Thanks for that.Originally Posted by Angus McFee
For what it's worth, I already have a potential dissertation including experiments to test the hypotheses. Wanna look at the applicability of Hick's law to the skilled and unskilled in terms of shooting.
I've been waiting five years for the local university to start their PhD program but they've decided to back out so I think the technical term for my position is "screwed."
- It's not the odds, it's the stakes.
- If you aren't dry practicing every week, you're not serious.....
- "Tache-Psyche Effect - a polite way of saying 'You suck.' " - GG
Agreed, however I concentrate on those that do want to learn and improve. I set up extra time for them & get the know-it-all's & disinterested out of the way!
Regarding education from someone who hasn't completed their degree but has 18 years road experience, I've found I'm stuck where I am in my career mainly because I don't have a degree.
I'm willing to deal with the uninformed & liberally ignorant if it means I have options on the job...it will be weird going back & being almost twice as old as most of the other students...
Last edited by iWander; 12-06-2014 at 11:41 PM.
How relivent academia is to real life often depends on the discipline. When it comes to hard sciences and medicine I see very few slackers. Things may be different in the faculty lounges for the departments of English, history, urban studies, etc.
I can tell you that some of the best research on police use of force, particularly involving the safety of Tasers, is coming out of my department at Wake Forest. Bill Bozeman is not a cop, but his research has been a very powerful ally to LE when it comes to providing as many tools as possible to officers.
http://www.wakehealth.edu/News-and-M...lliam-Pyle.htm
I like my rifles like my women - short, light, fast, brown, and suppressed.
I know I've mentioned this previously on the forum so I'll just give the short version:
Last year of law school for a criminal justice seminar semester project I covered UOF laws. This was during the Ruby Ridge & Waco investigations so it was very topical. I made arrangements with the DEA to have my class invited down to Quantico to do some Sims at the FBI/DEA Hogan's Alley training area. Half the class and the professor volunteered to go. They were subjected to real "live fire" experiences like Tueller, coming upon a guy pointing his gun at the ground and appearing non-threatening in a closet, etc.
Shortly thereafter I had to present my paper to the whole class. The half that had attended the Sim experience sat on one side of the room, the other half along the opposite side. I basically had nothing to do. As soon as I mentioned a knife-wielder at twenty one feet, the folks who'd opted out of the day at DEA unanimously said such a person wasn't a deadly threat. Then the dozen students who'd gone down to Quantico screamed their heads off at how stupid the ones who'd never "been there done that" were.
The FBI always brought USAO prosecutors who might catch UOF cases down to Quantico and ran them through a few FATS scenarios. Those attorneys always came back with a completely reset brainspace as far as shooting bad guys was concerned.
Maybe not as weird as you think. The "non-traditional student" is now the majority on some campuses, and are certainly a large part of most campuses these days. It is not at all unusual to have 40, 50 and 60 year old students in the classroom.
"PLAN FOR YOUR TRAINING TO BE A REFLECTION OF REAL LIFE INSTEAD OF HOPING THAT REAL LIFE WILL BE A REFLECTION OF YOUR TRAINING!"
The local state colleges and universities run full night programs that have the majority being adult students. Being San Antonio, there are quite a few vets and you can get folks asking how depth perception interacted with the night goggles they used in Afghanistan. Or having force recon marines ask about color perception. Some want to talk about knives when they see the Spyderco clip.
Thus, going to school for the adult student is not a problem. A word of advice - you want the degree. If you don't like what the professor says - unless it is wildly bigoted - approach it rationally (after class if need be), pass the test and move on.
Life is pragmatic.
Somebody just sent a quip to FOX News that its the college professors and politicians who need body cameras on them at all times. Pretty funny and true.....
Just a Hairy Special Snowflake supply clerk with no field experience, shooting an Asymetric carbine as a Try Hard. Snarky and easily butt hurt. Favorite animal is the Cape Buffalo....likely indicative of a personality disorder.
"If I had a grandpa, he would look like Delbert Belton".
That would be the basis for an excellent blog post, dude...
3/15/2016
I'm headed back to school in January. I was surprised to see a lot of people older than me (I'm 40) in the student orientation I attended. I really don't think you'd be that out of place.
Good idea! I just wish I had some video of it.
Reply With Quote