Thanks for the link.  When I was studying Psychology in College I didn't realise I had signed up for a Department gone mad on Behaviourism, and particularly Skinnerism.  One lecturer tried to put this theory into practice.  Students had to learn off all sorts of innane details about some stories which were supposed to illustrate the theory, and got marks for completing tests on these satisfactorally - it was all rote memory stuff.  No challenge to the theory was allowed.  Completing the tests was an essential prerequisite for being allowed to sit the end of term exam.  Passing the exam was a prequisite for being allowed to stay on the Course and in College.

Ergo, everyone would learn the crap and br rewarded accordingly - thus proving the essential correctness of the theory which postualtes that behaviour which is rewarded is increased in frequency.

I refused  to do the tests, was not allowed to sit the exams, and was kicked out of College.  My appeal was turned down on the grounds that I had not met the course requirements.  There was no question of academic freedom or critical discussion having a role in the education process.

Years later they were still teaching that crap even though it had clearly not worked in my case - and many other cases as well.  The video you posted partly explains why.  My objection had more to do with academics using fascist authoritarianism to elimnate challenge to their theories, but it amounts to much of the same thing:  Try to enforce advanced cognitive tasks and people will find all sorts of ways to subvert the process.

Index of Frank's Diaries