According to Staples (215), there has been a general decline in academic learning; this argument is supported by Carr (150) who bases this decline on the emergence of online knowledge sources such as Google. This decline in academic learning can be noted by any scholar or person interested in the educational growth of the country. The decline in education is notable in several key areas: the English language and academic grading of students.
Orwell (260) notes that the English language has been on a general decline. This decline is evident in literary sources written in the current century. A factor responsible for the decline in the English language has been the emergence of social media. On these sites, grammar and rules of the English language are not considered a necessity while writing and posting. Slang and pidgin language are the main modes of communication in most social networks. The main reason given for this is that the users need to convey their message using the least of words. For example, on Twitter, a post is limited to 140 characters which may not be enough to pass a message, idea or concept. Orwell (261), points out that most of modern day prose is characterized by vagueness, staleness of imagery and lack of precision. Orwell (261) notes that this decline in grammar is evident mainly in political writing where words are not chosen for meaning but rather appear as a disorganized assembly of words. This breaking of the rules of the English language shows a failure by educational institutions to deliver in terms of fully trained students.
Carr (150) also supports the argument that there has been a general decline in the quality of education. He bases his argument on the use of Google and other electronic sources which have limited most students reading capabilities. According to Carr (153), reading is not an instinctive trait like talking is to human beings. This means that without practice a person’s ability to read is reduced. Carr (153) argues that lack of adequate reading practice makes the human brain slower in interpreting symbols and texts. Carr (152) relates this reduced ability of reading to the emergence of online sources of information which just require a person to scan through and get the information. As a result, students are not able to concentrate while reading their course materials; they want to be done with the reading quickly and go to other activities. Subsequently, this has resulted in a decline of the quality of education students get.
Kozol argues that the decline in academic learning has been due to the reduced quality of educational facilities. The author notes that some schools are using converted storage closets as their classrooms (205). These closets are normally without windows hence may be stuffy during warm weather. It is common knowledge that reading requires concentration and hence an environment that supports maximum concentration. This means that though converting storage closets may increase classrooms it does not increase the effectiveness of education delivery. Kozol (207) also points out that some students lack time to take their meals during school days which consequently means they spend the day reading without food. As stated earlier, reading requires concentration and studying while hunger reduces a student’s concentration. Kozol also points out other factors such as unsanitary physical conditions as contributors to the general decline of academic learning (207). All the factors discussed above reduce the student’s concentration in school which results in lower quality of learning.
The article by Brent Staples touches on a sensitive issue on the quality of education. The author notes that colleges and other academic institutions are inflating students’ grades as they are more concerned with pleasing their clients, students, rather than the quality of education (Staples 215). The author notes that academic institutions are investing more in consumer consciousness than in quality learning facilities. This argument can be supported by Kozol’s statement that most public schools have unsanitary facilities and deplorable learning environments (207). Due to the rising cost of education, most students do not want to go to schools where they will fail since this means paying extra school fees. Academic institutions have identified this trend and are hence giving students grades higher than what the latter deserves. Subsequently this has contributed to the general decline of academic learning. Lecturers are also inflating grades since their tenure and promotion decisions are based on the performance of their students (Staples 216). Sometimes students fail to come to class and are involved in activities that reduce the content they get during a course, and hence when they take exams they fail. The lecturers hence feel that it is not fair that they should be fired or their promotions delayed because the students have not passed, especially when the lecturer gave what was expected of them. In such scenarios the lecturers find it easier to inflate the students’ grades rather than explain to the school board on why students are failing.
Another reason for the decline in academic learning is due to the shift in the goal of education from gaining knowledge to other reasons such as careers. The high unemployment rate means that students have to work for higher grades to secure work after graduating. As a result, Staples notes that students are now taking their grades as a matter of life and death (216) (Zinsser 213); hence may even sue their colleges if they are failed. To avoid these legal suits, the schools opt to inflate the students’ grades than engage in court battles. Also, the fact that students are more concerned with getting academic papers than the knowledge means that they pay less attention to what is taught and concentrate on passing exams. Caroline (218) notes that education has become more of a profit making industry than one to pass on knowledge. Hence, school administrators focus on increasing student enrollment and not the quality of education. This change of objectives reduces the effectiveness of the educational system as stakeholders are not concerned with quality but rather with the quantity.
Works Cited
Kozol, Jonathan. “Fremont High School.” Peterson, Linda H. and others. The Norton Reader:
An Anthology of Nonfiction. Shorter 13th Edition. New York: Norton and Company,
2012. (204-209).
Staples, Brent. “Why Colleges shower their Students with A’s.” Peterson, Linda H. and others.
The Norton Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction. Shorter 13th Edition. New York:
Norton and Company, 2012. (215-216).
Carr, Nicholas. “Is Google making us stupid?” Peterson, Linda H. and others. The Norton
Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction. Shorter 13th Edition. New York: Norton and
Company, 2012. (153-158).
Orwell, George. “Politics and the English Language.” Peterson, Linda H. and others. The Norton
Reader: An Anthology of Nonfiction. Shorter 13th Edition. New York: Norton and
Company, 2012. (260-265).
Zinsser, William. “College Pressures.” Peterson, Linda H. and others. The Norton Reader: An
Anthology of Nonfiction. Shorter 13th Edition. New York: Norton and Company, 2012.
(209-214).
