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Comment by uniclaude | Hacker News Reader

I respectfully disagree with your argument in relation to this article.

Dan Luu is describing a method that would help people achieve a better success in their exams and classes, he's not even pointing their usefulness in the workplace. Therefore, your point about him thinking that universities are here to produce skilled workers is a strawman.

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His point is that university is here to produce/teach knowledge. Skills should be learned elsewhere, e.g. in schools prior to that. The university's official language is also a skill that is very important to the student's success, but the university is not responsible to teach this language skill. You must have it to enter university.

Then I bieleve the argument still stands. Universities would teach knowledge better if they spent a comparatively tiny amount of time teaching appropriate skills, as it would get students ready to learn.

The author demonstrated this point by showing how his classes could help students learn better.

We can then debate about whether having successful students is a positive thing to have for universities, but Dan Luu clearly seems to think it is.

That's a valid additional point. I'd also say that they should at least offer optional courses with skills. That also applies to language. While universities don't offer a major in English speaking/writing, many have opportunities for second language learners to improve their English skills.

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