Comments on: MOOCs Are Largely Reaching Privileged Learners

By: Kudzu Bob

Kudzu Bob — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 04:07:18 +0000

Biology is prior to ability and attitude.

By: William Newman

William Newman — Wed, 27 Nov 2013 19:52:04 +0000

While heredity sure does seem to be very important, you’d do better with “the more important differences in ability and attitude become” rather than arbitrarily narrowing an observation of differences in ability and attitude (at least; also contributions from poorly understood heritable traits and from nonheritable opportunity and incentives) to “heredity”. As correlations go in the social sciences, heritability of various important things (including ability and attitude) is impressively strong … which means there’s quite a lot of slop after heredity is taken into account, because “as correlations go in the social sciences” is an impressively strong qualifier.

By: Contemplationist

Contemplationist — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:38:34 +0000

Analogous to the so-called ‘Gender Equality Paradox’ in Norway.

By: Kudzu Bob

Kudzu Bob — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 05:16:42 +0000

The more equality of opportunity there is, the more important heredity becomes.

By: Chris C.

Chris C. — Tue, 26 Nov 2013 02:28:11 +0000

Saw this illustrated on a much smaller scale. Back in 1987, I taught a semester of microeconomics at a community college just for the experience (pay was $99). Near the end of the course, I was told by the dean to offer some kind of massive extra credit because I was grading like I expected the little darlings to actually read the book and answer questions correctly. So I did, and the ones who turned in the assignment were the people who already had an A (or were close to it).