Does Professor Quality Matter?

[sylvan8798]

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@colmomto2

Another thing to consider: If lower division classes are tested via a departmental exam, why have a prof teach those courses? Might as well turn them over to TA’s who can simply teach to the test.

I have been an adjunct, as well as a TA for courses where everyone had the same final. The instructors teach the X number of chapters of the material required for the course. In calculus and physics, it’s not like there is much variation in what they can cover. Everyone uses the same text. The next professor down the line expects everyone to have covered material X. Since the finals are not even made until the last week of classes, it’s not like people can “teach to the exam.”</p>

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How many of you complain(ed) when a TA taught a course? You want(ed) a prof to teach you the material. Why? That prof is an expert in a certain area. What a waste to have a prof teach Calc 3 or Physics 1 or Orgo 1 if that prof is only spoon-feeding that material as outlined by the department. A TA can do that at a lower cost and, thus, free up the prof to teach upper division courses and grad courses more relevant to their area of expertise.

I take it you don’t have much regard for TA’s. Did you ever have any yourself? After nearly 300 credit hours, I no longer automatically hold profs up to such high regard.</p>