When grades stop meaning anything | Hacker News Reader

When grades stop meaning anything

theargumentmag.com

12 pointspaulpauper9 comments

If someone can't do basic math using fractions, that person does not deserve a college education, and indeed it would be a failure of everyone involved if said person got admitted into college. I just wish we could hold administrators criminally liable for admitting people who can't do elementary level math.

Given the link to the pdf on the .edu domain clearly there is a problem and it is bad. But college students that cannot do literally count-on-your-fingers type of math? I can't believe that's actually real.. surely the test is long and they did not reach the question or there is a language barrier.

Some people have cognitive issues like short- and long-term memory defects due to any number of reasons, which can affect such mental ability. It may even reflect in their IQ scores to some degree, for example if they would have scored a 125, they might score 115.

I'm taking upper level classes, and had an issue where the professor asked me to recall some information from an old math class. I had to be honest with him, so I told him straight up in front of the class: "I took the class and passed it, my passing of a class is not mean I actually remember or understand what was taught. While I do have an interest in math, I struggle with it and forget what I don't regularly practice. I can't afford to constantly retake classes, and as such I have sacrificed my ability to know X subject in math in exchange for the passing grade I got"

I can't be regularly be practicing all levels of math and reviewing on top of my regular class schedules and work....I literally don't have the time, mental energy, or ability to even remember any of this stuff.

Regurgitation ≠ learning

Regurgitation involves short term memory and micmicking. It does not build new neural connections.

Learning involves longer term memory, synthesis of new perspectives(in the learner), and integration of knowledge across multiple domains. Learning is the building of new neural connections.

I posit that you did not actually learn how to learn and thus just regurgitated your way through math.

I agree that learning is what is important, but I wouldn't assume that GP did not make an effort to learn. Learning an entire field is difficult, and small hints may be all that's needed to draw upon one's learning.

> I hope by now you are a tenth as infuriated on behalf of these students as I am.

The students would also like to be a tenth as infuriated, but unfortunately they can't do fractions.

I legit lol'ed. Good one. Sad, but good one.

Also today:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=45979637

Reply on news.ycombinator.com