Writing for an Academic Discussion Will fewer people go to college in the future?

Do you agree or disagree with the proposition that the number of people who choose to study at university will decrease in the future? (a class on education)

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        How much more expensive college tuition has become compared to the past?

2.        What are alternative educational pathways of university education?

3.        Why do people go to university? Is it just for getting a degree and finding a good job?

 

Notes:

1.        50 years ago, tuitions for national universities were around a quarter of a million yen a year. Now they cost more than a million yen a year. Also, there used to be scholarships offered with a very low interest rate, while now student loans with extremely high interest rates will keep graduates in debt until they are 50 years old.

2.        Alternative educational pathways are online courses like MOOCs, internships, and vocational training.

3.        As well as vocational training, university students learn scientific, critical thinking and gain the latest knowledge of their major. Building good relationships with other students and professors is another benefit of going to college.

 

☆Hints for Points

Agree

1.     The wealth gap is widening and fewer people can afford higher education, which was a privilege for the rich and the world is returning to that situation.

2.     Many people can no longer understand what they read properly. Most people find no pleasure in learning or finding truth.

 

Disagree

1.        Everybody knows that real schooling beats other learning methods. Face-to-face communication boosts comprehension and memorization.

2.        College diploma is prerequisite for good job. Therefore, most people will still try to go to college.

 

 

☆Sample Answer for Ideas and Expressions

【Thesis】Observing where the world is going, I think it is highly possible that only children of privileged families will go to college in the future.

【Supporting Details】The wealth gap has been widening. In the Unites States, the top 1 percent of the population own the wealth of the bottom half. In addition, tuitions are much higher than before, making students graduate with heavy debts. Moreover, worsening climate change will exacerbate the wealth gap around the world. Under these conditions, the world can go back to what it was a century ago, when most were poor and few got higher education.

【Counterargument-treatment】The counterarguments would be the Global South. Emerging economies have united and working for equity with humanity. I hope these countries and the conscience of the West will bring about a better world where everyone has a chance to reach their academic potential if they wish. But what we are actually seeing is the opposite. For example, the Holocaust of the 21^st century, the genocide in Gaza by Israel, and the worsening oppression in the West Bank in Palestine are not stopped no matter how much efforts to let the world know the truth is made. If the country in the middle east with a long history can be demised for the welfare of a group of white people, other peoples will not be able to stay the same as the living conditions around the world get worse in the future, according to Chris Hedges in “The New Dark Age”.

【Conclusion】Therefore, I cannot help being pessimistic about university enrollment rates and predicting that only rich white children will go to college in the future. (273 words)

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

 

                                                   DRAFT

 

 

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

                                                                                                                          

Writing for an Academic Discussion Employee education or investment in other resources? - revised -

Should companies prioritize developing their workforce above all else, or are there more effective says to spur growth? (business management)

 

 

 

☆Let’s Think

1.        What is investment?

--- Investment is spending resources in something for future returns. The word investment usually means buying stocks, which will increase capitals of corporations. If the company does well, investors will gain returns (dividends). We also use the word figuratively as in “You should invest your time and energy in many different things so that you can have wider choices when you try to find a job.”

 

2.        What is the major goal of the corporation?

--- The major goal of the corporation is to make profits. They invest their money in various areas to make profits.

 

3.        Exactly what does a business invest its money in?

--- For example, if you start an ice cream shop, you need to pay for the building to make and sell ice cream, equipment, materials, workers, advertisements, research and development, and so on.

 

4.        How can the business benefit from educating and training its employees?

 

5.        Is educating employees more important than renting a good-looking building, buying efficient machines, buying better ingredients, using a famous advertising company, or upgrading or inventing a good product or service? Why/Why not?

 

 

☆Hints for Points

［workers > other factors］

a.        Productivity will increase because employees will work more efficiently. They will work more in less time with fewer mistakes.

b.        Turnover rates and hiring costs will be lower because the workers will be loyal to the company. Loyalty, morale, and passion are vital for a company to survive.

c.         Trained employees will contribute to evolving the company especially when it needs to change.

d.        Public relations (PR) will improve as good employees will improve the image of the company. Good workforce is a good advertisement.

e.        Training costs will decrease in the future because workers will educate themselves and each other.

f.          A machine will not fix itself or grow while a huma will.

g.        Resourceful people will apply for employment of the graining system for career upgrade.

 

［workers ≦ another factor/other factors］

a.        Place: Customers may increase. People will try a new building or location at least once.

b.        Facilities and materials: You can make better products that sell well more efficiently and safely.

c.         Advertising: Advertisements can enhance profitability by brand recognition and loyalty; they make your company known to new consumers and get customers to have better image of the company and the products.

d.        Research and development (R&D): Better goods and services through product development will make the company competitive. It is innovation that will help the business survive in competition.

e.        Mechanization: Machines are more efficient than humans. AI learns much faster and makes better decisions than humans. In addition, they are often better than humans in business ethics. For example, embezzlement won’t occur.

f.          Marketing counts a lot. Going into the global market is more important than investing in workers for a company to survive in globalization.

 

 

☆Reply for Ideas and Expressions

Because of the contract stipulating that corporations work in order to increase the capital that their shareholders have invested in, most companies treat their workers as consumable supplies. However, they are actually assets of the company. Therefore, I believe that the most important thing business corporations should invest in is the education and training of their employees. Business owners must realize that it is not the bottom line but the workers that their business depends on.

 

Marginalizing workers is not wise. In general, companies give workers little education and easily make them redundant. Not only do they lay off workers for short-term profits but also they try to cut costs by outsourcing for cheap labor or by automation, or robotization. However, not to speak of being inhumane, these practices will not lead to development of the company. Uneducated workforce with low morale lead to low performance. High absenteeism and serious errors will cost the company money and time. Turning unskilled workers into skilled workers, will help avoid skilled-labor shortage, which increases long-term profits.

 

Most workers will not waste training resources as long as they are treated properly. If they learn how the business works, they will have more interest in it. If they learn how to work quickly and neatly, they will practice it. If they are shared ideas about a new product, they can come up with better ones. They may also provide valuable information, knowledge, and opinions from the people who actually do the job on the site. There is an idea that people work for money and educating them does little to improve their performance, but it is condescending to have such an idea about workers. Most people have desire for improvement and companies should invest in it. Possible adverse effects among workers who are unhappy about frequent sessions can be avoided by offering options between basic training only and courses with advanced levels.

 

In terms of other areas of investment, it should be remembered that the performance of the people who are in charge will determine the outcome. Product development needs the brain for innovation more than facilities. Marketing requires not only data but also insight and intuition. Sales relies mostly on relationship skills of sales staff because customers or clients need to trust the company before buying their products. Manufacturing is improved by attentiveness and ingenuity of the workers on the assembly line. People are the decisive factors in all the areas of investment of business.

 

Personnel are the most valuable asset of a company, which determines the total productivity of the company. Therefore, their training and education is the most important thing for business corporations to invest in. Besides, what is a company all about if its workers are not happy and active at work?

 

 

☆Point Structure Samples

Sample A

【Point 1】Merits of employee education

【Point 2】Merits of other types of investment

【Point 3】Your decision

 

 

Sample B

【Point 1】Benefit of employee education 1

【Point 2】Benefit of employee education 2

【Point 3】Reasons why employee education outweighs other types of investment

Write your response in 10 minutes. Show each other your responses. Write down questions or suggestions to each other’s response.

 

 

                                                   DRAFT