[Артем Лысенко]

[Haveunique]

Artem, I disagree. It depends very much on the place you study at. Profession schools might be less prestigious than research-oriented universities, in any country, but still they give specific knowledge. The difference is in what the students want. In this regard, the American system is quite progressive - students can choose their major after they have started their studies and when they have already tried some courses to see how their expectations and motivation is fulfilled.

European education is good for those who know exactly what they want, before applying. Moreover, to be accepted, one usually needs to have some background in the filed of interest.   

[Gra-ach]

I see your point, Кот. I can't talk about any other field except for software development, but my experience is that you never know what you may need to know tomorrow (1), you won't have a lot of time to study (2), because there are people who know things you don't, and if you don't know something exists you won't even think about it and you won't use it only if you reinvent the bicycle (3). Considering right now noone really need pure programmers, everyone wants a person who knows the field they are asked to work in and learning all ins and out will take time. And depending on the complexity of the field it may take an unreasonable amount of time. I still remember that in our postal system a package which weighs 3,5 kg is billed like 3 kg package and it's still called 3 kg package. It's strange and at first I couldn't understand why the program I received choses the wrong price tag until I was told this tidbit of information.

I have quite a few examples to prove my point about needing to study broader subjects at university. That's why I think it's called university and not college or something. Besides, it's not like I'm teaching chemistry to programmers I think it's essential to know about existing technologies, especially the recent ones - it will give you advantage when you apply for a job. Especially when there aren't many people who know it.   

[Артем Лысенко]

[Haveunique]

[Haveunique]

[Артем Лысенко]

Tanya, i meat once a person who is a director of a alternative school education system. It was surrpising for me to meet someone like that in Ukraine. He has established two schools for childrens 8-16 years old. In small groups they get the knowledge based mostly on gaming and roll-modell playing. It differs from the "normal"school system. Here the teachers are youung professinals from various spheres of life. And the main idea is to teach the childrens to develop own strenghts, find solutions and analyze the possibilities. And that is the 85% of all process, Only 15% is to learn educational objects due to the state programme, just to reach the scores at the end of the year by passing the appropriate exams and tests.   

[Haveunique]

Artem, it is nice to know such systems have been developing for the past decade or so in Ukraine. Here the revolutionizing approach is to connect students from different fields to collaborate on mutually interesting project. It is something we have been doing out of our own initiative in my previous university, and here it still needs to be established.   

[Procyona]

I cannot say much of how Universities work elsewhere, but in my University we have a tendensy of long days with lectures or laboratories. These days would be much shorter if we were not just taught there by lectures, but with conversations and projects, for which students would prepare and read about the subjects beforehand. This would need a different motivation from the students, but would teach them responsibility of their own learning. Every one chooses to be (or not to be) in the University after all.

About renewing a school system, it's good to teach people to know what they want to be, and that they can work to get it, from early point. Great! People are not carved out the same way, and some are round, some triangular. Forcing triangular shape to a round hole may work if the hole is big enough, but it's not ideal.   

[Gra-ach]

[Procyona]

[Gra-ach]

[Procyona]