Verbally bashed by lecturer

Yeam:
I'm just trying my luck here cause so far...almost all my econs courses
do not provide tute solutions...

Dear Tim,

I’m wondering if past tutorial solutions can be provided.

This shouldn’t lead to a decline in tutorial attendance since
participation marks will still be taken.

Yes, tutors try their best to go through all the tute questions every
week. As a result, they might not have spent a desirable amount of time
on each question, leaving students very little time to absorb what is
written on the board. But since answers are not provided in webct, we
have no choice but to copy first and ponder later.

Tutorial solution is a good guideline as to how to tackle exams at the
end of the semester. For some theoretical questions especially, tutors
tend to not write the answers on the board but just mention a few key
phrases here and there. When asked for the full answer at the end of the
tute, some replied, “They’re all in the textbook.”

We all know all the stuffs are in the textbook. It’s a matter of which
part of it should be written down in the exam. And tute solution will
give us an idea on which is the important point that answers a
particular question.

Also, if there’s an error in tute questions or solutions, you can always
post a corrected version in webct.

Please consider this, Tim. It really helps, as students, when you at
least know there’s a correct and standardise source to refer to,
especially when all tutors are different which results to slight
discrepancies amongst answers from different tutorial classes.

Thanks!

ps: To make it easier for you, you can choose to post a handwritten
solution instead of a typed one =)


Lecturer:
The short answer is NO. Please stop wasting my time by trying your
luck.

You are supposed to think about the problems before class and do
them. That way, in class you are just confirming your work with
your classmates' and tutor's discussion -- Not just frantically
copying answers down!

1. I frown upon students who just show up to tutorials to copy down
the answers. You will learn nothing that way. Tutorials are designed
for you to SHARE and learn from each other. NOT solely for tutors to
tell you the answer. Tutors are not expected to cover every question
in class. If they run out of time, you are supposed to have tried
the questions yourself. Go see your tutor afterwards to check, if
you are keen.

2. University education is not about rote learning what answers go
with what questions. If you do not THINK and TRY solving problems
yourself, you will not do well in the exams.

3. The exams will test your ability to apply skills that you have
exercised YOURSELF to creatively solve new problems. If you memorize
solutions to tutorial problems and examples,without USING YOUR BRAIN,
you will be wasting your time in this course.

4. The university is not a Degree vending machine where you put
money in and expect a degree at the end without using your brain.

Yeam:
Tim,

Your response sounds blunt and lacks sense of humour, which is a bit
unlike you.

Obviously, you dislike students who don't think and try. That's fine
with me.

Now think about students who actually do.

We try solving tute problems ourselves before class. Understandably, we
won't get it 100% right but we'll absorb more from tute by even attempting.

You mentioned that tutes are designed for us to learn from each other.
My friend and I did just that and we realised discrepancies in some of
our tutors' answers (we're of 2 different tutors).

I then consulted a tutor to check out the correct answer and find out
where my mistakes were. But how about the rest of my tutorial-mates who
noted down the wrong answer from the board?

You would've answered, "If they're keen, they'll consult tutors and find
out themselves too."

Is this practical? Wouldn't it be more productive for consultation times
to be spent on understanding and grasping the right solution, rather
than correcting the same error numerous times?

Regarding exams, memorising w/o brain is a waste of time. But exercising
creativity w/o brain would've led to a similar result. You've dealt with
lots of students. You would've known by now that some students have
unique economics interpretation which differs from answer scheme.
They're not wrong...but just different.

Tim, you're probably gonna think why am I stupidly convincing you,
knowing that you're unlikely to change you stand.

But I'm just not satisfied with the fact that you underestimated
what tute solutions mean to students, the hardworking one that is. Since
they're only provided at the end of the week, it wouldn't stop students
from attempting the questions first before tute.

Solutions clarify errors which confuse students unecessarily. They teach
us techniques to answer questions and bring us back on the right track,
just in case our creativity takes us too far.

Memorising won't be a good idea since you won't be setting the same
questions for finals anyway. But all these drills enhance students'
examination skills and more importantly, improve our economic
intuition.

Lecturer:
Shin Yau:

I'm sorry if you feel differently to our no-spoon-feeding policy.
As you acknowledged in your first bulletin post:

"I'm just trying my luck here cause so far...almost all my econs
courses do not provide tute solutions..."

I, or my tutors, won't be the first to give out our tutorial answers.
We want you to make a positive contribution to discussions in
tutorials. Not to just sit there and "absorb".

Please come and see me in person if you are still dissatisfied with
this outcome. You know where my office is.