HACKER Q&A
📣 jackcooper

How would you improve teaching?


I think the way we are taught could be greatly improved. What do you think? And what would be the ideal way to teach?

bad teaching examples from personal experience: --- >you have 1/5 exercises wrong and therefore sit in 2 hour long exercise sessions waiting for that specific exercise to be solved. (20 students * 20% * 2h = 8h wasted)

>lectures add no value or excitement to content. Most students learn it better and faster reading the script. video lectures are also very bad. You mainly go to the lectures for social interaction or a clear conscience.

>a friend made a teaching internship in Uganda this winter: the kids have school for 15h a day. They didn't learn anything, it was basically to keep them busy and increase the price for the girls when they are married off

There are many more and better examples, these are just from the top of my head. For me it is just so frustrating to see, especially for the other people. For example, there are physics lecture that were given for the past houndred years, how can my professor then give them in such a bad way that noone understands, but after a 1min youtube video, it is all clear.

I will apply for a TA position next semester. At some point in the future I (try/)want to create high-quality opensource content. In our time it makes no sense that thousands of professors give the same, but bad online lectures, all around the world. I could go on and on...

Thank you for your input and ideas


  👤 EddieDante Accepted Answer ✓
I would eliminate the human element. Any instruction that doesn't require hands-on experience can probably be delivered by a computer, with immediate grading. The only bias in grading is that implemented by the programmers, and it's the same bias for all students using the instructional program rather than a different set of biases depending on the teacher (and their mood at any given moment).

👤 groffee
Smaller class sizes. One on one teaching. When you get a private tutor who is 100% focussed on you, it makes a world of difference.