Everyone hates school at some point (or all the time) in their life. Whether it be due to the drain caused by grinding away at assignment after assignment, a grand amount of time researching diligently (or major stress over a short amount of time researching) for a paper, or a stress filled few days of studying for tests. Sometimes though, one can hate school because of those whom are paid to teach the students. Those whose job it is, and who get paid by the student to generate an education. Some maybe most of these professors do not do their job well. There are some though who try their best and hardest to do as little for the student as possible.
I know a girl who has run into such-a-one.
She is an accounting major and is in a managerial economics class (req course) this quarter. An economics class which her professor seems to be trying his hardest to not actually put much effort into teaching. I reveal this because it he apparently has choosen to use an internet program called Aplia for their homework. Students receive homework from the program, as well as obtain scores from on the accuracy of the homework returned to the program. The professor's interaction with the program is slim to nill. The most interaction he has with their homework is in the form of receiving scores so he can painstakingly record them in the grading book for their class. Seeing as how the homework is worth 15% in this class one cannot flatly ignore it and hope to do well in the class. And oh wait--did I mention this program costs the student $35.00? Money out of their own pocket. Good beer money! This fee is on top of tuition and the rest of the obligatory fees that go along with it. Now I know what some of your are going to say. There are fees on top of tuition for art and science classes as well. This I know and I feel for your. But these are fees with precedent as well as far more necessary than in an economics class. Having to pay for supplies for art and science go back as far as the Middle Ages). But this is economics people! Bloody freaking economics. Its the psychology of the market thats freaking it. This professor is apparently so obtuse and hard hearted about doing actual work at his job, that he is not willing to to make up and correct homework himself. Other professors in other departments seem toget along organizing and grading homework for their classes. And believe me I really doubt the amount of grading that would have to go on for him exceeds at all that which those who teach English and History courses have to endure. One more thing. A bit more trivial but interesting nonetheless. The homework assigned by Aplia has no direct connection to what is tested on. What is tested on is the information provided in the book assigned for the class which is a heafty expense in itself. Anyway--I digress nor That is not the reason for this blog. The reason for the blog is the following:
The homework program had a certain amount of time one could try it out before one had to pay in order to use it. This time expired as of last sunday (April 26, 2008). This girl forgot to do her homework (which was also due that day) at her own faul, as well as forgetting to pay the fee. I am not aware of when she paid I only know she has at this point. the email I am about to describe may have been the reminder, or she may have done it inbetween the expiration date of her trial time and the email. That having been said it is the email that I am so enfuriated about and is the main point of contention. In an email Wednesday morning (April 29, 2008) her professor kindly informed her of her obligation to pay for the Aplia program.
He said, "No one gets a free lunch. You have to pay aplia 35 dollars. asap."
No salutation, no ending address, just those simple fourteen words. He seems to have taken his consideratness and tact lessons from our illustrious commander and chief. I have informed my friend she should forward the message along with her thoughts on the matter to the provost/vice president of the university. Upon that the possible failure for that to generate an appropriate response she she should forward it to the appropriate media organizations.
What are your thoughts on this? What do you think she should do? Do you feel the program is an appropriate use of money? Do you think it is a poor refection on anyone involved and who? (For the record, her complaints about the program to the chair went unheeded) If there is more information anyone would like before input is given I will be happy to oblige. I don't want to divulge the names quite yet (if at all), but I will keep those who (if any) read this up to date.
Oh, and about the title. If you haven't guessed why this blog is entitled the way it is I will spell it out. In response to hearing this story himself my father eloquently pointed out that it seems the one thing my friend is quite plainly being taught is how to screw the customer because this particular professor employed by this particular college at this particular university is doing just that.
I'm sure there is a lesson here. There must be a way in which I can see Deus curans ob flores. Perhaps that shall be Act II.
I know a girl who has run into such-a-one.
She is an accounting major and is in a managerial economics class (req course) this quarter. An economics class which her professor seems to be trying his hardest to not actually put much effort into teaching. I reveal this because it he apparently has choosen to use an internet program called Aplia for their homework. Students receive homework from the program, as well as obtain scores from on the accuracy of the homework returned to the program. The professor's interaction with the program is slim to nill. The most interaction he has with their homework is in the form of receiving scores so he can painstakingly record them in the grading book for their class. Seeing as how the homework is worth 15% in this class one cannot flatly ignore it and hope to do well in the class. And oh wait--did I mention this program costs the student $35.00? Money out of their own pocket. Good beer money! This fee is on top of tuition and the rest of the obligatory fees that go along with it. Now I know what some of your are going to say. There are fees on top of tuition for art and science classes as well. This I know and I feel for your. But these are fees with precedent as well as far more necessary than in an economics class. Having to pay for supplies for art and science go back as far as the Middle Ages). But this is economics people! Bloody freaking economics. Its the psychology of the market thats freaking it. This professor is apparently so obtuse and hard hearted about doing actual work at his job, that he is not willing to to make up and correct homework himself. Other professors in other departments seem toget along organizing and grading homework for their classes. And believe me I really doubt the amount of grading that would have to go on for him exceeds at all that which those who teach English and History courses have to endure. One more thing. A bit more trivial but interesting nonetheless. The homework assigned by Aplia has no direct connection to what is tested on. What is tested on is the information provided in the book assigned for the class which is a heafty expense in itself. Anyway--I digress nor That is not the reason for this blog. The reason for the blog is the following:
The homework program had a certain amount of time one could try it out before one had to pay in order to use it. This time expired as of last sunday (April 26, 2008). This girl forgot to do her homework (which was also due that day) at her own faul, as well as forgetting to pay the fee. I am not aware of when she paid I only know she has at this point. the email I am about to describe may have been the reminder, or she may have done it inbetween the expiration date of her trial time and the email. That having been said it is the email that I am so enfuriated about and is the main point of contention. In an email Wednesday morning (April 29, 2008) her professor kindly informed her of her obligation to pay for the Aplia program.
He said, "No one gets a free lunch. You have to pay aplia 35 dollars. asap."
No salutation, no ending address, just those simple fourteen words. He seems to have taken his consideratness and tact lessons from our illustrious commander and chief. I have informed my friend she should forward the message along with her thoughts on the matter to the provost/vice president of the university. Upon that the possible failure for that to generate an appropriate response she she should forward it to the appropriate media organizations.
What are your thoughts on this? What do you think she should do? Do you feel the program is an appropriate use of money? Do you think it is a poor refection on anyone involved and who? (For the record, her complaints about the program to the chair went unheeded) If there is more information anyone would like before input is given I will be happy to oblige. I don't want to divulge the names quite yet (if at all), but I will keep those who (if any) read this up to date.
Oh, and about the title. If you haven't guessed why this blog is entitled the way it is I will spell it out. In response to hearing this story himself my father eloquently pointed out that it seems the one thing my friend is quite plainly being taught is how to screw the customer because this particular professor employed by this particular college at this particular university is doing just that.
I'm sure there is a lesson here. There must be a way in which I can see Deus curans ob flores. Perhaps that shall be Act II.
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