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Colton Cutchens

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How much of a right do students have to questioning and independent thinking?

What is your opinion on how much students should be allowed to question? Do they have the right to question if they may see a logical fallacy? If so, how far are they allowed to question it? Why?

In addition: I understand teachers try to allow students to question, but sometimes are limited by the administration (and/or bureaucracy). Why is this?

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Topics: education philosophy thinking
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    sterling brewer

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    Jan 4 2013: when it comes to students independently question and thinking critically, they have an absolute right and nothing less... the right to question information presented until satisfied and in understanding. it's worthless to say they would be receiving an education if they cannot, at the very least, question its validity or call out a fallacy.

    at the point in which students do not have this right, what happens in the classroom becomes something other than learning; instead, it becomes nothing more than standardisation, repetition, memorisation, and information without purpose. when there is a lack of learner autonomy in the classroom, the student takes a passive role... a role where the rational mind does not belong. you cannot create a classroom environment so toxically authoritarian and oppressive towards critical thinking, yet still expect students to walk away with real, applicable knowledge. this seethes hypocrisy and lack of respect for these students, who are already shown a dysmal amount as a result of being forced into the long-obsolete american public education system.

    that was a bit of a ramble but i feel very passionately on this subject.
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      Kate Blake 50+

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      Jan 4 2013: Sterling I agree with what you say but it was certainly my experience during my tertiary studies, include post-grad in that, that I got much higher grades when I merely reframed the teachers ideas. I failed my first year of Uni for many reasons but I feel the major one was because I introduced a whole lot of new ideas to philosophy, they couldn't cope!

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