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Inthis issue, the author asserts that faculty should spend time working outsidethe academic world in professions relevant to the courses they teach as toimprove the quality of instruction. I partly agree with the author that in someengineering subjects students should not only study knowledge in the class, butalso learn to use such knowledge to applications. However, not all the subjectsneed to be learned outside the academic world. Hence, according to the actualsituation of a subject itself, professors should select the most suitable way ofteaching to improve the quality of instruction at the college and universitylevel.
Firstof all, I concede that a series of subjects require connecting knowledge taughtin the class with applications closely. Therefore,professors should be encouraged to work outside the academic world, and learnthe most valuable parts of his or her courses in the practical realms. Forexample, suppose a professor teaches a course called computer network. If he orshe fails to work outside but only focuses on the knowledge printed in thetextbook, it is highly possible that the professor only gives theoretical lessonssuch as the principle of Internet and classical network structure. On thecontrary, if the professor has a chance of working in a network company, he orshe would certainly understand how to construct a convenient and profitable computernetwork, and master the way of maintaining network. Providing the professorcould introduce these useful skills in the course of computer network, studentswould surely know the actual meaning of this course and such skills would be ofgreat benefit to students’ job hunting and future career. Only by how to change knowledgeinto practical utilization, could the value of these subjects berealized.
In the second place, faculty working outsidecould understand the latest development trends in relevant realms. Professorsmight choose the same books as references used in the courses, which means thecontents of textbooks would be unchangeable in a few years. If professors onlyprefer teaching knowledge printed in the textbooks, it is presumptuous forstudents to get the latest information about the subjects’ tendency, especiallyin some high-speed developing subjects, such as electronics and computer science.However, if professors could participate in the research process of newproducts in leading companies, up to date information could be brought tocourses, which incites students to further their study in correspondingsubjects.
However,not all subjects need professors to work outside the academic world. Professorsin some theoretical subjects, such as theory physics, theory mathematics and philosophy,should pay attention to the education of original academic knowledge. Theirfirst aim is to lead their students to carry through theoretical considerationin order to consummate existing knowledge or even create new theory. Hence,there is no need for them to spend time working outside.
Last yet importantly, even if working outside theacademic world could bring the latest and the most valuable knowledge tostudents, too much attention on outside work would still have a negativeinfluence on the quality of education. Professors should understand that theirthreshold is to teach courses to students well and roundly, and to complete essentialresearch in their academic world. If time permits, they could search for achance to work outside but still in their relevant fields. Nevertheless,suppose the outside work costs so much energy that professors have no time toprepare their lessons, the quality of teaching would certainly be lowered downno matter how useful skills or fresh information they could bring.
In sum, faculty could be encouraged to workoutside their academic world for useful skills and latest information. However,they should not devote too much energy to such outside work. They could searcha balance between work and teach. |
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