EFFECT OF TEACHING METHODS

The mode and methods of instruction have to be modified each semester and during the semester. There are some instructors/teachers who never do this. They stick to their old ways of teaching. I know of someone whose lecture notes and the test questions have never changed for the past decade. If you get hold of his notes and exam questions from a past student , who can pass his class with ease. So somebody can go through the class just by rot memory. Will getting an "A" in this class mean you have mastered the subject? Teaching requires a lot of preparation and getting to know the your students to ensure that they are all learning. It should not be like a drive-through "fast food" business. It must not be a one size fits all type of imparting knowledge. Teachers should modify their teaching methods each semester to suit the ever changing characteristics of each class. By surveying the class during the first few class meetings, the teacher should be able to develop a plan to be able to delivery to this group appropriately. It should not always be lecture, lecture, lecture! Sometimes, exploratory assignment should be given. I remember in my high school days, one of the good teaching techniques that the math instructor used was to get us to prove certain formulas such as the quadratic formula. After proving it, then you are asked to use it to answer specific questions. By taking time to prove  the formula, the student will never forget it because he/she knows how to derive it from scratch. 

The act of proving basic math formulas in our schools has vanishing with the advent of technology. Meanwhile, the same basic concepts are used in creating these technologies. For example, the "Order of operation" is so fundamental in math that it has to be understood at all cost since it is key in any programming language. This has to be explored to appreciate it. Without the proper use parenthesis, etc, not even the use of calculator will give you the right answer. Allowing students to explore will help them to avoid a lot of mistakes in future. There is not substitute to learning by doing. Instructors should therefore incorporate this into their lectures.

The type of test given should also be varied. Using multiple choice all the time is not a good practice. Some students are very good at guessing and they can pass without full understanding of the course. An instructor who truly cares about learning will incorporate other ways of testing such as short essays, oral exams, projects, etc. into the grading system. A well rounded student can then be produced and a true "A" can be given. "A" is a distinction grade and it means the student is exceptionally good. This grade has been cheapened for far too long. Let "A" be a true "A". It has to be earned.