Never Thought This'd Happen

[Penguin]

This is from my computer programming class, where we have been, for the past four months, attemping to use Microsoft Works Logo.  It is a graphical programming language, based around drawing pictures.  The data management methods are limited at best, and otherwise simple tools are cumbersome and awkward:

Have you guys ever been completely controlled by a teacher who gives endless lectures, strict guidelines and knows it all?  I have, but for once in my life, this is not the case.  WooHoo!  Or is it?  My teacher appears to be either incompetent, or incapable of teaching the material.  He hasn't given a single lecture since day one, and doesn't maintain even a sliver of discipline in the class.  I seem like a masochist, don't I?  Well folks, utopia isn't all it's cracked up to be.  Midyear exams are coming up, and hardly any of us understand the course material.  We don't have books or a website from which to garner information, and get this- the material is over forty years old!

Good Grief, I need help!

-Penguin

[Pigslilspaz]

I hate incompetent teachers with a deep and burning passion. All they due is give instant gratification while slowly setting you up for failure.

[Killer91]

I hate incompetent teachers with a deep and burning passion. All they due is give instant gratification while slowly setting you up for failure.

I agree! I had one of those teachers just like that this semester... it was the most frustrating class I've ever taken

[AAJagerX]

Welcome to colleges that don't charge 40K a year to go to.  If ya have the cash, you'll get a good education.  Jr. colleges overcharge constantly, while reaping the benefits of their lack of effort. 

If I say anymore about this I'll get the ban stick, so I'll leave it at that. 

[Killer91]

Welcome to colleges that don't charge 40K a year to go to.  If ya have the cash, you'll get a good education.  Jr. colleges overcharge constantly, while reaping the benefits of their lack of effort. 

If I say anymore about this I'll get the ban stick, so I'll leave it at that. 

I agree 100% with this.. I go to a small community college b/c i don't have 40K+ a year to go off to a bigger university for 4 years.
There's tons of scholarships out there but the've been pretty elusive so far.. You'd think with a HS GPA of 3.94 It wouldn't be that hard to get one..

[Raptor]

We have all had one of these teachers at some point. The worst for me was also a computer science class. The thing you need to realize is that even though you may not take as much from the course material as you hoped, you will hopefully take self initiative from the course. When I had a teacher like this I had to find a textbook that I thought provided me with the best material. I got a 3 year old textbook and did better than the majority of the class on assignments.

While some people are going to rip on institutions or teachers for this you have to realize that people get ahead in life that do not deserve it. Further down the road you may find yourself working for someone who is incompetent, and you will need to be able to function without their guiding hand.

[Simaril]

I'll back Raptor up - most of the learning you'll do in life will be self directed. To put a positive spin on a frustrating situation, this class is giving you a head start on that skill.

Over your lifetime knowledge will increase 10 or a 100 fold; and if you're in computer science you can guarantee that system architecture and programming languages will change repeatedly. No class can teach you stuff that isn't around yet!

Do what Raptor said. Teach the material to yourself. The motivation and effort it takes will pay you back a thousand times over during your life!

[Penguin]

So, the jist of it is: Suck it up, the course isn't worth much

Oh man , am I screwed, I don't think that you guys understand- there is no manual, textbook, or website!  This is an inapplicaable programming language that came out 40 years ago.  It's like trying to calculate the average testicular mass of Tyranosaurus Rex!

 

-Penguin

[Maverick]

I suppose one question would be then, why did you sign up for the course if it is no longer applicable?

Something to be aware of is this. A student learns to ask questions. Rather then being totally dependant on being spoon fed data to regurgitate on an exam, should you not be asking questions before the end of the semester? Sounds to me like you have ample time to either drop the course, transfer to another or ask questions to get an understanding of the material before the end of the semester. Where were you the first 2 months?

[BrownBaron]

This is from my computer programming class, where we have been, for the past four months, attemping to use Microsoft Works Logo.  It is a graphical programming language, based around drawing pictures.  The data management methods are limited at best, and otherwise simple tools are cumbersome and awkward:

Have you guys ever been completely controlled by a teacher who gives endless lectures, strict guidelines and knows it all?  I have, but for once in my life, this is not the case.  WooHoo!  Or is it?  My teacher appears to be either incompetent, or incapable of teaching the material.  He hasn't given a single lecture since day one, and doesn't maintain even a sliver of discipline in the class.  I seem like a masochist, don't I?  Well folks, utopia isn't all it's cracked up to be.  Midyear exams are coming up, and hardly any of us understand the course material.  We don't have books or a website from which to garner information, and get this- the material is over forty years old!

Good Grief, I need help!

-Penguin

I am in a very similar situation in an engineering course I had had high hopes for. The only solution, it seems, is to either bring this dire situation to the attention of the instructor, the principal, or both.

[Penguin]

I suppose one question would be then, why did you sign up for the course if it is no longer applicable?

Something to be aware of is this. A student learns to ask questions. Rather then being totally dependant on being spoon fed data to regurgitate on an exam, should you not be asking questions before the end of the semester? Sounds to me like you have ample time to either drop the course, transfer to another or ask questions to get an understanding of the material before the end of the semester. Where were you the first 2 months?

1 I had no clue this would be in an inapplicable language
2 My parents have ordered me not to bring this to anyone's attention, as having a 100 in that class is "too important to risk"
3 He's new, and the faculty would back him up
4 Ok, ask questions from whom?  Him?  I know more than he does!

-Penguin   

[68Hawk]

Other than the course evaluation after the class, which will not affect your grade, you can always complain to the department head, the registrar or even someone higher.

My advice is to talk with the other students about it and see if they agree with you.  They probably will.  Get finals over, write scathing course evals, and then follow up to the department and as far up as you can go.  If it is a new Prof, they won't have tenure and they won't have a lot of buddies ready to hang too far out for them.  If they're really that awful then it's up to you to make sure they are either taught how to do it better (by their superiors) or let go so that they are not damaging the education of others that take their classes after you. 

If you get a poor grade that you don't deserve, you and every other student in the class have an opportunity to challenge it due to the poor performance of the instructor.  Get everyone ready for that too, get emails, and motivate if he tries to flunk you all or something.  I'd personally pursue the guy if he's guilty of grade inflation as well, though they won't pull your personal grade down for that.

[CAP1]

I hate incompetent teachers with a deep and burning passion. All they due is give instant gratification while slowly setting you up for failure.

uh huh.......

[SIK1]

Is it possible that it's incompetent students?

[soda72]

So, the jist of it is: Suck it up, the course isn't worth much

Oh man , am I screwed, I don't think that you guys understand- there is no manual, textbook, or website!  This is an inapplicaable programming language that came out 40 years ago.  It's like trying to calculate the average testicular mass of Tyranosaurus Rex!

 

-Penguin

40 years?   What are you using punch cards?  lol