[dtengineering]

I've often advised students to "never let school get in the way of your education".

But I'd never advise a student who has the opportunity and desire to experience a university education to skip it.

Rather, I'd encourage them to embrace it wholeheartedly and take absolutely everything that the campus had to offer, from sports to clubs to student government to the wild and weird things that only happen when you take thousands of brilliant young minds and concentrate them in one place for several years.

The classroom should only be one part of your university experience.

But I digress... I quite enjoyed the article (especially the sampling of responses your received). I can't imagine, however, actuallly teaching in the test-based merit-pay environment you describe. I know it exists, but for the last 13 years I've had the freedom make professional judgements regarding my courses... and thats why we've been doing FRC at our school for seven years now. My theory on effective education... get good people... teach them how to teach well... pay them fairly... give them some resources... and get out of their way.

Jaosn