Let me play devil's advocate on this one. Is a more difficult-to-read textbook better than an easier one that conveys the same information? My impression is that writers like George Orwell and E.B. White were largely responsible for the increased streamlining of modern prose compared to that of 100 years ago. (I am not saying that streamlined prose is necessarily better -- IMHO, Strunk and White are responsible for a great deal of mediocre writing.)
BTW, what fraction of children in Texas completed the eight grade in 1908? The state did not have a compulsory education law until 1915. Jane On Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 12:46 PM, malcolm McCallum <malcolm.mccal...@herpconbio.org> wrote: > Its actually much worse than that. A retired friend of mine brought > me a book on Human Health. > It was dated around 1908. The student who read this book would > require a much higher reading > comprehension, larger vocabulary, and greater dedication than a > student using the health book > widely used for principles of health in modern college classes. The > book had depth, provided specifics > and generalities, and it very aptly provided positive guidance on the > overview of how to live a healthy life > based on the dogma of the time. Now here is the punchline, that book > was mandated by the > stated board of education in Texas for 8th grade. I almost fell over. > I have seen some graduate level > textbooks that are not as good as that 8th grade text. I suspect that > this is more widepread than we might want to believe. > > Malcolm > > On Sat, Jan 16, 2010 at 10:47 AM, Abraham de Alba A. <aalb...@yahoo.com> > wrote: >> Yes Mal, it is depresing to see that "critical thinking" is very seldom >> applyed even in "educated" persons, I myself think that it is a primary >> fault of our educational system. It is not until you are in your masters or >> even PhD that your mentor appreciates your thinking capabilities and not >> your "knowledge". >> >> What can we expect after 20 years of indoctrination in school ? and that´s >> for the ones that manage to go to school. >> >> Abraham de Alba Avila >> Terrestrial Plant Ecology >> INIFAP-Ags >> Ap. postal 20, >> Pabellón Arteaga, 20660 >> Aguascalientes, MEXICO >> >> >> >> SKYPE: adealba55 >> >> Tel: (465) 95-801-67, & 801-86 ext. 126, FAX ext 102 >> alternate: dealba.abra...@inifap.gob.mx >> cel: 449-157-7070 >> >> ________________________________ >> From: malcolm McCallum <malcolm.mccal...@herpconbio.org> >> To: ecolo...@listserv.umd..edu >> Sent: Fri, January 15, 2010 7:11:47 PM >> Subject: [ECOLOG-L] now I've seen it all >> >> At what point does the scientific community realize that the current >> surge in patent medicines and nonsense medical devices are seriously >> eroding the nation's confidence in science? >> This is not directly related to ecology, but ecology is science and if >> people misuse science to sell products that are medically irrelevant >> it certainly must affect all science. >> >> For example, if the average person sees a supposed physician on TV >> parading products that "absorb fat out of your body" or send "magnetic >> impulses into your joints" or provide the "healing effects of light", >> he/she does not necessarily recognize the difference between >> commercial claims and scientific ones. Further, if that person is >> suckered in to buy this sucker bait, he/she is certain to find, once >> any placebo affect passes, that it is shear snake oil. Consequently, >> these folks see these advertisements with supposed nutritionists, >> phds, MDs, etc. and learn not to believe what they say. Along comes a >> scientist claiming extraordinary changes such as climate change, ozone >> layer issues, problems with pollution, and endangered species...on TV, >> even in commercials. Why should they believe them? It looks and >> smells just like that snake oil aunt Martha bought off TV that did >> nothing but moisten her skin. >> >> Does anyone else see that a deeper problem exists here? These >> products are much more harmful that simply misleading people, they are >> more than simply false advertising, they really should not be allowed >> to make the extraordinary claims that they do. Some of the products >> are harmless, some are dangerous simply in the fact that folks choose >> to depend on these prior to seeking real medical advice, but all have >> a serious potential to erode the general public's view of the >> scientific community. >> >> -- >> Malcolm L. McCallum >> Associate Professor of Biology >> Managing Editor, >> Herpetological Conservation and Biology >> Texas A&M University-Texarkana >> Fall Teaching Schedule: >> Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; >> Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm >> Office Hourse- TBA >> >> 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert >> 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, >> and pollution. >> 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction >> MAY help restore populations. >> 2022: Soylent Green is People! >> >> Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any >> attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may >> contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized >> review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not >> the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and >> destroy all copies of the original message. >> >> > > > > -- > Malcolm L. McCallum > Associate Professor of Biology > Managing Editor, > Herpetological Conservation and Biology > Texas A&M University-Texarkana > Fall Teaching Schedule: > Vertebrate Biology - TR 10-11:40; General Ecology - MW 1-2:40pm; > Forensic Science - W 6-9:40pm > Office Hourse- TBA > > 1880's: "There's lots of good fish in the sea" W.S. Gilbert > 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, > and pollution. > 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction > MAY help restore populations. > 2022: Soylent Green is People! > > Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any > attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may > contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized > review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not > the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and > destroy all copies of the original message. > -- ------------- Jane Shevtsov Ecology Ph.D. candidate, University of Georgia co-founder, <www.worldbeyondborders.org> Check out my blog, <http://perceivingwholes.blogspot.com>Perceiving Wholes "The whole person must have both the humility to nurture the Earth and the pride to go to Mars." --Wyn Wachhorst, The Dream of Spaceflight
