying
Teaching- you’re doing it right

Paula - A teacher in New York was teaching her class about bullying and gave them the following exercise to perform. She had the children take a piece of paper and told them to crumple it up, stamp on it and really mess it up but do not rip it. Then she had them unfold the paper, smooth it out and look at how scarred and dirty is was. She then told them to tell it they’re sorry. Now even though they said they were sorry and tried to fix the paper, she pointed out all the scars they left behind. And that those scars will never go away no matter how hard they tried to fix it. That is what happens when a child bullies another child, they may say they’re sorry but the scars are there forever. The looks on the faces of the children in the classroom told her the message hit home.

#StopBullying

Teaching- you’re doing it right

(Source: PupsDeadGirl, via world-shaker)

1 year ago | Permalink ∞

30,582 notes, Comments

“ We can tell our children that school is important until we’re blue in the face, they’re not stupid. They see the loudest applause is for the kids on the field. They know teachers are paid poorly and don’t drive fancy cars. They know people plan Super Bowl parties but mock the National Spelling Bee. In other words, they see the hypocrisy, and we can’t expect society to correct itself. If we want to have any lasting influence on the way our kids approach education — the way future generations approach education — then we have to grab our pom-poms and paint our faces and celebrate intellectual curiosity with the same vigor we do their athletic achievements.

Why I’m raising my son to be a nerd - CNN.com (via thatwasntveryclever)

This was how I felt every summer that I came back to the states and hung out with my high-school age friends. I don’t think I’m that bright but I was the “smart one” and the best you could hope for was to be politely tolerated. I felt terrible for the kids I heard described that were into science and math. They were “nerds” “weirdos” “social retards” and this from athletes who only had to take four non-athletic subjects that were, from all the homework I helped them with, completely about memorization and busy work that was forgotten as soon as it was done. These weren’t just dumb jocks from bad family situations either. These were great families with the means to send their kids to good schools and they made the entire focus of their kids life on athletic prowess, not entirely by what they said. But by what they did. They would leave you alone and murmur occasional encouragement if you were studying but they would be on your sidelines cheering and driving hours out of their way for any tournament you were in, and display your trophies proudly in the house.
Nothing at all wrong with being an athlete, I wish I was more of one and I’m trying to be to have another aspect of life to be strong in and enjoy. But kids need to know their parents are going to be just as proud of them if they build robots and compete for science prizes.

(via zackarooo)

Given the number of notes this has, it seems to be a fairly accepted view on Tumblr. Good stuff - the world needs all types.

(via zackarooo)

1 year ago | Permalink ∞

36,799 notes, Comments

“
We know of public school teachers who, on their own time, go out and raise money for classroom supplies — new maps and books. We know teachers who spend their own money so their students have the proper tools for learning.

These days, when it’s so fashionable to be critical of public education, when it’s politically popular to ferret out the shortcomings of the public school system to parade before voters, we forget that those very same public schools employ a host of decent, caring men and women who believe in what they’re doing and take extraordinary steps to help their students succeed.

“new maps and books.”—every now and then the guys at the newspaper give me a nod, and it makes my day. (via girlwithalessonplan)

1 year ago | Permalink ∞

114 notes, Comments

Charles Leadbeater went looking for radical new forms of education — and found them in the slums of Rio and Kibera, where some of the world’s poorest kids are finding transformative new ways to learn. And this informal, disruptive new kind of school, he says, is what all schools need to become.

1 year ago | Permalink ∞

18 notes, Comments

CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS: Help tutor grade 8 learners in Cape Town

Are you interested in volunteering to tutor grade 8 maths/science/English at Masiyile high school with Equal Education?

This commitment would involve two afternoons a week, primarily assisting learners with the homework they have been set in class. Equal Education is looking to include parents and teachers in the process to ensure a quality learning environment, although expects the tutors to be primarily university students.

Key things to note:

Focus: Grade 8 English, Maths, and Science (Physical Science & Biology)
Days: Tues/Thurs 14h30-16h00 (TBC)
Transport provided.
Start date: 25 July 2011

More details available here.

If you are interested, or would like further information, please contact me.

1 year ago | Permalink ∞

8 notes, Comments

Time for mass action once more (via Mail & Guardian Online)

On Human Rights Day this year, about 20 000 people marched on Parliament in Cape Town to protest against the continued existence of mud schools in South Africa. (David Harrison, M&G)

“The struggle for equal and quality education was a prominent part of the uprising that broke the back of apartheid in the 1980s. But since democracy there has been little sustained community organising and mass mobilisation around education.

The People’s Summit for Quality Education to be held from June 25 to 27 in Khayelitsha and at the University of Cape Town (UCT) is a sign that this has begun to change. About 360 students, parents, teachers, activists and academics from across the country will attend the summit, which serves notice that a new phase in the battle to realise everyone’s right to a quality education has begun.”

Glaring inequality in city schools (via the Cape Times)

Equal Education Representatives at the People's Summit for Quality Education

EDUCATION in Cape Town is so unequal that matrics in top city schools are likely to get at least two distinctions while half of Khayelitsha’s matric pupils will fail their final exams.

This is according to Equal Education’s Ntuthuzo Ndzomo who was speaking yesterday at UCT to a packed lecture hall during the second day of Equal Education’s People’s Summit for Quality Education.