Path: utzoo!mnetor!uunet!husc6!hao!oddjob!uwvax!umn-d-ub!umn-cs!moreno
From: moreno@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu (Andres Moreno)
Newsgroups: comp.edu
Subject: Re: Ph.D.'s and Teaching
Message-ID: <3469@umn-cs.cs.umn.edu>
Date: 9 Jan 88 17:42:40 GMT
References: <2144@uvacs.CS.VIRGINIA.EDU> <115@mccc.UUCP>
Reply-To: moreno@umn-cs.UUCP (Andres Moreno)
Organization: University of Minnesota
Lines: 15
Summary: Students are responsible for learning

Recent postings on the net reflect a much needed attitude towards improving
the quality of teaching in colleges.However, I must point out that
ultimately, the student is responsible for his or her own learning. As
instructors, we should provide an environment that encourages intellectual
curiosity. Classes should give material not easily accessible to the students
either because it is too difficult or because it is not readily available in
the literature. Courses should outline a subject, not cover it completely.
Students can and should learn on their own a *significant* body of knowledge
during their college years. Otherwise, we will have produced a crop of college
graduates that *need* people to teach them everything.

I do not believe that the role of the instructor is to entertain the students
while at the same time (hopefully) giving them access to knowledge. Class
attendance should be an active endeavour (with the student preparing before
going to class).