Circuits
Circuits would have to be the second worst course in the world (the worst being Digital Logic). In fact, my circuits teacher was also one of the Digital Logic teachers. It is poorly organized, and the teacher doesn't know the first thing about teaching. When leaving each class, you realize that you now know less than you did when you first came in.
Throughout the course, I reflected on this lack of teaching ability:
- What? Where did that equation come from, and what does it have to do with anything?
- Arrgh! What a useless teacher
- How come he always starts each new explanation with, "So we say that, 'Alright...'". It's undefinably annoying.
- Too bad I didn't notice earlier. I would have made another chart like in Digital Logic.
- I wonder what his IQ is...
After the midterm, I managed to copy down a snippet of what was said. It's not word for word (I can't write that fast), but it's a more or less accurate but short account of the first 40 minutes of that class:
- TEACHER: Ok, well, umm, you guys all did pretty bad on the midterm, so, um, how about you give me suggestions on how I can present things differently, you know? So that you guys feel more prepared on the next exam.
- STUDENT 1: How about... [here the student suggested something that would definitely help]
- TEACHER: Well, you know... [here the teacher gave an explanation as to why that wouldn't work. Unfortunately his reason didn't make any sense]
- STUDENT 2: What about... [here another useful suggestion was given]
- TEACHER: Ha ha ha... [the trend continues]
- STUDENT 3: Could you possibly...
- TEACHER: Well, alright. This is how I see it:... ["no"] What if I try doing this... [What's this? The teacher is actually suggesting something? Don't worry. It was never followed through. And it wasn't terribly useful in the first place either]
- STUDENT 4: Okay, but... [The teacher only did extremely simple examples in class (these didn't make sense anyway), and thought that if you know how to do the extremely simple ones, the tough ones should be a piece of cake. Here the student suggested that he do some harder examples in class]
- TEACHER: That causes problems though, because what I think is difficult is different than what you think is difficult. [This should not be the case. Teaching a class for a number of years should give one some sort of clue as to what questions are difficult]
- STUDENT 4: But couldn't you just...
- TEACHER: But, you know, the thing is that I can't do that, because what I think is tricky is different than what you think is tricky.
- STUDENT 5: Might I suggest that you try some questions that you think are difficult?
- TEACHER: Well, you see, like I said: in my mind I might see this one question as difficult, but then it's so far advanced that you're lost and don't get anything out of it.
- STUDENT 4: Like the questions on the midterm?
- TEACHER: Yes, well, I mean, I didn't think that you guys would have a problem with those questions. The way I think about these things, is that if I give you a [simple question] like this, that should prepare you for this [much more complicated and tricky problem]. Ha ha ha ha... In my mind I see it like this.
- STUDENT 6: Well, obviously no one else sees it like you do.
- TEACHER: Ha ha ha. Well if you think I should be doing anything differently, you should tell me.
