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Quote by: triad  Do you think average Joe, with a high school diploma only, could be as knowledgeable as an individual with a college/university degree on a said subject due to the internet?
Has the internet lead to the ability of one to research all aspects of one subject?
Basically, if someone goes to 4 years of university, does the resources the school they attended exceed that of the resources on the internet?
I gotta wonder if some guy in his basement can absorb and find as much information as someone in university - and become an expert on a certain subject. Is this possible in your mind? Has the internet evolved into a tool that can teach someone as much as, if not more, than an educational institution can?
I really see the internet as such a huge source of infinite information, that I could study the same material someone in university could - and save tens of thousands of dollars; I just wouldn't get a piece of paper saying I did it 'officially'.
Whats your thoughts on this? |
Knowledge on any subject is, for the most part, readily available for anyone but schools offer numerous avenues to learning that are not available through mere study of written materials online.
1. People learn differently. Some people will not learn from written word no matter how badly they may want to.
2. It helps being lumped in with groups of individuals who are going through the same learning experience you are.
3. Professors are already experts in the field and have accumulated a lot of helpful experience.
4. You will achieve hands-on opportunities not available at home.
5. A degree will allow you to advance to upper levels of education and careers that are not available to the self-taught individual, no matter how skilled they prove to be.
6. Regimented homework and penalties help to motivate individuals that suffer from a lack of natural motivation.
Motivation is a big key ingredient too. Motivation, and lack thereof, is the reason why a very small percentage of people are pro athletes, writers, and doctors, and a very large percentage of people do a minimal amount of menial labor for minimal pay, spend more money than they make, are morbidly obese, and die ultimately accomplishing next to nothing.
Employers often don't even consider high school dropouts because the inability to motivate oneself to complete that very basic, and free, educational opportunity is often a sign of ongoing problems with motivation and reliability.
To answer your question though, anyone can be "knowledgeable" on any subject that they research, even children. But if you want to partake of "applied knowledge" then many times you are forced to go the university route. You can't practice medicine legally without the appropriate degrees.