MIT photography course materials freely available online

Paul Storm, you should learn to read before you hit reply.

What you don't get is, professors, instead of trying to explain the *why* in a concise, complete, and prepared message with a few powerful examples, professors tend to fill time with weak examples and crudely prepared lectures.

Also, you should really watch the video lectures in this article you seem to be defending before making such a bold statement. As far as lectures go, they are a model example of what I'm talking about, and don't represent at all what you are saying.

Also, are you saying Lynda.com only has how to, and never discuss the "why" of photography? I'm guessing you haven't seen much of Lynda's content either.

Michael:

As a professor, I do not disagree that some professors could make more efficient use of time, and could use improved teaching methods. But the scope of generalization is what concerns me, and is simply not the reality I've witnessed in teaching at two major (U.S.) state universities.

In a photography curriculum, encompassing several courses addressing a wide range of concerns - technique, theory, historical/contemporary contexts, etc. - success is dependent on a variety instructional approaches; approaches that create a well rounded experience for students.

(Cont.)

You may have some instructors that are amazing artists, whose lecture methods might not be the most efficient. Yet what they foster in terms of development may be based on intense one on one interaction, or creating an environment of growth in some other manner. Conversely, you might have some instructors who are just teaching machines (pedagogic wonders of efficient dissemination of information). Perhaps they are not even practicing artists, but have their s**t together i.e. solid technical chops.
In both of these hypothetical situations, students hopefully take away something from each experience. And to access the relative delights of diverse instructional methods, students need time to process experiences. And they need time to learn from each other (something often under-acknowledged in terms of importance).

(Cont.)

Despite so many pressures to rush students to competency/workforce readiness/whatever, and reduce quality of instruction to standardized metrics, the totality of an educational experience may be looked back upon as development needing time to soak in information and influence, and employ it with some degree of unhurried perspective.

Michael, I fully recognize that you are not dismissing the value of an educational program - you stated that very clearly.

My take: any MIT efforts to extend access to content is a sum positive. And so are other resources, such as the one you cite. They are simply directed in different ways and needn't be traded off against each other.

I second B CRAW's comments. Higher education should be more than "down-loading course material". Ideally it's an environment a student can escape into, to immerse him/herself in for a while outside of the real world and question, experiment, reflect. The professor doesn't need to be a know-it-all, end-all resource. He/she needs to be an instigator, a provocateur, a coach. Someone who can push the student beyond their comfort zone and status quo.

And to Michael Ma, that's a poor teacher who has to "figure out" how to fill class time. That guy is punching his time card, not education students.

Good discussion!

Keep in mind that professors deal with students, who are typically young and have not had years of experience with the materials. Short, compact lectures may not let things 'sink in' as well as slower paced lectures. Also there is more time for students to ask questions in lectures. As such, lectures are not designed to be presented as an online, non-interactive teaching tool. That said, I don't disagree that many, many lectures are truly long, boring and ineffective.

Exactly! Most schools and courses are grossly inefficient and a huge waste of time in delivering knowledge. Much of it is to justify the existence of so many teachers and school administrators. I've learned far more on my own in a fraction of the time than I ever did in college.

"I think your opinion is largely a convenient fantasy, and shared by many others in frustrating times. ....above the department administrative level I have been vocal in criticism of waste"

A huge part of teacher student time is spent on irrelevant bullsh$t. The process of teaching something shouldn't be complicated and time wasting. Be clear and get to the damn point I used to say to myself to teachers. If you can't be,then you shouldn't be teaching.

Schools could save time by eliminating note taking. Give the students all the course info and lecture notes upfront so they can focus on learning. Some teachers do, most don't. Use the time saved to help eliminate unnecessary homework. Allow advanced students to test their way out of any course, or entirely. Help such students graduate early. Most non-lab courses could be put online! Zero tolerance policies on disturbances and misbehavior. Give students incentive to learn and perform like no homework, getting out early. Etc, etc.