tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8832236349540926420.post514258753276481525..comments2023-06-03T07:31:58.418-05:00Comments on The Critically Pissed: Do you rely on yourself or your professor for your education? (by anon)Critically Pissedhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08616961824286610531noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8832236349540926420.post-44015430591488145382012-02-21T09:28:57.518-06:002012-02-21T09:28:57.518-06:0010:28's comment is awesome.10:28's comment is awesome.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8832236349540926420.post-32740308018657862772012-02-21T00:28:42.684-06:002012-02-21T00:28:42.684-06:00“Their students should come to class eager to lear...“Their students should come to class eager to learn and full of questions on the subject they chose to sign up for”<br /><br /> “consider your answers and your use of “should” when you evaluate these questions.” <br /><br />Really? <br /><br />Moving on.. <br /><br />To accurately judge one way or the other whether or not it would be a good thing to have the "inquisitive professor", as you put it, or the alternative, it would help to ask not only what kind of material is being taught, but also what kind of objectives are to be met in the course, as in, what kind of skills/knowledge the students are supposed to gain from the course. <br /><br />However, you ask, “who do you rely on for your education? You, or your professor? In addition, who is responsible for your education?”. I'm disappointed that it doesn't just go without saying that students and professors both must be relied on, as well as be held responsible for students’ education. But that is besides the point, because these questions are not only irrelevant, but they also come loaded with the assumption that an "inquisitive professor" makes the students rely on themselves and be responsible for their own education (which is your ideal), while the alternative professor is relied upon and held responsible for the students' education (which you disapprove of), when in reality, no one party can ever be expected to take sole responsibility in the matter regardless (and there are better questions to be addressed). <br /><br />For a class that involves a lot of dense reading material and abstract concepts, it is imperative that the professor does a thorough job of explaining the content and making it palatable so that students can readily digest/evaluate it and then articulate their thoughts on it, using their own reasoning and critical thinking. Furthermore, explicit explanation allows students to respond to the text better with more specific questions/comments about it overall. <br /><br />If the professor wishes to cultivate students’ skills identifying and interpreting of arguments, themes, or what have you, within a text, then the students must be pushed to read course materials and demonstrate an ability to grasp the text on their own (through the use of pop quizzes, for example). Unfortunately, sometimes material needs to be spoon fed in order for students to effectively question, critique, analyze or form any kind of opinion on it at all in the first place. So if Joe Shmo didn't do the reading, well maybe it wouldn't have gotten him very far anyway. <br /><br />All in all, we obviously have required texts for a reason, and reading is beneficial in most cases, in some way, but that doesn’t mean students/professors should or shouldn't do this or that, as you declare. And the issue here certainly doesn't boil down to the few questions you pose.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8832236349540926420.post-23038361539556618862012-02-20T19:57:40.236-06:002012-02-20T19:57:40.236-06:00To your paraphrased attributed quote, “we professo...To your paraphrased attributed quote, “we professors are not banks of information to be tapped into for the benefit of our students!” I would add, "rather, learning is a communal process that operates through dialogue between the professor and students." I want to avoid the professor as "gatekeeper of knowledge" view, though I wholeheartedly agree that students need to take more responsibility for their education.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8832236349540926420.post-86822800464088435952012-02-20T12:34:31.835-06:002012-02-20T12:34:31.835-06:00I will bite. In my own experience it depends on th...I will bite. In my own experience it depends on the class and subject matter. In some of those required classes I am the guy in the back of the room doing everything but what I am supposed to. In my mind I am there because the attendance policy forces me to be so I might as well be doing something. To be fair though most of the time it's homework for another class. <br /><br />On the other hand, if it's a class or unit I enjoy or have an active interest in I will do all the readings and become involved. <br /><br />So, it's subjective to me. I will always turn papers in on time and study for exams regardless of interest but I will skip readings and "tune out" classes I don't care for. I know some people may get on me for not caring as much for my education but I still get A's and B's in all of my courses and I did pay for the class so it's on me what I get out of it.<br /><br />Prof. ChaosAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com