Some opinions on the matter can be found HERE.
Don’t believe that they are? Well check this out:
A recent report (click HERE for the study)by two economists at the University of California found that over the past four decades the time college students spend in class and studying has decreased substantially, from 40 hours a week in 1961 to 27 hours a week in 2003.
Meanwhile another study showed that colleges are spending less money on instruction and more on recreation and student services. Guess first, then read.
The Harold Lounge 
Here’s my guess:
We’ve been putting less focus on EDUCATION and more on extra-curricular activities. We’re blurring the line between learning and havin’ a good ol’ time. Before you throw tomatoes my way, I think we need a balance of academics and leisure, I just don’t think we’re teaching our youts (youths) to discern between the two.
There’s a time and place for everything, it’s called balance. I don’t know if we’re fostering this positive and discriminatory attitude in our students.
Then we wonder why we have remediation problems.
Hmmm, could it be that we’ve promoted the good life without actually showing our students the literary source of this notion or how to read and write about it?
Signed,
thehumanities
Who is this we? Got a mouse in your pocket?
“We” is the collective known as educators. While there are exceptions to “we” as I’ve used it here (there are many great teachers in our school buildings), I decided to use “we” to be general and get some reaction.
I don’t exclude myself from this group, thus, “we” includes me too.
Did anyone see the HIGH SCHOOL football games on ESPN last night? When I see the same focus on HS academic decathlons at the same national level and regularity, then maybe students will begin to take education serious.
BTW, I didn’t watch the games, but had to pause to make sure I wasn’t imagining things.
Nothin’ but lint in my pockets; but thanks for the idea!
I have a big problem with high school games on ESPN, too; not to mention the little league games and the professionalization of kids sports earlier and earlier and to great extents in general. But that is a whole other rant.
To return to your original post, what, then, is this “EDUCATION” that WE are not spending enough time on, Realist? The last part of your answer suggests that you recognize extra-curriculars as being meaningful and educational, and you write of “Balance.” but what are you talking about? 50-50? 70-30 (Classroom to non?) What is the appropriate balance for a college student? I, for one, don’t think it means anything to talk about college students as a collective in that regard. The right balance seems to me to be a function of both the individual and her/his circumstances. Beyond that, I’m not really sure we’re not overstepping our boundaries in doing more than offering students the classroom side of the scale. I mean, should we really be stepping out beyond that?
Perhaps I’ve been too general in my statements. Allow me to cogitate and respond under a different posting. I’ll look for an article to support my statements.
Tanks.