In “The Professor’s Big Stage”, Published in The New York Times, Thomas L. Friedman, a recognized American journalist, attempts to enlighten readers to the rearrangement of today’s education system. Friedman discusses the revolutionized idea of massive open online courses, and the implications this may press onto formal education’s current arrangement. Altogether, Friedman encourages readers to see beyond the current system of information and delivery, through the use of approachable tone, concrete examples, and relevant comparisons, to dissuade them from traditional thinking.
Throughout the entire piece, Friedman entices participation into the discussion of online versus teacher-lead classroom education by utilizing a welcoming, somewhat conversational tone. Immediately, he grabs the readers attention with the simple yet powerful statement, “How can colleges charge $50,000 a year if my kid can learn it all free from massive open online courses?” Friedman took initially what could be perceived as a complicated topic and rearranged it into its most basic wording, giving the readers full insight into how this issue actually affects them. opens the piece by highlighting a personal experience of his own in saying, “I just spent the last two days at a great conference…” This opener creates a direct connection between Friedman and the …show more content…
While Friedman’s essay is most clearly meant for a general audience than for academics, it is effective in engaging the public in the discussion about the demand for educational innovation. Together, the combination of his techniques allow for a full grasp of the concepts he’s discussing, and properly displays his stance on the
Throughout the entire piece, Friedman entices participation into the discussion of online versus teacher-lead classroom education by utilizing a welcoming, somewhat conversational tone. Immediately, he grabs the readers attention with the simple yet powerful statement, “How can colleges charge $50,000 a year if my kid can learn it all free from massive open online courses?” Friedman took initially what could be perceived as a complicated topic and rearranged it into its most basic wording, giving the readers full insight into how this issue actually affects them. opens the piece by highlighting a personal experience of his own in saying, “I just spent the last two days at a great conference…” This opener creates a direct connection between Friedman and the …show more content…
While Friedman’s essay is most clearly meant for a general audience than for academics, it is effective in engaging the public in the discussion about the demand for educational innovation. Together, the combination of his techniques allow for a full grasp of the concepts he’s discussing, and properly displays his stance on the