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Strong on the critical and weak on the thinking

By John Ridd - posted Monday, 9 October 2006


The in-step Education Establishment claim that through the various Boards' syllabi they are encouraging students to think, to be critical and sceptical. Sadly for them there are out-of-steppers who think that current syllabi fail totally to do that. A recent editorial in The Skeptic magazine (Spring 2006 edition) emphasised the obvious idea that critical thought - scepticism - must be based on verifiable evidence. Enabling people to think critically “is not made easier by the fatuous notions pervading far too many of our education systems, luxuriating under the rubric of 'postmodernist theory'. Ostensibly aimed at fostering critical thinking, it does no such thing, being strong on the critical and weak on the thinking. By holding inter alia, that truth and facts are relative concepts, it fosters the belief that all opinions are equally worthy."

Those statements are the antithesis of material oozing from that super de luxe in-step body the Queensland Studies Authority who state in a maths syllabus "making explicit the fact that knowledge is historically, socially and culturally constructed". So pi and the exponential function are, for in-step "thinkers" historical, social and cultural constructs.   Give me strength.

The QSA is essentially no different to the other Boards of Study. They are all powerful in that they determine the syllabi-assessments in every subject for every school. They are the militant wing of the in-step Education Establishment.

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However sooner or later it will dawn on the various governments and oppositions that there are far more people who are out-of-step than are there are in the in-step Establishment.  At that point parliamentary action will be taken to bring some sort of sanity to the Boards of Study syllabi-curriculum and associated assessment structures.

Personally I find the idea of direct government interference in such matters abhorrent.  However the in-steppers have failed our children in spades and desperate situations call for desperate remedies.

But it would be preferable if Boards would reform themselves. Come on The Education Establishment.

Break step.

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About the Author

John Ridd taught and lectured in maths and physics in UK, Nigeria and Queensland. He co-authored a series of maths textbooks and after retirement worked for and was awarded a PhD, the topic being 'participation in rigorous maths and science.'

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