介绍:
HeYang: A university in east China’s Jiangxi Province has launched a programme that allows college freshman to pick out teachers according to their preferences. It’s having a customized teacher a good idea? So what’s up with this idea of having customized teachers?
Liuyan: Well I think it’s a very interesting move. So basically, Jiangxi University of Science and Technology has decided to try this new thing. What the student can do is, they just lay out their preferences, for example: I want someone humorous, or maybe I want a good-looking female teacher, who’s also funny. You know things of that nature. Once you have filed you applications, you can wait. If you happen to get someone who fits all the requirements then perfect matches made, and then you will have your teacher. So I think that’s basically the idea of this trial. But the thing is, some people don’t necessarily think this is gonna work, and the reason is very simple: just because you ask for something, doesn’t mean you’re gonna get it. And also, if you only ask for a certain type of teachers, then that’s just not conducive to learning. Because when you finish your studies, and you go into the real society, it’s not like you can just ask for a certain type of people to work with, and then you will get that certain type.
Heyang: Yeah, and I just think about all those older teachers, that’s older than 40, and they don’t get picked at all. And if he’s 40 and he’s a guy and he is sitting,(LiuYan： and he’s bald), oh poor guy! He doesn’t get picked. And um I don’t think the university will allow that to happen, ‘cause they wanna keep everybodyemployed. But still, this is an interesting idea, why do you think the university is doing this?
Jessica: Well, I have to say I know that some students really want to be able to learn from certain teachers. Maybe they want a teacher who is funny and positive, and 70% of the freshmen said they would like a teacher who is positive attitude, maybe funny, even a younger teacher. I think some students really want to learn from someone who is older, and has more experience. So students you know, should learn from these different teachers about what they want. I think it can maybe encourage students to go out and choose one of their teachers, because I know that some students are a little bit hesitant, if they see someone who intimidates them, they are afraid to learn. So if they can pick someone who fits their personality in their mind, then maybe it could be good for them.
Liuyan: Yeah, as for your particular question, why does this school decide to do this? I think it’s probably trying to send the message that we care about the students, we don’t just enforce everything on you, so you have to do everything our way. We actually give you a choice, so we let your voice be heard, and then maybe possibly you will have a happy ending, something to that effect.
Heyang: Yes, I think that’s certainly the message that they are trying to send out to the students, but also I think the university is trying to send out a message to the teachers as well, and professors, sort of saying that you are being rated too. Students get to pick who they want, (Jessica:and could this be a business move by the university to see what kind of teachers their students want so they know exactly who to hire. Oooh!)
Liuyan: Actually I think this is a very clever move, because when I studied in the United States, there was this very popular website, I don’t know if it’s still popular, “rate my professor.com” (Jessica:it is popular), yeah, so I always thought that was a very good model and very smart. Because although sometimes statistics don’t tell the entire picture, but most of the time they tell a very vivid picture, as long as the number is large enough. You can certainly tell if more than 90% of their students have rated this professor great, then it’s a very safe pick for you.
Heyang: Woo, is it gonna be a very safe pick though?
Jessica: I also think yeah, it depends on if it’s gonna be safe, but I wonder if this is just catering the stereotypes. Because the university is doing this very well, like they have certain criteria that you choose from, like highly rated, or someone who is you know specialize in an area. But if the student only picks a teacher based on their looks, or I want a teacher who is tall and beautiful, that’s not exactly you know conducive for learning.
Heyang: Yeah, that’s a really good point, and also I don’t necessarily think it’s a safe option just looking at ratings. Because look at the kind of teachers that students prefer, I think the top quality or factor that they take into consideration is ‘I will be able to pass’. Ok, maybe there are lots of ‘Xuebas” out there, don’t think this way, those high achievers that want to learn everything, they don’t think that way. But I think I represent a lot of average students. And that’s all we care about. And if we can study and learn more things, yeah that is a bonus. So when sometimes I don’t think students really do know the best for ourselves, like after you graduate and you realize, “oh some of the really unattractive teachers, but are actually really good teachers, are the ones that I should have paid more attention to his or her teaching, and finish all my homework and didn’t be late to classes,” and there isso many things that you shouldn’t have done.
Liuyan: I think you are definitely right, and that’s why I think “rate my professors” is actually a better model than this one at Jiangxi University of Science and technology. Because when it comes to rate my professor, you don’t just see the scores, you can also see the students’ remarks, because they tell you why they rate that way, and also if that teacher is easy to pass, or if they actually give you very difficult assignments, but you learn a lot from them. You know with added information like that, then you can really make a good decision I think. But with this, there tends to be more cases like people just want someone because they are good-looking. I don’t know,it’s just mytwo cents.
Jessica: I mean I agree, but I also would have the position of not being able to choose your teacher, does force you into a situation like it would have in real life. So if you are not able to choose a teacher that you don’t like, maybe they can teach you more. Like you were saying, maybe they have that they are boring, but they can teach you well.
Heyang: Yeah, and a lot of those professors that are very well-known in their field, and their top researchers as well. They don’t necessarily always be the best teachers, or the most popular ones—that are funny, and attractive, (Liuyan: eloquent), yeah, like Adam Smith, the economist, but he apparently was a terrible teacher. But look at the body of work; he’s one of the founders of modern economics. So would you pick him as your teacher if you had a chance? Um it’s kind of a difficult situation.
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