Take a photo of a barcode or cover
44 reviews for:
The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
Bryan Caplan
3.74 AVERAGE
44 reviews for:
The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money
Bryan Caplan
3.74 AVERAGE
This book was ok. I really liked that the author poses tough questions about the role of educators: Are we sculptors or appraisers? While I agree with the author that education is not focused enough on skills, my goal is very different from his.
I had hoped that the book would go more in depth about education, its purpose and potential. Unfortunately, the author's goal seems to not be the improvement of education and empowerment of people, but de-funding education and going back towards a more individualistic society. My goal was to know how we can create a better functioning society, where people are equipped with the skills to participate in debate and policy-making and invention.
As an engineer, I completely disagree with the claims that engineering is the only valuable skill to the economy. Humanities teach critical thinking skills much better because they actually have students debate and engage in critique. In engineering, we solve highly constrained problems.
The author never really discusses what skills are or the different types of values. He just uses a limited view of monetary worth - what are people paying for degrees in that area? Which is weird since he also stated that degrees aren't signals of skills anyways.
The chapter on social benefits of education is equally lame and basically a cop out.
I was home-schooled because of issues in public education. I have a PhD in engineering. I fully care about and educate myself on learning sciences applied to my work as a professor. I agree that education seems to be focused on pieces of paper more than skills and that my role seems to be characterized as an appraiser - and I would like to be more of a sculptor, one who teaches students how to sculpt themselves. This book did not provide me with a new tools and concepts for improving public or private education.
I actually read Bryan Caplan's op-ed in the LA Times before reading this book - a coincidence since the book was chosen for Georgia Tech's Center for Teaching and Learning book club months after I read the article. You can skip this book and read the op-ed to get all of the useful content. Then, go read books on learning science to help address the problem.
I had hoped that the book would go more in depth about education, its purpose and potential. Unfortunately, the author's goal seems to not be the improvement of education and empowerment of people, but de-funding education and going back towards a more individualistic society. My goal was to know how we can create a better functioning society, where people are equipped with the skills to participate in debate and policy-making and invention.
As an engineer, I completely disagree with the claims that engineering is the only valuable skill to the economy. Humanities teach critical thinking skills much better because they actually have students debate and engage in critique. In engineering, we solve highly constrained problems.
The author never really discusses what skills are or the different types of values. He just uses a limited view of monetary worth - what are people paying for degrees in that area? Which is weird since he also stated that degrees aren't signals of skills anyways.
The chapter on social benefits of education is equally lame and basically a cop out.
I was home-schooled because of issues in public education. I have a PhD in engineering. I fully care about and educate myself on learning sciences applied to my work as a professor. I agree that education seems to be focused on pieces of paper more than skills and that my role seems to be characterized as an appraiser - and I would like to be more of a sculptor, one who teaches students how to sculpt themselves. This book did not provide me with a new tools and concepts for improving public or private education.
I actually read Bryan Caplan's op-ed in the LA Times before reading this book - a coincidence since the book was chosen for Georgia Tech's Center for Teaching and Learning book club months after I read the article. You can skip this book and read the op-ed to get all of the useful content. Then, go read books on learning science to help address the problem.
I am trying to be more selective in reading books that confirm things I know these days. Not necessarily for “expand your bubble” reasons, since I could honestly use some more people who agree with me in my various feeds, but just because it is kind of dull to nod along at something you already agree with. Thankfully, Bryan Kaplan provides a book that I somewhat agreed with going in (spoiler alert: current plans are to be a homeschooling family), but provides a great and exhaustive treatise on the state of education.
Much of the argument is based in economics and signaling, which is expected, but seeing the information laid bare is kind of shocking, and provides a lot of jumping off points for various reform options. Less a book for parents and teachers and more for policymakers and political wonks, this should really be required reading for anyone interested in the topic, in schools, in municipal/state budgets, and so on, no matter your ideological position on schools or on politics.
It’s just shocking stuff.
Much of the argument is based in economics and signaling, which is expected, but seeing the information laid bare is kind of shocking, and provides a lot of jumping off points for various reform options. Less a book for parents and teachers and more for policymakers and political wonks, this should really be required reading for anyone interested in the topic, in schools, in municipal/state budgets, and so on, no matter your ideological position on schools or on politics.
It’s just shocking stuff.
[a:Bryan Caplan|373203|Bryan Caplan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1257402293p2/373203.jpg]'s book is a devastating and depressing take down of the education system. He argues that the education system does little to educate and that most of the gains we see from education are not linked to what students may learn. [b:The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money|44504479|The Case Against Education Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money|Bryan Caplan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552927568l/44504479._SX50_.jpg|57993703] applies neoliberal-cost-benefit-efficiency-economics to examine the human capital and signalling view to raise new perspectives and questions on the state of the education system. The policy implications of Caplan's book are intriguing, but what I think is most important about the book is that it calls for us to look at education as it is, not what we wish or hope it to be.
informative
reflective
medium-paced
[a:Bryan Caplan|373203|Bryan Caplan|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1257402293p2/373203.jpg]'s book is a devastating and depressing take down of the education system. He argues that the education system does little to educate and that most of the gains we see from education are not linked to what students may learn. [b:The Case Against Education: Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money|44504479|The Case Against Education Why the Education System Is a Waste of Time and Money|Bryan Caplan|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1552927568l/44504479._SX50_.jpg|57993703] applies neoliberal-cost-benefit-efficiency-economics to examine the human capital and signalling view to raise new perspectives and questions on the state of the education system. The policy implications of Caplan's book are intriguing, but what I think is most important about the book is that it calls for us to look at education as it is, not what we wish or hope it to be.
An excellent book that sits well with the common sense part of the brain. Unlike some other reviewers I think Bryan did a good job of referencing studies and empirical data. But I think you could see the wisdom in what he is proposing without the data proofs (although fewer people would have listened to the arguments). You don't need studies to show that college degrees don't confer the benefits to the graduate that they did 40 years ago. All of us know a barista or retail clerk that has a degree. But of course this data is just anecdotal, so read the book. It may seem odd that I would recommend a book like this, as I'm currently 2 classes away from getting my Masters, and I'm in my late 40's. According to this book, my Masters degree is going to be a poor financial investment - worse than burying my money under my mattress. Fortunately, my former employer paid for most of it. And yet, I still agree with Bryan Caplan. The education system is burdened with outdated models that don't work for the masses. His suggestions will likely never be implemented, but I think they would work wonders if they were.
I think there's good case against Education. But I think the author did not quite make his case.
When he said, Philosophy as useless -- I think, I had to chuck his thoughts on it.
I've spent enough time in reading, understanding Philosophy. It's complicated, requires intense effort and understanding to finish a simple Kantian Book.
What do we gain after it?
- We engage with best minds in Human Civilization
- Our thoughts are raised to a higher level
- Our thoughts are shaped by best thinkers
- They become systematic
- We can learn abstract, conceptual thought by reading Philosophy.
- We can expand and understand new fields of Human Knowledge as Philosophy is the foundation
Overall, I would recommend this to someone who want to rant against Modern Education. There's a lot we can work on improving Modern Education.
But I wouldn't throw a blanket statement on calling it useless.
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
When he said, Philosophy as useless -- I think, I had to chuck his thoughts on it.
I've spent enough time in reading, understanding Philosophy. It's complicated, requires intense effort and understanding to finish a simple Kantian Book.
What do we gain after it?
- We engage with best minds in Human Civilization
- Our thoughts are raised to a higher level
- Our thoughts are shaped by best thinkers
- They become systematic
- We can learn abstract, conceptual thought by reading Philosophy.
- We can expand and understand new fields of Human Knowledge as Philosophy is the foundation
Overall, I would recommend this to someone who want to rant against Modern Education. There's a lot we can work on improving Modern Education.
But I wouldn't throw a blanket statement on calling it useless.
Deus Vult,
Gottfried
Based on the summaries and reviews, I agree with Caplan's view that education does not deliver as it promises. Ask most school board members and they probably will say sciences, history, social studies, language arts are the first priority of schools, and skills building is the second. I know that is incorrect. Teachers and the other adults of a school building have their first concerns in managing the classrooms, socializing the children and pushing them all into conformity. This is part of what Caplan says.
Those adults also celebrate the students who meet and exceed expectations. That coincides with Caplan's thesis about brains and good work ethics. Those adults also can unconsciously discriminate against students who do not meet their expectations, expectations for appearances, hygiene, paying attention, race, language, grammar, etc.
Instead of taking the easy way out of this situation, defunding educational systems, I wonder if Caplan's intellect could offer us ideas for turning the systems around? What if teachers and other adults modeled innovation and self-confidence for the students to challenge the order of education today?? What if we taught students about understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can discipline themselves to reach for greater knowledge and understanding? How do we identify the different roles in team and be more productive as a team rather than as individuals? What if schools all converted over to project learning, so classroom learning could better imitate productive work environments where working creatively proved better than working hard? As another idea, what if we admitted to paradigms and biased thinking as early as middle school rather than waiting until graduate school?
To really remake education into a better support for our next generation, I believe Individual Education Plans are necessary for every student and every student should be involved in developing ones own plan. This means that self-awareness has to be a first priority, not simply left to chance. And socialization needs to be the lowest priority for educating professionals. Then the sciences, art and self-expression, history and critical thinking become the tools that students develop for their own advancement, applying the learning that they can master.
I do reject Caplan's decision to pick up his marbles or his tax money and just go home. He should stick around to see how exciting real education reform and rejuvenation can be!! . . . for everyone!!
Those adults also celebrate the students who meet and exceed expectations. That coincides with Caplan's thesis about brains and good work ethics. Those adults also can unconsciously discriminate against students who do not meet their expectations, expectations for appearances, hygiene, paying attention, race, language, grammar, etc.
Instead of taking the easy way out of this situation, defunding educational systems, I wonder if Caplan's intellect could offer us ideas for turning the systems around? What if teachers and other adults modeled innovation and self-confidence for the students to challenge the order of education today?? What if we taught students about understanding their strengths and weaknesses, and how they can discipline themselves to reach for greater knowledge and understanding? How do we identify the different roles in team and be more productive as a team rather than as individuals? What if schools all converted over to project learning, so classroom learning could better imitate productive work environments where working creatively proved better than working hard? As another idea, what if we admitted to paradigms and biased thinking as early as middle school rather than waiting until graduate school?
To really remake education into a better support for our next generation, I believe Individual Education Plans are necessary for every student and every student should be involved in developing ones own plan. This means that self-awareness has to be a first priority, not simply left to chance. And socialization needs to be the lowest priority for educating professionals. Then the sciences, art and self-expression, history and critical thinking become the tools that students develop for their own advancement, applying the learning that they can master.
I do reject Caplan's decision to pick up his marbles or his tax money and just go home. He should stick around to see how exciting real education reform and rejuvenation can be!! . . . for everyone!!
Readers expecting a “contrarian for contrarianism’s sake” stance will be disappointed to find plenty of systematic evidence and well-reasoned arguments. Caplan is utterly convincing; I’m ashamed of the flowery beliefs I had before reading this book.
Caplan’s ideas are amusingly consistent with some traditionally lefty agendas - like “make education more relevant to students’ lives” - and the policy reforms Caplan proposes would disproportionately benefit the poor. Yet it’s hard to imagine many lefties reading the book, let alone publicly endorsing it or even suggesting it should be discussed. Too bad for the students and for everyone else.
Caplan’s ideas are amusingly consistent with some traditionally lefty agendas - like “make education more relevant to students’ lives” - and the policy reforms Caplan proposes would disproportionately benefit the poor. Yet it’s hard to imagine many lefties reading the book, let alone publicly endorsing it or even suggesting it should be discussed. Too bad for the students and for everyone else.
Caplan presented an excellent case here. No, he doesn’t hate education, but wants it to be more fruitful for the students. His several arguments and theories were sound and he supplied “steelmanned” counter arguments to each point. The last chapter was fun. It consisted of five constructed conversations in both intellectual (academic) and laymen styles. They showed how his arguments would play out in the real world with labor economists, parents, high school students, economic professors, and journalists.
Recommended for all teachers and parents of college-bound students.
Recommended for all teachers and parents of college-bound students.