Tertiary Education LO29499

From: AM de Lange (amdelange@postino.up.ac.za)
Date: 11/13/02


Replying to LO29476 --

Dear Organlearners,

Alan Cotterell <acotrel@cnl.com.au> writes

>I was discussing Australian Universities and their teaching
>methods with a friend. I mentioned the desirability of doing
>one's own research to learn about various topics.
>
>He said that he had asked on several occasions, for the
>lecturer's bibliography or source for the course notes,
>and was refused.
>
>Seems many lecturers are a bit paranoid at the possibility
>thier students will get to know more than themselves, and
>possibly ask questions the lecturer cannot answer
>'on his feet' during a lecture.

Greetings dear Alan,

I myself become on occasions horrified at the "teaching" methods of some
lecturers. The worst "teaching" method is to reproduce information
verbatim. One lecturer was "caught out" when he told exactly the same joke
at exactly the same place. A student of the previous year kept as far as
possible meticulous notes, even of the jokes!

However, i have to bear in mind that a lecturer may want the students to
learn self how to find appropiate bibliography to the course. In that case
i will give one reference where most of the other bibliography are to be
found. That they will have to find themselves.

I always encouraged my students to ask as many questions as possible. I
like a lecture to develop along the sequence of questions to be asked
rather than following a predetermined course. Sadly, few students dare to
ask questions. Many think that fellow students or even the lecturer will
think they are stupid when asking a question. Many also think that a
question will distract the lecturer or dare the lecturer's authority.

Given the educational culture here in South Africa, it usually took me two
months to get them questioning me without hesistation. That left another
two months before the semester ended. This frustrated me very much,
putting much into winning their confidence and then having little time
left over to put it to work.

With care and best wishes

-- 

At de Lange <amdelange@postino.up.ac.za> Snailmail: A M de Lange Gold Fields Computer Centre Faculty of Science - University of Pretoria Pretoria 0001 - Rep of South Africa

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