My Professor and Me, Part I

Yesterday Bill provided a response to PhD Savvy’s blog about students demanding “timely interactions” with professors. They both discuss the role of teaching at a research university. I will address both of their blogs in three ways: First, the role of teaching at research universities today, second, the role of teaching at universities in the future, and third, the implications of these roles on student/professor relationships.

The Now

Do professors teach to research? I don’t know, and I don’t care. Here’s what I do know: I’ve had both good and bad professors, fewer good than bad. The content knowledge is usually apparent. The ability to facilitate the transfer and then measure the aquisition of knowledge is lacking.

Pedagogy seems to be a byline at research universities; many of the professional development “workshops” only address surface level teaching strategies, i.e. know your students’ names and create a syllabus. It is true that research is most prized. As a result, maybe professors don’t have the proper impetus to improve.

My advice to PhD Savvy: Take the best. Leave the rest. Do not let a professor ruin your educational experience–that’s easier said than done. A PhD student, however, is not likely to change the priorities of a professor or shape of the research university, yet.

Tomorrow I will tell you why students will soon command much more attention from professors and universities.

Randy Clemens