SEF9 - 01 Sorry sir, teacher don't teach and I need the lecture notes.

Welcome to SEF. As a start, I wish to share with you a true story at MMU which I called, "Sorry sir, teacher don't teach and I need the lecture notes."

One day many years ago, during my first semester at MMU, while lecturing for Software Engineering (TCS2411), a group of students gathered to talk to me after class. Representing the group, one of them asked me a question, "Sir, what will be covered in our first quiz next week?".

In reply I said, "Like I mentioned in class, it covers what I talked about in the last three lectures and some materials in the tutorials".

They all looked straight at me, and one of them asked again, "But what will the quiz cover sir?". I do not understand what they mean at first with their question. So I repeated my answer. "Like I mentioned in class, it covers what I talked about in the last three lectures and some materials in the tutorials". And smiled back at them.

Then one of the students came back with a firmer and higher voice, "But sir, what will the quiz cover? Because other lecturers tell us which chapter and which chapter, and so on."

I stared at them, momentarily with blanks in my mind, still not understanding what they are trying to ask me. I thought honestly, I have answered them very clearly. I paused for a while and looked back into their eyes, trying to figure out what they meant with their question.

Then, something hit my mind. It must have something to do with "spoon feeding". These students are mechanical and do not know how to think for themselves, I thought. It is very unfortunate indeed for being university students for that matter. So I said, "Listen here, I will tell you a story that you have to think for yourself".

Assuming that one day, all of you were gathered to listen to a presentation from a friend of mine about some stuff that he is planning to jointly develop with me. Consider yourselves as the staff (employees) of my software development company. So the friend of mine gave an hour lecture of the products he is developing, the technologies used and the way forward if we were to jointly develop the products. At the end of it we have a question and answer session. You were all present during his presentation and the ensuing discussion. Everything is finished and my friend left.

I have to consider his proposals and how we are going to cooperate in the development. So I called all of you together to seek your opinions on a few issues. I started asking the question, "What do you guys think of his idea in using that particular technology (so and so) for the product?"

I waited for an answer, and everybody was quiet. Then somebody said, "Sorry sir, I need the slides that he presented". In principle, it means "Sorry sir, I need the lecture notes".

Now looking at it back, what were you guys doing while he is presenting? Did you not take your own notes? Did you not understand what he is saying? Did you not know what is important about what he has said? Did you not pick up the key ideas and principles he presented? Do you have to be taught all these? Do you have to be told about what to do? Will you say, "Sorry, sir. We do not know how to do because teacher don't teach?" Do you need a teacher to teach you everything? Please grow up.

You have all gone through university, didn't you? Ask questions if you do not understand. When you learn, people expect you to ask questions. That is why they call it learning. I believe there is no such thing as stupid questions, only stupid answers. Geniuses asked what "seemed" like stupid questions and in the end find answers to them. That is how new discoveries started. Ha ha ha.

So back to your question, "Sir, what will be covered in our first quiz next week?". The answer is "It covers what I talked about in the last three lectures and some materials in the tutorials". I am finished here.

Wassalam.
WRY

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WASSALAM
wruslan.hahaha

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