By LYANA YUNUS
Generally educators know what to expect from their students in which those criteria areused to evaluate a student’s work, their participation and at times their behaviour as well. But does these expectations apply to educators?
Taylor’s Business School student, Lucas Chen Wen Ru, 24, said, “I expect a lecturer to be articulate and critical, sensitive and unbiased, not riddled with undefined Malaysian jargon that cannot possibly be understood by internationals,”
Every subdivision has its own language, a slang that is acknowledge and practiced by the group. While local students are able to relate, foreign pupils may find jargons difficult to interpret. Often technical, jargons can be confusing, bare of meaning or unfathomable to people who are not accustomed with the topic that is being discussed. This may suspend the bridge that connects the educator to its students, leaving the pupil lost in confusion, cast aside unintentionally.
“I expect a lecturer to believe that true education breeds artistic, intellectual, even spiritual and emotional growth, not blind obedience and unquestioned adherence to instruction,” says Chen.
Obedience is necessary to incorporate a safe and orderly learning. In a learning environment, rules, regulations and punishments exist to keep students in check, disciplined and responsible. Obedience makes cooperation possible. However blind obedience may suppress students and their capabilities to become more than what they are.
What students want is ‘academic freedom’. A place where the environment is the hub of critical thought, unhindered by orthodox methods and unsegmented by levels of authority or qualifications. A university is supposed to be a marketplace of ideas where all opinions are considered, not selectively removed.
Chen then continued “I expect a lecturer to treat his students as adults (even if they aren't) and deal with them as such, I expect a lecturer to interact, incite discussion, and understand that teaching is not instruction, but facilitation,”
Strict word counts, lecture based class and rigid regulatory grading schemes can sometimes restrict students and contribute to their frustration.
Although rules are made to dispose grading ambiguity and to discipline students that take advantage of the order, this method however could possibly breach the level of trust that should exist between lecturers and students.
What students want, is a system that fosters dialogue, guidance in critical thinking and a healthy discussions around a specific topic that cultivates lifelong learners who will someday contribute to the society.
Taylor’s Law School student, Ashley Debbie Chong, 22, said, “I would expect a lecturer to be interesting in terms of the way he/she explains things.”
Chong later continued “Like to always be creative by coming up with all sorts of visual or games so that not only does a student get to interact with one another but it also won't be boring.
We all have the capacity to create a creative and engaging environment, but in many cases we lack the methods how to apply it in reality. We do not know what they are or even how to draw it out.
It is substantial for educators to broaden their meaning of creativity. Creativity is not simply coming up with big ideas, but approaching practical solutions to daily problems and afterwards applying it to real life cases.
“Some do say that a person only has the attention span of 30 mins so what's a better way to keep the brain going with some fun,” Chong added.
Creativity is not a quality that is only inherent to a selection of people. It is within all of us, but the challenge for an educator is, how he taps into one’s creativity.
School of Computing and IT student, Ahmad Shahid Nassir Rogers, 22 said, “I expect to be educated, not just theoretically, but practically as well.
Practical approaches can be effective to engage students in their learning. Students are able to respond better to practical activities, compared to a full on lecture in class. This way their confidence is developed by doing tasks, which they are able to complete successfully.
Ahmad continued “I think that lecturers play a huge role in making us students ready for the real world, because the current phase of education we are in now is basically the bridge between schooling life and real-world work life.”
Perhaps educators could find a bridge that connects with students, to find out what they expect out of them. Not in a form of paper, but a communication method that inherits a more personal approach. A positive way to start the conversation does not only vary on what students look for in a classroom, but encouraging students to voice out and take action based on what they have said.
Generally educators know what to expect from their students in which those criteria areused to evaluate a student’s work, their participation and at times their behaviour as well. But does these expectations apply to educators?
Taylor’s Business School student, Lucas Chen Wen Ru, 24, said, “I expect a lecturer to be articulate and critical, sensitive and unbiased, not riddled with undefined Malaysian jargon that cannot possibly be understood by internationals,”
Every subdivision has its own language, a slang that is acknowledge and practiced by the group. While local students are able to relate, foreign pupils may find jargons difficult to interpret. Often technical, jargons can be confusing, bare of meaning or unfathomable to people who are not accustomed with the topic that is being discussed. This may suspend the bridge that connects the educator to its students, leaving the pupil lost in confusion, cast aside unintentionally.
“I expect a lecturer to believe that true education breeds artistic, intellectual, even spiritual and emotional growth, not blind obedience and unquestioned adherence to instruction,” says Chen.
Obedience is necessary to incorporate a safe and orderly learning. In a learning environment, rules, regulations and punishments exist to keep students in check, disciplined and responsible. Obedience makes cooperation possible. However blind obedience may suppress students and their capabilities to become more than what they are.
What students want is ‘academic freedom’. A place where the environment is the hub of critical thought, unhindered by orthodox methods and unsegmented by levels of authority or qualifications. A university is supposed to be a marketplace of ideas where all opinions are considered, not selectively removed.
Chen then continued “I expect a lecturer to treat his students as adults (even if they aren't) and deal with them as such, I expect a lecturer to interact, incite discussion, and understand that teaching is not instruction, but facilitation,”
Strict word counts, lecture based class and rigid regulatory grading schemes can sometimes restrict students and contribute to their frustration.
Although rules are made to dispose grading ambiguity and to discipline students that take advantage of the order, this method however could possibly breach the level of trust that should exist between lecturers and students.
What students want, is a system that fosters dialogue, guidance in critical thinking and a healthy discussions around a specific topic that cultivates lifelong learners who will someday contribute to the society.
Taylor’s Law School student, Ashley Debbie Chong, 22, said, “I would expect a lecturer to be interesting in terms of the way he/she explains things.”
Chong later continued “Like to always be creative by coming up with all sorts of visual or games so that not only does a student get to interact with one another but it also won't be boring.
We all have the capacity to create a creative and engaging environment, but in many cases we lack the methods how to apply it in reality. We do not know what they are or even how to draw it out.
It is substantial for educators to broaden their meaning of creativity. Creativity is not simply coming up with big ideas, but approaching practical solutions to daily problems and afterwards applying it to real life cases.
“Some do say that a person only has the attention span of 30 mins so what's a better way to keep the brain going with some fun,” Chong added.
Creativity is not a quality that is only inherent to a selection of people. It is within all of us, but the challenge for an educator is, how he taps into one’s creativity.
School of Computing and IT student, Ahmad Shahid Nassir Rogers, 22 said, “I expect to be educated, not just theoretically, but practically as well.
Practical approaches can be effective to engage students in their learning. Students are able to respond better to practical activities, compared to a full on lecture in class. This way their confidence is developed by doing tasks, which they are able to complete successfully.
Ahmad continued “I think that lecturers play a huge role in making us students ready for the real world, because the current phase of education we are in now is basically the bridge between schooling life and real-world work life.”
Perhaps educators could find a bridge that connects with students, to find out what they expect out of them. Not in a form of paper, but a communication method that inherits a more personal approach. A positive way to start the conversation does not only vary on what students look for in a classroom, but encouraging students to voice out and take action based on what they have said.