process versus outcomes

This is a bit sad, though not unexpexcted. A new school cirriculum will focus on the process of learning, rather than content. Apparently its all part of the "outcome-based approach" of skills, rather than knowledge, except the outcome is how well you know the process not whether you know the answer. That's a bit like going on your OE, not knowing where London is but as long as you know how to catch a flight there then that's OK - you have your outcome.

Imagine if policy analysts made policy like this, changing the goalposts on outcomes to make them more woolly - focusing on the process and let the outcomes work out for themselves. Oh, that's right they do. Equal Employment Opportunities is the process they use to achieve equity in the workplace. They call it procedural equalty because it his to do with process. Substantive equality is to do with equity. Education appears to be going the same way. No need to learn how to get from A to B by reading a map - as long as you know the process of asking someone who can tell you then you`ll get where you want to go.

Mary Chamberlain, overseeing the project for the Education Ministry, says "If (students) don't know how to initiate a conversation or ask for help, that's not OK".

Next thing they`ll be offering BAs in "asking for help" and analysing the Beatle's song "Help" as the content for a first year assignment. We`ll really need help then...

funding your studies with your virginity

"I'm an 18-year-old virgin with student funds to pay and I'm looking to sell my first time right here. I'm brunette, 34C, green eyes, all in proportion and good looking"

Well, according to this report she's found someone who will put up NZ$25,000 in cash and will do it today.

I've been offered the money in cash and I'm going to do it this Thursday. Sorry I'm at work so I can't speak any more

Lindsay Mitchell says " Don't let the Greens get hold of this. They'll immediately scream, education should be free for all!"

And that brings me to another point. The Greens are pretty good at quoting UN Conventions. They did it with the UNCROC (UN Convention of the Rights of the Child) during the smacking bill. Now if the Greens were to comment on this, would they mention the International Convention on Economic, Cultural and Social Rights, ratified by NZ over a decade ago - particularly Article 13.2, which says:

Higher education shall be made equally accessible to all on the basis of capacity, by every appropriate means, and in particular by the progressive introduction of free education

No, of course they wouldn't mention this convention, as Greens use UN conventions merely to back up ideology. But it's a good time to mention that we are breaching our international treaty obligations with regards to tertiary study. Pity student groups aren't saying much about it, preferring to rabbit on about voluntary student association membership instead.

So much for being more like Sweden, where tertiary education is fully subsidised.