issue 15

桌子上的梨

Educational institutions should actively encourage their students to choose field of study that will prepare them for lucrative careers.



The speaker’s claim is actually built on two unsubstantiated assumptions: (1) education institute can discern which major are more compromising and which are not; (2) they should guide student to devote themselves in the more “practical majors”. Both of them are specious. Therefore, in my perspective, the assertion is tantalizing but daunting.



At first glance, the balance of empirical examples would seem to lend considerable evidence to the speaker’s argument. The most popular fields of study in university are computer sciences, mechanism, MBA –luxurious fields in the popular wisdom are considered as practical and pragmatic. Many students always go into raptures at the mere mention of the coming life of taking part in these majors. Some people even equate success in life with graduating from these majors. To the contrast, plenty of arts graduates find themselves in unfavorable positions in the job markets.



However, upon carefully reflection it becomes obvious that granted that it’s important to lay a strong foundation for the achievement of personal fulfillment through education, education amounts to far more than more than job-hunting.(缺句话，衔接不自然) Take art education as an example, art, though unable to afford us material luxury like technological advancement and other human progresses, enriches culture, enlightens our spirit, and broadens our horizon, in other words, presents us with what is eternal and universal; the abundance and civilization of spiritual life, unlike a popular idea that denies the significance of spiritual enjoyment, is insurance and premise for material wealth. As long as we admit that the quality of life is as important as life itself, there is every reason to lay emphasis on those so-called “less promising” aspects.



What’s more, even some classes traditionally thought to be just spiritual or artistic such as calligraphy can be both fun and profitable, if only they are used properly. Apple increased sales significantly with the introduction of the iMac and other new products; with no doubt, appealing designs and powerful branding have worked well for Apple. All this can be attributed to(归功于？) Steve Jobs’ 18 months dropping in on creative classes, including a course on calligraphy after he dropped out of college. And thank for this single calligraphy course in college, the Mac have had multiple typefaces and proportionally spaced fonts.



In the other side, engaging in unfavorable majors may cause a negative association with study. Leon Festinger, an American social psychologist, established his theory of Cognitive Dissonance, asserting that when cognitive dissonance occurs, certain psychological discomfort will be engendered, motivating the individual to spare no efforts getting rid of such discomfort. Applying the Cognitive Dissonance Theory into our case, we get to learn that if students stuck in major they don’t like, their psychological discomfort would be aroused, and they may spend less time on study, some may even drop out of school. In view of the seriousness of this problem, effective measures should be taken to avoid these unfavorable influences.


In sum, I think personal choice according to one’s truly interest should be high on the agenda of deciding field of study.

竹林中人

老问题还是在的。
我提下结尾吧，这个结尾略短了些，可以适当加些内容。
我对这个题目的想法如下：
1.承认合理性，因为在毕业之后，大学生首先要解决的是生活的基本问题，需要有一个合理报酬的工作，因而他们需要具备相应的能力。
2.不宜过分强调要选择有利可图的职业，否则会背离教育的初衷。教育除了教会学生基本的生存技能，更重要的是让学生发现并发展自己的兴趣，找到自己擅长的领域，并且塑造成高素质的有理想的人。
3.在学生选择课程的时候，兴趣是首要的出发点。满足了兴趣，学生可以发挥出自己的潜力并愿意付出很大的努力，因而相对于那些可能会有很高汇报但他们不感兴趣的领域可以较容易地取得进步和成就，最终在他们所选择的领域里不仅能满足自己的生活所需，更能取得较大的成功。

普渡哥

结尾太短，显得太草率。

桌子上的梨

好的 明天总结一下这三篇与education有关的issue 改进再交。我是先写了第二篇，才看到第一篇的意见的……

桌子上的梨

受了李建林那个5.5的影响，他说开头和结尾都要尽量短……

竹林中人

受了李建林那个5.5的影响，他说开头和结尾都要尽量短……

-- by 会员 桌子上的梨 (2012/8/1 21:37:51)

是要短，但要有力，画龙点睛。

桌子上的梨

我改了新版本，你看看可以吗？

Educational institutions should actively encourage their students to choose field of study that will prepare them for lucrative careers.



The speaker’s claim is actually built on two unsubstantiated assumptions: (1) education institute can discern which major are more compromising and which are not; (2) they should guide student to devote themselves in the more “practical majors”. Both of them are specious. Therefore, in my perspective, the assertion is tantalizing but daunting.



At first glance, the balance of empirical examples would seem to lend considerable evidence to the speaker’s argument. The most popular fields of study in university are computer sciences, mechanism, MBA –luxurious fields in the popular wisdom are considered as visible, practical, and immediately beneficial. It is true that in some circumstances, following the trend could make profit. Success from these areas is rife in these days. The heroes of our time, Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, the IT guys, who developed their interest in computer and soon put their seminal achievements into use, finally won their own fortune and fame besides benefited most people at a short time. To the contrast, plenty of arts graduates find themselves in unfavorable positions in the job markets.



However, upon carefully reflection it becomes obvious that granted that it’s important to lay a strong foundation for the achievement of personal fulfillment through education, education amounts to far more than more than job-hunting. Science, culture, art all these value education convey, are not merely about benefiting people, its about the human civilization and more importantly, its own beauty. Take art education as an example, art, though unable to afford us material luxury like technological advancement and other human progresses, enriches culture, enlightens our spirit, and broadens our horizon, in other words, presents us with what is eternal and universal; the abundance and civilization of spiritual life, unlike a popular idea that denies the significance of spiritual enjoyment, is insurance and premise for material wealth. As long as we admit that the quality of life is as important as life itself, there is every reason to lay emphasis on those so-called “less promising” aspects.



What’s more, even some classes traditionally thought to be just spiritual or artistic such as calligraphy can be both fun and profitable, if only they are used properly. Take Jobs, the ex-CEO of Apple Company, a charismatic pioneer of the personal computer revolution. After dropped out of college, Steve Jobs dropped in on creative classes for 18 months, including a course on calligraphy. Years later, Appealing designs and powerful branding have worked well for Apple, the company increased sales significantly with the introduction of the iMac and other new products. Steve Jobs attributes these to the calligraphy class he took just for interest.



In the other side,a satisfying curriculum，allows students to engage into interested field. Greater satisfaction is ensured, so that they would persistently devote more of themselves into their study. However, engaging in unfavorable majors may cause a negative association with study. Leon Festinger, an American social psychologist, established his theory of Cognitive Dissonance, asserting that when cognitive dissonance occurs, certain psychological discomfort will be engendered, motivating the individual to spare no efforts getting rid of such discomfort. Applying the Cognitive Dissonance Theory into our case, we get to learn that if students stuck in major they don’t like, their psychological discomfort would be aroused, and they may spend less time on study, some may even drop out of school. In view of the seriousness of this problem, effective measures should be taken to avoid these unfavorable influences.

In sum, I think personal choice according to one’s truly interest should be high on the agenda of deciding field of study. Even if in extreme circumstances, by utmost effort the education choice accomplishes nothing it would still shine like a jewel for its own sake as something which has its full value in itself.