[lugm.org] University of Mauritius Head technician

Thu Apr 19 09:33:45 UTC 2012

@selven:

I fully agree with your points. I think we are on the same frequency =D

Assuming XX is a standard child with average skills [i don't drink beer though =P]:

Step 1. [Teaching]

Make Child XX interested with the subject as much as possible. Challenge his skills and also reward students.
Give some history behind the subject to make it more interesting.

My Physics teacher from high-school wouldonce ~every week present a challenging problem to students

and give bonus marks to the first student who solves it.
He also explained how these theories were developed and their importance.
Only these was enough to make me want to attend all the classes.

Step 2. [Teaching]

Teach the theory behind the topic and also explain WHY things work [within the possible limits].
Everyone knows that the area of a trapezium is 1/2 * (sum of parallel sides) * perpendicular height.
Everyone knows that the sky is blue.
But WHY? I guess many people don't know the answer because we were not taught why things work.
You might think these are difficult to prove, but most of these things can be proven within a few steps.
Most students[teachers too?] are afraid when it comes to proofs, they think it is difficult but it is 

important to show them that it is NOT the case [for many cases]. If you don't teach that way,
they will tend to think these things are high

Step 3. [Studying & Testing]
Make the students apply the theory to problems[in the right way].
Don't give homework containing 10 problems where all 10 problems are essentially the same thing.
Give problems where there is a twist in the problem description and students have to analyse and use
some creativity to know which part corresponds to what element and combine all elements to form an answer.

Step 4. Organise innovative/creative activities [Studying]

Things like science fairs can be done, where they come up with their own ideas and apply them to solve problems.

This will make them considerably increase their skills.

I don't know how much this may cost [from the government POV].
I don't even think the issue is money[except step 4], it's about having the right people to implement the plan by training current teachers.
These steps above may seem very simple but they will surely change a lot of things.
Just a good training for all teachers and maybe dumping Cambridge exams for another one.

I don't even know why i'm posting this, it will not change anything =P

________________________________
 From: selven <pcthegreat at gmail.com>
To: LUGM Discuss Mailing List <discuss at lugm.org> 
Sent: Thursday, April 19, 2012 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: [lugm.org] University of Mauritius Head technician

I quote TripleZ: "Do you blame the lecturer for not knowing, or the system for not knowing how to recruit people. "
I don't believe that the lecturer actually "do not know", its just that, they've been formed in a system that favors rote learning, and earning marks rather than focusing on the important things like figuring out the inner details of what they are learning, they have a job to make the student succeed in that system... so how do you suppose they should teach you? 

Yes, the rote learners way, you can't blame the system for "recruitment", you will need to blame the entire way the educational system is designed. <-- and that my friend, unless you've got some serious money in your pocket and lots of charisma, better not try yourself at fixing that.

Even more retarded, I saw that some universities were sending mails to "large IT companies" to ask them their opinion about their curriculum they provide, and if they need to add specific 'languages' that will help those kids to get a job later on... wtf :s ... one doesn't go in a univ to learn about technologies ... seriously, I smile when i see kids complaining that "university is not teaching the latest coolest languages out there or not teaching those cool frameworks out there", a univ is not about teaching you how to use one or two tools, it is a place to learn how to think so as you are later able to efficiently think for yourself to use anything later on, if you want to go to learn a specific technology that would be called a vocational training.. and those dumbasses don't get it... i know why... because most of those technoweenies at univ just gets into the field to get a job and not because they like doing what they think they want to do. 

I quote TripleZ: "Pissed off with an educational system that doesn't work, and doesn't care about whether the students learn or not. " <-- Seriously, someone who likes his topic, will learn by himself/herself. Personally I believe those exams are way too soft and based too much of rote learning, there are not enough failures, and a lot of good elements are bordering failure lines (and that's weird), and more dangerously, the industry standards gets lowerred down, because there are not enough competent fellows out there, dude imagine a first class Computer Science & Engineering who has no clue where and what to start looking for if his/her ftp server doesn't seem to respond from home :s .... that's when you would want to hold a wall and puke! 

But then, is it their fault? Not at all, is it the system which is wrong, yes. But is the system the ultimate root cause? Nope, the root cause of this is the people.. have an EDUCATED yet UNEDUCATED (go figure) population. It will never get fixed before 2 more generations.

Also :p one more thing :p fighting for marks is stupid :D everyone gets shitty salary once they leave univ, UNLESS they have attitude, charisma AND knowledge :p. Just knowledge or just marks :p will NEVER yield to anything but remaining a slave :p .. and trust me :p i see lots of slaves everyday, sometimes you try to play god and fix em, but most of the time, they are afraid or way too much of a wimp to raise their voices.

But then, lemme ask you all a question, you believe something is wrong with those lecturers, :) tell me, what would be the "perfect" way to teach, study and be tested? (start from a theoretical child XX). If i can't find flaws in it :p, you get a free beer.

+$3|v3n

On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 4:03 AM, TripleZ Seventeen <triplezliveson at gmail.com> wrote:

The issue here is not about whether the lecturers use rote learning in the first place or not. It's more about how come we have lecturers, who, as the students here have been saying, a bit incompetent. Do you blame the lecturer for not knowing, or the system for not knowing how to recruit people. This leads us to another interesting question, where are those who actually know the subject? My bet? Pissed off with an educational system that doesn't work, and doesn't care about whether the students learn or not. The educational system only cares about making money, and creating the maximum number of graduates.
>
>
>You can blame the lecturer, but at most what will happen is that the lecturer will be removed, and you'll get another, who will probably be the same.
>Want to do something worthwhile, change the system.
>
>
>-naresh
>
>
>
>On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 9:52 AM, selven <pcthegreat at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>What the heck is going on here. Stop judging people.
>>
>>
>>+selven
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>On Thu, Apr 19, 2012 at 9:33 AM, Yasir MX <yasirmx at hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>there's a lecturer who has suggested a project regarding networking bet he/she does not know whether you can have multiple network cards in the PC...
>>>
>>>rote learning yes!100% agree
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>________________________________
>>>Date: Wed, 18 Apr 2012 23:12:41 +0400
>>>From: pcthegreat at gmail.com
>>>To: discuss at lugm.org
>>>Subject: Re: [lugm.org] University of Mauritius Head technician
>>>
>>>
>>>:) Problem is :p the entire educational system is based on rote learning here in Mauritius ... and England (where our system seems to be based from).
>>>
>>>interesting vid http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html
>>>
>>>
>>>On Wed, Apr 18, 2012 at 11:03 PM, bbnadim <bbnadim at intnet.mu> wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>>>On 18 April 2012 17:30, selven <pcthegreat at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>>:) Well, legally they can do that i believe.
>>>>>
>>>>
+1. But I was taking about something else : Parroting, without understanding. If you understand a topic, then u can explain it in your own words, in your style...
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>[...] the lecturer is supposed to be just a guide where if one
>>>>>
>>>>>is stucked can just query his opinions or if is in the wrong path get
>>>>>guided a lil bit by the lecturers.
>>>>>
[...] 
>>>>>
>>>>+1. BUT, how many can guide the students correctly ? Dunno about the lecturers at present, but i had a very bad experience when i was at UoM back some 15 years ago. Academically someone can be very good, but i think we need to be practical rather that learning by heart ...
>>>>
>>>>Personally I believe lecturers SHOULD have at least 3-5 years experience in the field (job market ?) before giving lectures or talk about a topic.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>__________________________________________________________
>>>>Linux User Group of Mauritius (LUGM) Discuss mailing list
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>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>-- 
>>>
>>>Pirabarlen Cheenaramen | $3|v3n 
>>>L'escalier
>>>mobile: +230 49 24 918
>>>email: pcthegeat at gmail.com || god at hackers.mu
>>>contact: http://godifiy.me
>>>/*memory is like prison*/ (user==selven)?free(user):user=malloc(sizeof(brain));
>>>P Save electricity & disk space. Cat this mail to >/dev/null 2>&1 after use.
>>>
>>>
>>>__________________________________________________________
Linux User Group of Mauritius (LUGM) Discuss mailing list
Website: http://lugm.org Mailing list archive: http://lugm.org/pipermail/discuss_lugm.org/ Forum: http://lugm.org/forum/ IRC: #linux.mu on Freenode
>>>__________________________________________________________
>>>Linux User Group of Mauritius (LUGM) Discuss mailing list
>>>Website: http://lugm.org
>>>Mailing list archive: http://lugm.org/pipermail/discuss_lugm.org/
>>>Forum: http://lugm.org/forum/
>>>IRC: #linux.mu on Freenode
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>>-- 
>>
>>Pirabarlen Cheenaramen | $3|v3n 
>>L'escalier
>>mobile: +230 49 24 918
>>email: pcthegeat at gmail.com || god at hackers.mu
>>contact: http://godifiy.me
>>/*memory is like prison*/ (user==selven)?free(user):user=malloc(sizeof(brain));
>>P Save electricity & disk space. Cat this mail to >/dev/null 2>&1 after use.
>>
>>
>>__________________________________________________________
>>Linux User Group of Mauritius (LUGM) Discuss mailing list
>>Website: http://lugm.org
>>Mailing list archive: http://lugm.org/pipermail/discuss_lugm.org/
>>Forum: http://lugm.org/forum/
>>IRC: #linux.mu on Freenode
>>
>>
>
>__________________________________________________________
>Linux User Group of Mauritius (LUGM) Discuss mailing list
>Website: http://lugm.org
>Mailing list archive: http://lugm.org/pipermail/discuss_lugm.org/
>Forum: http://lugm.org/forum/
>IRC: #linux.mu on Freenode
>
>

-- 

Pirabarlen Cheenaramen | $3|v3n 
L'escalier
mobile: +230 49 24 918
email: pcthegeat at gmail.com || god at hackers.mu
contact: http://godifiy.me
/*memory is like prison*/ (user==selven)?free(user):user=malloc(sizeof(brain));
P Save electricity & disk space. Cat this mail to >/dev/null 2>&1 after use.

__________________________________________________________
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