The following article was seen on page one of the RhyDin Post, March the twenty-third.
RhyDin Education: Handing out Degrees in an Anti-Pedagogic Society March 23, 2010
http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/dfenner_photo/6264346944a710cfe80dc5.jpg Senior Columnist and Investigative Journalist: Darien Fenner
Any Joe Shmoe new to RhyDin will quickly discover that, as long as he is equipped with an acceptable sum of cash and the vaguest sense of commercial know-how, he can get a job or start himself up a business. With property titles being handed out virtually for free and the local authorities sorely lacking in a pecuniary division to keep an eye out for embezzlement or theft, almost nothing stands in the way of making a circuitous career system readily available to all of the city's inhabitants. Foreigners with few or no ties to RhyDin make their mark on Main Street as performing musicians, small business owners, or corporate employees with nary a shred of proof of experience or documentation of some kind. And yet, these people still do extraordinarily well, despite their apparent lack of education - often as well as, or in some cases, better than their academic counterparts.
This double-standard in salary deficit begs the question: Just what use is a degree or educational certificate in a society that places little to no stock in didactic literacy"
In the past decade, RhyDin has had the questionable privilege of playing host to several new instructional facilities. These have ranged anywhere from community-established elementary schools, to specialized institutes, to full-blown domestic academies complete with on-campus housing. But with sometimes-astronomical tuition fees and hours invested in dedicated study, are students really getting their money's worth"
By now, everyone with half a mind for current events is familiar with the Ravensheart Academy located in Old Town, RhyDin. Established in 2006 C.E.R. under the offices of Governor Helston, Ravensheart Academy is one of the only schools in RhyDin proper to be sanctioned by the government. By reason, this means that the expenses of public utilities are paid by the government, who is then reimbursed by taxing public and private companies. But with RhyDin consistently priding itself on keeping the taxing of its citizens notoriously low, the adjunct fiscal properties of such an agreement become skewed. The Academy becomes nothing more than honorarily sanctioned, leaving the government to withdraw its charter at any time with no strings attached.
So where does the money for a school with five thousand students enrolled come from"
"The bulk of Ravensheart funding comes from my own personal wealth," Headmaster Briarius Ravensheart said in a corresponding interview. "There are private investors and we do charge a nominal tuition, but most of the funding comes from me."
Perhaps that's slightly more comforting than the recently-established Institute of Arcane Principle, whose spokesperson refused to comment on the circumstances of its funding.
Joe Shmoe, what do you know"
With investments coming in from every obscure direction, it is no wonder that students find themselves enrolled so easily. According to Ravensheart, "Any may attend if they are to learn." Compare their fairly lax application process with the IAP's, and inconsistencies arise.
According to Satariel Shah, spokesperson for the Institute of Arcane Principle, a student is handpicked based on his or her 'demonstration of talent, desire to push the envelope and be pushed. The application process is fairly fast and lacking of much judgment and criteria, it becomes quickly apparent if the student doesn't cut it."
Since when does an educational facility with less than two-dozen students have the luxury of being selective"
Perhaps selectivity is for the better, though, especially when it comes to dealing with such dangerous "coursework." To get a better idea of just how dangerous, ask Primorus Discipulus Tia"Tari Blayne, winner of a dragon's bone acquisition challenge.
Apparently, pens, paper, and minds for molding just don't cut it in school anymore.
But for two schools differing so much in admission criteria, they seem to agree on one thing.
"I feel that all of us have lessons that can be taught," claims Headmaster Ravensheart of his hired staff. "I interview potential faculty and place them accordingly."
Of the IAP, Shah claims instructors selected are "Those who demonstrate mastery in their chosen areas, who possess the ability to teach their students" reach them and inspire them."
Aiming high is undoubtedly laudable, so long as said hiring policy isn't exactly: "Permanent positions are fairly rare."
Despite the circumstances of their erections, however, both facilities pride themselves on opening their arms to willing students. Furthermore, bold letters on every Ravensheart pamphlet read, "The Mission of Ravensheart Academy is to serve as RhyDin's national academy for public education, promoting, sustaining and representing lifelong learning."
Lifelong learning. Is that not the point of schools" That education is not received, but achieved"
"Education and experience go hand in hand," Ravensheart said. "I always endorse the furthering of education. If not for any other reason than the safety and growth of those being educated."
Perhaps RhyDin is an anti-pedagogic society, and perhaps having a degree really won't contribute to the acquisition of a career, or increase one's salary like it may on other worlds. But even the students themselves in RhyDin schools don't seem particularly concerned with this fact. To them, the point of an education lies in the acquirement of knowledge. To learn. Equate it to self-study if you must, but the common thread found here is a fervent desire for self-improvement. Robert Hutchins said that "The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives." As long as the circumstances of said education are sound, whether or not a piece of paper helps one achieve a 21 K and two-car garage might be irrelevant. The capacity for change might be the only thing students actually need venturing into the post-graduation world.
Then again? it might not.
RhyDin Education: Handing out Degrees in an Anti-Pedagogic Society March 23, 2010
http://i738.photobucket.com/albums/xx21/dfenner_photo/6264346944a710cfe80dc5.jpg Senior Columnist and Investigative Journalist: Darien Fenner
Any Joe Shmoe new to RhyDin will quickly discover that, as long as he is equipped with an acceptable sum of cash and the vaguest sense of commercial know-how, he can get a job or start himself up a business. With property titles being handed out virtually for free and the local authorities sorely lacking in a pecuniary division to keep an eye out for embezzlement or theft, almost nothing stands in the way of making a circuitous career system readily available to all of the city's inhabitants. Foreigners with few or no ties to RhyDin make their mark on Main Street as performing musicians, small business owners, or corporate employees with nary a shred of proof of experience or documentation of some kind. And yet, these people still do extraordinarily well, despite their apparent lack of education - often as well as, or in some cases, better than their academic counterparts.
This double-standard in salary deficit begs the question: Just what use is a degree or educational certificate in a society that places little to no stock in didactic literacy"
In the past decade, RhyDin has had the questionable privilege of playing host to several new instructional facilities. These have ranged anywhere from community-established elementary schools, to specialized institutes, to full-blown domestic academies complete with on-campus housing. But with sometimes-astronomical tuition fees and hours invested in dedicated study, are students really getting their money's worth"
By now, everyone with half a mind for current events is familiar with the Ravensheart Academy located in Old Town, RhyDin. Established in 2006 C.E.R. under the offices of Governor Helston, Ravensheart Academy is one of the only schools in RhyDin proper to be sanctioned by the government. By reason, this means that the expenses of public utilities are paid by the government, who is then reimbursed by taxing public and private companies. But with RhyDin consistently priding itself on keeping the taxing of its citizens notoriously low, the adjunct fiscal properties of such an agreement become skewed. The Academy becomes nothing more than honorarily sanctioned, leaving the government to withdraw its charter at any time with no strings attached.
So where does the money for a school with five thousand students enrolled come from"
"The bulk of Ravensheart funding comes from my own personal wealth," Headmaster Briarius Ravensheart said in a corresponding interview. "There are private investors and we do charge a nominal tuition, but most of the funding comes from me."
Perhaps that's slightly more comforting than the recently-established Institute of Arcane Principle, whose spokesperson refused to comment on the circumstances of its funding.
Joe Shmoe, what do you know"
With investments coming in from every obscure direction, it is no wonder that students find themselves enrolled so easily. According to Ravensheart, "Any may attend if they are to learn." Compare their fairly lax application process with the IAP's, and inconsistencies arise.
According to Satariel Shah, spokesperson for the Institute of Arcane Principle, a student is handpicked based on his or her 'demonstration of talent, desire to push the envelope and be pushed. The application process is fairly fast and lacking of much judgment and criteria, it becomes quickly apparent if the student doesn't cut it."
Since when does an educational facility with less than two-dozen students have the luxury of being selective"
Perhaps selectivity is for the better, though, especially when it comes to dealing with such dangerous "coursework." To get a better idea of just how dangerous, ask Primorus Discipulus Tia"Tari Blayne, winner of a dragon's bone acquisition challenge.
Apparently, pens, paper, and minds for molding just don't cut it in school anymore.
But for two schools differing so much in admission criteria, they seem to agree on one thing.
"I feel that all of us have lessons that can be taught," claims Headmaster Ravensheart of his hired staff. "I interview potential faculty and place them accordingly."
Of the IAP, Shah claims instructors selected are "Those who demonstrate mastery in their chosen areas, who possess the ability to teach their students" reach them and inspire them."
Aiming high is undoubtedly laudable, so long as said hiring policy isn't exactly: "Permanent positions are fairly rare."
Despite the circumstances of their erections, however, both facilities pride themselves on opening their arms to willing students. Furthermore, bold letters on every Ravensheart pamphlet read, "The Mission of Ravensheart Academy is to serve as RhyDin's national academy for public education, promoting, sustaining and representing lifelong learning."
Lifelong learning. Is that not the point of schools" That education is not received, but achieved"
"Education and experience go hand in hand," Ravensheart said. "I always endorse the furthering of education. If not for any other reason than the safety and growth of those being educated."
Perhaps RhyDin is an anti-pedagogic society, and perhaps having a degree really won't contribute to the acquisition of a career, or increase one's salary like it may on other worlds. But even the students themselves in RhyDin schools don't seem particularly concerned with this fact. To them, the point of an education lies in the acquirement of knowledge. To learn. Equate it to self-study if you must, but the common thread found here is a fervent desire for self-improvement. Robert Hutchins said that "The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives." As long as the circumstances of said education are sound, whether or not a piece of paper helps one achieve a 21 K and two-car garage might be irrelevant. The capacity for change might be the only thing students actually need venturing into the post-graduation world.
Then again? it might not.