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| *rant* professors' quirks http://www.runestorm.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=66665 |
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| Author: | Tyster [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 7:42 pm ] |
| Post subject: | *rant* professors' quirks |
[rant] So, many professors at colleges and universities have quirks, but one class I am taking is taught by a professor who has a quirk that screams "I am a worthless dolt who does not deserve this job". I may be over-reacting, but I'll let you be the judge. So, I am taking some general education geography course that has one 3-hour lecture per week. The professor makes heavy use of powerpoint slides during his lecture. He does add some details that are not on the slides, but most of the lecture is just talking about the bullets on the slides. So, since the slides are used in class, we can download them to review them over and over again to study for the exams, right? WRONG! So, I ask why. Copyright issues? Nope. "It's just my policy. I'll tell you content from the slides, but I won't give anyone the actual powerpoint slides". By telling us about content, he means he'll tell us to read a certain chapter in the required reading. Now, when I was 5 years old, I guess "I said so" was generally sufficient reason to obey my elders. Many politicians try that same trick by saying "It's policy", which is another way of saying "That's what I want, so shut up and obey". Now, the professor is doing the same thing. He also said that if he released the slides for download, people might not come to class and rely only on the slides. Well, if that really is the case, then that would indicate that the professor is not necessary and he is simply withholding the slides out of fear of us realizing that the professor does not deserve his pay. If looking at a PowerPoint is just as good as listening to a professor lecture for 3 hours, then why is there the professor in the first place? PowerPoint slides in a lecture are supposed to be an aid to keep the lecture on track as a way for the students to break down the lecture into digestible portions. Anyone can read PowerPoint slides in a lecture, so this reason for withholding the slides is really just a way of saying "I'm worthless if you are able to just read". If the professor really does offer more to the students than the slides, then the students who skip class would get what's coming to them and realize that there really is value in attending class. A good professor does not need to rely on mothering and coddling the students like this if said professor really does his/her job well. Many professors who I think are very good, whom I respect, distribute power point slides or notes before class so that the class can follow along and take down notes on other details covered in lecture. The notes allow us to concentration what was being taught, rather than concentrating on copying what's on the darn overhead projector so we can study it later. It seems that I can learn much more efficiently if I am not busy writing what the professor posts during lecture, but following along with the professor's train of thought and comprehending the details. There's a term for people who just write stuff down, as my professor I'm ranting about is doing: "stenographer - someone skilled in the transcription of speech". Are professors trying to train you to concentrate on what is being taught or are they trying to turn you into a stenographer? This professor that I'm ranting about is just training us to blindly copy stuff down becasue he doesn't want to realize that he can be replaced by some PowerPoint files. [/rant] |
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| Author: | Bjossi [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 8:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | *rant* professors' quirks |
There are teachers like that in my school as well. Bloody stupid policy if you ask me. The students are the ones learning, the teacher's job is to teach, he is not doing his job well by denying students access to studying material. |
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| Author: | siavash1989 [ Tue Sep 30, 2008 9:57 pm ] |
| Post subject: | *rant* professors' quirks |
my astronomy lab professor is irish (last name mcleod), but he thinks he is native american. he is 75+ but he calls all guys "dude", he thinks we can stop tornados everytime we see "kokpellis head". now kokopelli was just a native american diety, but somehow if you see his head, you can stop tornados...i dont know, half the time i dont know what he is talking about. like, he is talking about constellations one second, then the next second BAM kokopelli rears its ugly head (no pun intended). you really have to see this guy, hes insane, in a funny "haha i think he took a shit load of acid" way. |
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| Author: | Eat Uranium [ Wed Oct 01, 2008 4:41 am ] |
| Post subject: | *rant* professors' quirks |
Our pysics teacher last year was similar, but he relied on OHP's. Much of what he did teach he went over at about 400mph (I could keep up but the others couldn't). After a series of talks with senior staff, he was stopped from teaching XI form. He will be remembered for the 'linear air track', which hung above his office door, but was never used. |
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| Author: | cyberax [ Wed Oct 01, 2008 11:30 pm ] |
| Post subject: | *rant* professors' quirks |
lol, the fun of school and college 
I had a few quirky teachers in my day, but mainly lazy teachers. I'm lucky in the sense that all my after school studies, the guys are very helpful and keen to help, but I've found that throughout the IT industry I work in. |
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