More on liberal arts etc

["Dave Farber" <dave () farber net>]

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Douglas Comer <comer () cs purdue edu>
Date: Tue, Jun 27, 2017 at 2:57 PM
Subject: Re:
To: Dave Farber <farber () gmail com>


Dave,

> Rick says:
>  I realise this could devolve quickly into another STEM-v-STEAM
argument...

The situation should not be viewed as STEM-v-STEM, but rather as the need
for STEM+STEAM.

  I attended a small "Liberal Arts" college, where the approach was to
build a T-shaped person — breadth
in many topics and depth in one.  Each student had a major where they
obtained depth.  However, to
ensure they had breadth, each student was required to take courses in
literature, writing, art, music, history,
mathematics, science, and two foreign languages.  When I talk to students
graduating from STEM
departments I am appalled that they have not read novels, are unaware of
history, and cannot write a cogent
paragraph.  More important, they do not have basic skills needed to
communicate with others and explain
their technical work.  So, let’s be clear: the question isn’t vocational
training vs fluff because many of the
topics from liberal arts have a direct relationship to career success.  The
point is that if  liberal arts are done
well, they make a direct contribution to employment and advancement.

  Unfortunately, liberal arts are not always done well.  When I hear
students’ reports about courses, I am
shocked at what has happened to liberal arts.  In many universities,
liberal arts courses have been transformed
into political correctness indoctrination sessions.  Can you imagine, for
example, an English course where students
are told they can write a spell however they like because grammar and
spelling rules are merely a form of
discrimination?

  What we need are better liberal arts course and STEM curricula that
include them.

My two cents,
Doug



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