Cheating - Face the music? Umm...no

So, after reading this "editorial" piece, I can say, I will have to respect everyone's opinion. The great thing about saying I respect an opinion though, is I most likely will follow that with "...but I disagree." 

Right off the bat, the article says, "students...must remember why they're in university in the first place - to learn, not just to complete assignments."

Hmm...in a perfect world, that would be right. But the university system, in Canada or not, is fundamentally flawed. First, students now spend nearly their entire high school careers prepping for admissions and placement tests and their class schedule is entirely controlled by what the statistical trends are for increasing the increasing the probability of admission to their target universities. Students no longer pick classes in high school to have fun, or take music to enjoy music, they need it to be competitive, well rounded candidates for university. If a student doesn't have  full load of Honors/AP classes, 2 school related extra-curiculars, and community service...time for the junior college then transfer route.

I understand post-secondary education is more competitive and more people are applying, and since public schools can't be discretionary other than with academics and related topics, it is the only way to ween through the millions of annual candidates.

However, because university is so desired, shouldn't we BE taught when we arrive? The editorial noted students come to university to learn, not to complete assignments. I wholeheartedly agree. So why is it that universities use assignments which have the potential to be mindless and copy-able rather than having open discussions or thoughtful commentary on subjects. They say if you can explain/teach something to someone else, it shows you have a pretty good understanding of it yourself. I agree. So why is it a teacher who is given 500 students can only grade by using Scantrons and multiple choice homework assignments? Students don't have a chance to learn because we are too busy completing assignments!

In the UK, students have mentors who they meet with regularly. Every week, their work and thoughts are evaluated and critiqued. Then, at the end of each year, a comprehensive test is given. It's not like tests over here, though. The tests on that side of the pond are comprehensive, but most everyone knows how they'll do before they get there. They are intended to assess what the students learned and how they developed over the year. Tests on this side of the pond say they assess what we've learned, but if you can multiple guess and a monkey can get 25% right, then how much assessment are we really given? Tests over here are merely to give a grade. And since teachers "have to average a C, and some students have to get A's and some have to get F's," what are we saying about our classes? Why can't everyone but one student be a B student? Because there have to be pass/fail rates appropriate with earmarked funding? Hmm...doesn't sound right to me!

I think teachers should teach and students should learn, but if we continue on the path we are now, it will be more testing to move on and receive a grade, and more assignments to receive points for completeness, rather than points to poignant thought. If we continue on this path, middle schoolers will have to take AP classes and even the universities at the bottom of the totem pole will require 3.5 GPAs and 2100 SATs. Is that right? No, everyone deserves a chance to learn. 

If we aren't being taught, how can we be assessed for not learning?

Let me, and the rest of the world, know what you think...