Game against socialist Korea

Back from watching Brazil and democratic Korea at the local bakery. Before reading anything, I’ll register the impression that this is Brazil’s weakest team since 1990. Not the fault of any of the players, all excellent. The backs are precise, the forwards sharp. But the only midfielder is Kaká, who is out of shape. The problem is the coach, who less keen on winning than he is afraid of losing. He doesn’t want creative players such as Ronaldinho, Ganso, and Neymar sitting on the bench because then he can’t deal with the pressure to get them playing. To his credit, Dunga is not afraid of making substitutions, unlike most of Brazil’s recent coaches; certainly because he is a former player and is not afraid of facing the person who gets out. The team may even win, thanks to a solid defense and individual talent. But it will be painful.

Does anyone have pictures of Marco Aurélio Garcia cheering the Korean goal?

Engineering in college

Swarthmore, unlike the majority of the small liberal arts colleges in the US, offeres bachelor’s degrees in engineering. This is a good thing because it is increasingly difficult to make any decision without an understanding of technological issues, so an entire college without a technology program seems quite lame. Last week during the Swarthmore reunion the subject of engineering came up more than once. However some people seem to think that the role of engineering in a college is to enlighten future engineers about philosophical issues.

We don’t often run into serious trouble caused by bad decisions made because the 1 in a hundred of us who are engineers didn’t take an ethics course in college. We face catastrophes because the 99 out of a hundred who are not engineers are unable or unwilling to consider the natural consequences of their actions. For example, if Americans confronted the fact that current technology for generating energy has very high indirect costs, and took small measures such as driving small cars, turning off the engine when not driving, and putting up with higher indoor temperatures in summer than in winter, the country would not be involved in 2 wars against oil-financed forces, and we would not have destroyed life in the Gulf of Mexico.

ESPN3 streaming world cup at http://espn.go.com/espn3

Preço: 7 (De graça para quem tem Verizon DSL, que é um roubo.)
Vídeo: 7 (Quer hd? Veja tv, a internet dos pobres.)
Áudio: 9 (Em português, e não é o Galvão. Só que às vezes troca para escocês. Rádio Band.app no iPhone é melhor.)
Confiabilidade: 5 (Às vezes cai, mas volta. Para ver jogo de timinho europeu tudo bem.)

Média 7, aprovado.

Mais reforma curricular da Poli

Mais comentários sobre reforma curricular na Poli.

1 – #57 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:09
O Einstein concorda com o Bruno #56. Pus a opinião dele sobre a Poli (de Zurich) nas sugestões livres.

2 – #45 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:11
Para terem tempo para mais projetos e estudos individuais, os alunos precisam fazer menos provas e menos matérias obrigatórias.

3 – #27 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 08-06-2010 16:27
Continuando o diálogo com o Phillip (#25, #24), é mais difícil passar no vestibular do Ita porque a escola é mais procurada. É incorreto afirmar que Ita é uma escola mais procurada porque o vestibular é mais difícil. Se quisermos mudar o perfil do ingressante, temos que fazer nosso trabalho aqui de forma a tornar o curso mais atraente para alunos que preferem outras opções; não adianta mudar as regras do vestibular.

4 – #26 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 08-06-2010 16:31
Dialogando com o Aquiles (comentário #25), muitos cursos já usam o Moodle do Stoa, que funciona bem. E respondendo ao Murilo (#24), os custos de material didático são pequenos comparados com o que a Usp gasta (o contribuinte investe?) em salários. Os equipamentos não são tão defasados, e quando são não é por falta de dinheiro, mas por causa das dificuldades burocráticas para compras.

5 – #11 Felipe Pait — Eng 08-06-2010 16:32
Concordo com o Murilo (#10). Conversar com os alunos e pedir auto avaliações sempre tem sido uma atividade muito produtiva, do meu ponto de vista.

7 – #17 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 08-06-2010 16:38
Concordo com os alunos que língua estrangeira devia fazer parte da formação, como disciplina optativa. Há muita repetição e duplicação entre as matérias, daria para enxugar o currículo tornando a sequência mais flexível.
Quando tenho alunos estrangeiros misturo as línguas – explico uma vez em português e outra em inglês se for necessário. Não custa muito explicar mais uma vez. Mas a língua não é o único obstáculo à internacionalização: nossa burocracia e o excesso de regras pouco racionais é um problema ainda maior para quem vem de fora.

8 – #37 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:14
O curso de engenharia metalúrgica “tem baixo potencial de divulgação” como diz o Prof Cláudio #36 porque é especializado demais. Poucos escolhem se especializar tanto logo aos 18 anos se tiverem outra escolha.

9 – #17 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:17
Não há nada de cruel em dar ao aluno o direito de não fazer uma matéria que interessa pouco. Se o professor não atrai os estudantes, problema é dele. Veja comentário do (colega politécnico) Albert Einstein nas sugestões livres. Chega de grades!

10 – #30 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:21
O Prof Cláudio #27 está certo – as discussões sobre currículos nos órgãos colegiados quase sempre se dão em torno de quem vai perder carga horária e quem vai ganhar, não em torno do interesse demonstrado pelos estudantes. O corporativismo tem medo que os alunos deixem os maus professores falando sozinhos nas salas de aula vazias, e que os bons professores sejam homenageados com salas cheias.

11 –  #12 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:24
As matérias dos últimos anos da engenharia elétrica às vezes são mais avançadas do que as de pós. Isso porque o aluno de graduação está preso pelas grades e não pode fugir. Não surpreende que os politécnicos não se animam muito a fazer pós.

17 – #62 Felipe Pait — Eng elétrico – professor da Poli 10-06-2010 15:06
O que o Einstein achava de provas, disciplinas obrigatórias, e do efeito que a obrigação de aprender todas as coisas que os professores acham que tem a obrigação de ensinar tem sobre o aprendizado. Em resumo, ele defende a cola e diz que a Poli de Zurich quase fez ele abandonar a ciência.
bit.ly/9LWiLh
Nada como trazer nosso maior professor para o debate!
“In this field [physics], however, I soon learned to scent out that which was able to lead to fundamentals and to turn aside from everything else, from the multitude of things which clutter up the mind and divert it from the essential. The hitch in this was, of course, the fact that one had to cram all this stuff into one’s mind for the examinations, whether one liked it or not. This coercion had such a deterring effect [upon me] that, after I had passed the final examination, I found the consideration of any scientific problems distasteful to me for an entire year. In justice I must add, moreover, that in Switzerland we had to suffer far less under such coercion, which smothers every truly scientific impulse, than is the case in many another locality. There were altogether only two examinations; aside from that, one could do just about as one pleased. This was especially the case if one had a friend, as did I, who attended the lectures regularly and who worked over their content conscientiously. This gave one freedom in the choice of pursuits until a few months before the examination, a freedom which I enjoyed to a great extent and have gladly taken into the bargain the bad conscience connected with it as by far the lesser evil. It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom; without this it goes to wreck and ruin without fail. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty.”

Einstein on exams and freedom of study

Albert Einstein explains how the Swiss Polytechnic almost killed his interest in science. He defends freedom of study; attacks exams and rote learning; praises collaboration, skipping lectures, last-minute studying; and nearly admits cheating as a valid coping strategy. Reads even better in the original, but here’s the English translation. Useful to compare with Richard Feynman’s humorous description of Brazilian higher education in “Surely you are joking.”

“In this field [physics], however, I soon learned to scent out that which was able to lead to fundamentals and to turn aside from everything else, from the multitude of things which clutter up the mind and divert it from the essential. The hitch in this was, of course, the fact that one had to cram all this stuff into one’s mind for the examinations, whether one liked it or not. This coercion had such a deterring effect [upon me] that, after I had passed the final examination, I found the consideration of any scientific problems distasteful to me for an entire year. In justice I must add, moreover, that in Switzerland we had to suffer far less under such coercion, which smothers every truly scientific impulse, than is the case in many another locality. There were altogether only two examinations; aside from that, one could do just about as one pleased. This was especially the case if one had a friend, as did I, who attended the lectures regularly and who worked over their content conscientiously. This gave one freedom in the choice of pursuits until a few months before the examination, a freedom which I enjoyed to a great extent and have gladly taken into the bargain the bad conscience connected with it as by far the lesser evil. It is, in fact, nothing short of a miracle that the modern methods of instruction have not yet entirely strangled the holy curiosity of inquiry; for this delicate little plant, aside from stimulation, stands mainly in need of freedom; without this it goes to wreck and ruin without fail. It is a very grave mistake to think that the enjoyment of seeing and searching can be promoted by means of coercion and a sense of duty.”

Thus spake our teacher. From “Autobiographical notes,” in Albert Einstein, Philosopher Scientist, PA Schilpp, editor.

Brazil has arrived. Are we happy?

Economists are telling the Fed to increase US interest rates because Brazil’s economy is overheating. The Brazilian government is unconcerned, in a celebratory mood even. Amuse yourself reading Paul Krugman, Alex Schwartsman, or marvel that someone is paying attention to Brazil outside the world of soccer.

Forecast for Brazil next year: inflation, and higher taxes. Action: invest green and yellow, dollar and gold.

Did I hear someone mention soccer? While Dunga trains the official Brazilian team with an injured merengue and 9 backs, the real Brazilian players – the young, fun loving Santos boys – were playing real Brazilian soccer and having fun back home. For the second time in history, Brazil will play the world cup without a midfield – the first time was 1994, the apogee of the Dunga era. Amuse yourself reading the economics news, this world cup will be hard to take.

Forecast for this month: Brazil will win several games with a 0x0 score. Action: drape the auriverde over the TV.

If there is any roligan listening, can I have a red-and-white Olsen Band shirt?

Fiorina to sell Silicon Valley, close unprofitable universities

Just heard on the radio that Carly Fiorina is running for the US Senate in California. Previous roles include destroying America’s greatest companies of the 20th century – AT&T (supporting role) and the Hewlett-Packard (leading role). She accomplished that by spinning off core technologies, shutting down research and development, and spending heavily on ill-fitting mergers. I can imagine her platform: split California in 2, sell Los Angeles to Texas and Silicon Valley to the Saudis, abandon unprofitable university towns.