Anna Lukacs’ Post

May this be the 1st step in the journey to correct the high education system

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐮𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐞 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐞𝐜𝐡 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞: 𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐥𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚𝐧 𝐎𝐱𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐚𝐭 The Oxford Union 💬 I am deeply moved by yesterday's experience, recognizing its rarity in today's world where dialogue often halts at disagreement. The onset of the pandemic served as a stark example of this phenomenon, and now I observe it is present in politics. This trajectory troubles me, for it threatens to fragment our society, leaving little room for constructive discourse. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐜 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐠𝐮𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Being part of yesterdays debate at the Student Union in Oxford reinforced the significance of such platforms. These debates, I believe, are invaluable and essential. As listening to these debates, I often find myself entering with a firm stance, only to be swayed by the eloquence and conviction of the opposing arguments presented in a structured manner by three representatives each from both sides. The exposure to diverse viewpoints during these debates never fails to broaden my perspective. It underscores the importance of engaging in dialogue with those whose opinions initially diverge from my own. This exchange of ideas is not only enriching but also vital for fostering understanding and unity. 𝐏𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐩𝐩 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 The Student Union stands out as one of the few places worldwide where such experiences are offered. Witnessing young individuals, barely out of their teens, learning the art of presenting their arguments and engaging in debates fills me with hope. Their participation signifies a commitment to preserving the integrity of discourse in a world increasingly plagued by polarization, where disagreements too often degenerate into personal attacks. 𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐨𝐩𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐝𝐞𝐛𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 In essence, these debates serve as beacons of constructive engagement amidst a sea of discord. They remind us of 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐝𝐢𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐬—a lesson that is paramount for the well-being of our society. #freespeech #learning #oxford #studentunion #debates

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"It’s difficult—some say impossible—to change students’ academic trajectories once they reach high school. Now there’s evidence that participating in debate can have a powerful effect." Researchers from University of Virginia and Harvard University recently published a study with astonishing findings about the benefits of debate programs in middle and high school. The study found that participation in debate improves reading skills nearly three times as much as standard interventions, and it boosts both high school graduation and college enrollment rates by 12 percentage points. Those effects are strongest with students who enter into the programs at lower achievement levels. This new evidence gives us even more reason to establish competitive speech & debate programs at all Richmond region public middle and high schools by 2025. Learn more about how the Richmond Forum Speech & Debate Initiative is reaching that goal and find how you can get involved at richmondspeechdebate.org. #rfsdi

We ought to listen, reflect, and speak slowly and intentionally. From my own experience, students yearn to be heard, humbled, enlightened, and when appropriate, lead the way. https://lnkd.in/eAVWMkdM

Controversy Over #IvyLeague Presidents' Congressional Hearing on Antisemitism and Free Speech The auditions of Ivy League university presidents before the U.S. Congress were controversial for several reasons, primarily centered around allegations of antisemitism on their campuses and issues relating to free speech. 1. **Allegations of Antisemitism**: The congressional hearing, titled "Holding Campus Leaders Accountable and Confronting Anti-Semitism," scrutinized the responses of these university leaders to incidents of alleged antisemitism following the Israel-Hamas conflict. There was specific concern about whether these universities allowed antisemitism to proliferate on their campuses. For instance, Harvard is under federal investigation for allegedly ignoring acts of antisemitism. 2. **Free Speech and Hypocrisy**: The presidents from Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and MIT faced tough questions about their commitment to free speech. Lawmakers criticized these institutions for suddenly discovering the value of free speech in the context of defending Hamas, while previously denouncing, disinviting, and punishing professors for airing conservative views. This was seen as hypocritical, as these institutions have suppressed certain types of speech while claiming to uphold academic freedom. 3. **Responses to Specific Questions**: During the hearing, university presidents were asked if "calling for the genocide of Jews" breaks their universities’ code of conduct rules. The responses varied, with some presidents saying that such actions would be context-dependent or investigated as harassment if pervasive and severe. This ambiguity in responses led to criticism from various quarters, including diplomats and academics. 4. **Impact on University Funding and Reputation**: Some congress members, including Reps. Bob Good and Joe Wilson, questioned why these universities should continue receiving federal funds in light of these issues. Additionally, there were concerns about the impact of these incidents and the universities' responses on their reputation and relationship with donors. Overall, the controversy reflects broader concerns about how elite universities are handling issues of antisemitism, free speech, and the balance between protecting students and upholding academic freedom.

4 reasons the practice of canceling weakens higher education LINK: https://lnkd.in/ePNjAYYN #TheDailyConsultant #Education #Learning #TeachersPayTeachers #TpT Please LIKE & REPOST _______________________________________________________________ Are you looking for Educational Tools for children? check out our education products: https://lnkd.in/db_H7993 1. Addition Math Drills: https://lnkd.in/enCdPV8C 2. Subtraction Math Drills: https://lnkd.in/eNuVHcCt

An insightful read by Dr. Zena Hitz on why "pursuing intellect for its own sake" is not always a bad idea. Check out the following link to the essay: https://lnkd.in/dF9GchjM #ClassicalStudies #Academia #Education #Essential #GreatBooks #TimelessEssays #Learning #Dialogues #Discourses #Thoughts #Humanities

I wrote this a year ago and I still believe it to be true. The issues in and around course materials are so much bigger and more important than the current discussion around costs and who is right and who is wrong. Ensuring a student has access to their course materials can significantly change their academic fortunes. By simply putting a book in a student's hand or on their device, we have the opportunity to enhance their self-efficacy. Enhanced self-efficacy can provide students with a powerful internal force to be successful, despite their external circumstances. When students believe in themselves, they have intrinsic motivation to push through obstacles that would otherwise derail them. #InclusiveAccess #EquitableAccess #CourseMaterials #CourseMaterialsResearch #HigherEducaiton

The difference between good and bad is learned in kindergarten. https://lnkd.in/dHKDc3Dn How these important lessons were forgotten by the time they reached their estimated academic positions? https://lnkd.in/dkmj7msX