Lecturers NOT emailing back

StrawberryJazz

I need advice.

I've heard this is rampant all over campus but I've emailed two different lecturers about pretty important things (exam and assignments) and they haven't gotten back to me at all. Both of these lecturers have emailed the class before so I know they are not technically challenged.

What to do? Its really important but I don't want to annoy them. Time is ticking. I'd see them in person but one lecturer finished our module last semester and the other one you need an appointment to go see, but she wont answer my email to make one ...ergo...awkward! :mad:Its also a sticky enough subject so she probably will not entertain talking to me at the end of a lecture.

What does one do?!?

El Siglo

You do know that for nearly all lecturers, lecturing undergrads is probably one of their lowest priorities, and in fairness when it comes to assignments an exams, the whole "if I had a penny for every time an undergrad asked about these, I could pay off the bailout" is pretty applicable. Anyway, they have office hours allocated to seeing undergrads, you could always see them then. If it's something really mental, you could see your tutor. Other than that, wait for a reply, don't piss them off by pestering them. I'm doing a PhD and it's even hard for me to see my supervisors some times.

Denerick

Unfortunately a few people ruin it for everyone. There are always a couple of neurotic types who send a countless stream of emails to lecturers about anything and everything that might concern them at that particular hour. As a result, college lecturers rightly view undergraduates as either a nuisance or a distraction, or both.

RoddyUsher

The office hour is your best bet. All lecturers are available to meet students with concerns. If you teach on courses with up to 500 students, many sending off emails about often trivial things, it is understandable (although yes unprofessional) that many go unanswered. There is also the most incredible information overload going on in the college email in general.

StrawberryJazz

El Siglo wrote: »

You do know that for nearly all lecturers, lecturing undergrads is probably one of their lowest priorities, and in fairness when it comes to assignments an exams, the whole "if I had a penny for every time an undergrad asked about these, I could pay off the bailout" is pretty applicable. Anyway, they have office hours allocated to seeing undergrads, you could always see them then. If it's something really mental, you could see your tutor. Other than that, wait for a reply, don't piss them off by pestering them. I'm doing a PhD and it's even hard for me to see my supervisors some times.

I totally appreciate they have other things to do but they are being paid to help me become qualified. Im not asking them the same questions they hear every day or just haven't been paying attention. The matter is extremely personal and important to me. I am pretty sure one of my exams was corrected wrong

It was just be nice if I even got an "Im busy sorry" response...

Figerty

This is an absoultely disgraceful comment. If lecturers in TCD regard undergraduate student as a nuisance or a distraction then those academics are not worthy of the postion they hold.

Like it or not Undergraduates are the bread and butter work of academics and are the major source of funding to colleges. To say that these are to be regarded as a problem rather than the centre of attention is disgraceful

If there are a few students who cause a difficulty then it is the lecturers job to deal with these and not ignore those, like the op, who have genuine concerns.

OP, do you have class rep? call on them to deal with the problem

Denerick wrote: »

Unfortunately a few people ruin it for everyone. There are always a couple of neurotic types who send a countless stream of emails to lecturers about anything and everything that might concern them at that particular hour. As a result, college lecturers rightly view undergraduates as either a nuisance or a distraction, or both.

andrew

Go to their office hours instead?

investment

Most of the lecture's un TCD I've come across are wanker's !!

I emailed a lecture before about a concern. To get a reply saying " I don't have time for silly questions, I'm not a teacher, I'm a lecturer "

I replied " Yeah you're not a teacher, you're a wanker"

That shut him up!!

kippy

Figerty wrote: »

This is an absoultely disgraceful comment. If lecturers in TCD regard undergraduate student as a nuisance or a distraction then those academics are not worthy of the postion they hold.

Like it or not Undergraduates are the bread and butter work of academics and are the major source of funding to colleges. To say that these are to be regarded as a problem rather than the centre of attention is disgraceful

If there are a few students who cause a difficulty then it is the lecturers job to deal with these and not ignore those, like the op, who have genuine concerns.

OP, do you have class rep? call on them to deal with the problem

I agree,
If attitude go around with the attitude that some here believe that they do then they should be reviewed very closely.
While there is no evidence to suggest that the two lecturers the OP has contacted have not gotten back to him because they believe they are above the job of supporting the undergrads, if they arent getting back because of this it is a disgrace.

StrawberryJazz

Figerty wrote: »

OP, do you have class rep? call on them to deal with the problem

Problem is, I am the class rep:p

Not a clue what to do. I can think of an entire department of lecturers who should be hung from the bell tower for their lack of dedication to teaching...if they don't support undergrads where the hell do they expect postgrads to emerge from?

Denerick

I don't blame the lecturers. They have to deal with spoiled and priviliged private school children who were spoonfed their entire academic life up to now. If they regard undergraduates as a whole with a certain degree of disdain, then surely that is the undergraduate's fault for creating a master race of academic cynics.

StrawberryJazz

Denerick wrote: »

I don't blame the lecturers. They have to deal with spoiled and priviliged private school children who were spoonfed their entire academic life up to now. If they regard undergraduates as a whole with a certain degree of disdain, then surely that is the undergraduate's fault for creating a master race of academic cynics.

I was one of those privileged private school children and the first thing I was taught was manners.

If youre paid to do a job, you put your elitist opinions and irks aside and just answer the poor student trying hard to pass your subject. Otherwise get out of the education system.

kippy

Denerick wrote: »

I don't blame the lecturers. They have to deal with spoiled and priviliged private school children who were spoonfed their entire academic life up to now. If they regard undergraduates as a whole with a certain degree of disdain, then surely that is the undergraduate's fault for creating a master race of academic cynics.

You'd swear lecturers were never undergrads at some point in their lives.......

While I am sure certain undergrads do take the pi$$ and expect more than is fair lecturers have a duty to all the undergrads they lecture to, without the undergrads, most of them wouldn't have a job.

RubyRoss

investment wrote: »

Most of the lecture's un TCD I've come across are wanker's !!

Don't some make the same point about Trinity students?

Figerty

I am a Lecturer. Not in TCD thank god if this attitiude pervades the system. I have the utmost respect for my students and the patience to deal with their quieries. Very often a student comes to me with a problem, but in reality there are deeper issues underlying the problem.

You have made sweeping generlisations here about academics that I regard as disgraceful. The undergraduates are exactly that, undergraduates who should be learning from the examples set by interaction with those they encounter along the way.

If we, as academics, do not take time to meet students on a human level with common decency then god help the society we are responsible for. There is only one thing in life that matters and that is the human

Your attitude smacks of the Seanie Fitzpatrick brigage of I'm all-right-jack..the little people are a nuisance.

Denerick wrote: »

I don't blame the lecturers. They have to deal with spoiled and priviliged private school children who were spoonfed their entire academic life up to now. If they regard undergraduates as a whole with a certain degree of disdain, then surely that is the undergraduate's fault for creating a master race of academic cynics.

RoddyUsher

"Most of the lecture's un TCD I've come across are wanker's !!"

third level education! an Investment gone wrong I'd say

Snow joke

third level education! an Investment gone wrong I'd say

What investment? we get college for free? I really am tired of people complaining about reg fees, you pay 2k a year for that, and even 5 or 7k for repeats, thats nothing in comparison to other countries.

As for the OP Most of the lecturers i have met from the Hamilton end have been fantastic. I am re entering college this year and have gotten an amazing amount of help from several lecturers.
If all fails with your tutor, go higher up.

Which course are you doing?

RoddyUsher

I'm pointing to the sloppy English of the poster - whose handle is "investment". Nothing else

gearoidof

It was appreciated

investment

RoddyUsher wrote: »

I'm pointing to the sloppy English of the poster - whose handle is "investment". Nothing else

whatever:rolleyes:

Denerick

@figerty: You're probably a young academic, not yet overwhelmed by the nauseating mass of privilige and whinge that is the average Irish undergraduate. You haven't yet succumbed to the cynical instinct, the automatic hatred of all people below the age of 22. Your time will come though, that is inevitable.

Fo Real

Denerick, you seem to be a deeply cynical and disturbed character who holds the rest of his contemporaries with the utmost contempt. It's as if you've chosen to outcast yourself from the mainstream student body, which you feel is inferior to thou. (In fact, you've explicitly announced similar attitudes to Irish people as a whole previously, but perhaps this is veering off-topic).

You were once an undergrad below the age of 22. Looking back, do you hold the same hatred for yourself back then? It's as if you're ahead of your time - you've reached middle age too soon and have transformed into a grumpy old man.

fishtastico

I have to say, after demonstrating to JF, SF and JS as well as being in the lab with SS project students during the year, I can't say I blame lecturers for not bothering to reply.

While there are students that are genuinely interested in learning, there are plenty more that don't seem to give a toss about the subjects and suddenly become interested when they realise they haven't a clue what'll be on the exam.

I couldn't count the times that a lecturer will give a lab talk explaining what to do, with the students also having a lab book detailing what to do, and we STILL get asked so many questions because they just never even bothered to read the book.

I can only imagine it's so much worse for a lecturer, especially on the science end who are under so much pressure to secure funding

kippy

Snow joke wrote: »

What investment? we get college for free? I really am tired of people complaining about reg fees, you pay 2k a year for that, and even 5 or 7k for repeats, thats nothing in comparison to other countries.

As for the OP Most of the lecturers i have met from the Hamilton end have been fantastic. I am re entering college this year and have gotten an amazing amount of help from several lecturers.
If all fails with your tutor, go higher up.

Which course are you doing?

We get college for free? Do we really?
Who pays these lecturers - where does the money they earn come from?

Education is far from free and while each individual student doesnt pay directly for it, they will some day.

Denerick

Fo Real wrote: »

Denerick, you seem to be a deeply cynical and disturbed character who holds the rest of his contemporaries with the utmost contempt. It's as if you've chosen to outcast yourself from the mainstream student body, which you feel is inferior to thou. (In fact, you've explicitly announced similar attitudes to Irish people as a whole previously, but perhaps this is veering off-topic).

You were once an undergrad below the age of 22. Looking back, do you hold the same hatred for yourself back then? It's as if you're ahead of your time - you've reached middle age too soon and have transformed into a grumpy old man.

Actually I'm merely trolling. You on the other hand believe tsunami's and famines in third world countries are a 'victory' for the 'white race', so I don't think you're really in a position to throw stones.

Snow joke

kippy wrote: »

We get college for free? Do we really?
Who pays these lecturers - where does the money they earn come from?

Education is far from free and while each individual student doesnt pay directly for it, they will some day.

The government pays it, who else? and they pay it when they pay taxes, big swing. By the way, we are paying for it, its all part of the recession. How much do you think it costs to put a student through college, never mind a med student, the figures are incredible.

The individual would eventually pay it back in about 100 years or paying tax or so, but even at that, why should the tax payer have to fork over money to train a student so said student can feck off to a different country to work? furthermore, why should tax payers pay for dumb sh*ts to go to college just for the hell of it only to drop out a year later?

StrawberryJazz

fishtastico wrote: »

While there are students that are genuinely interested in learning, there are plenty more that don't seem to give a toss about the subjects and suddenly become interested when they realise they haven't a clue what'll be on the exam.

I couldn't count the times that a lecturer will give a lab talk explaining what to do, with the students also having a lab book detailing what to do, and we STILL get asked so many questions because they just never even bothered to read the book.

Quite honestly if you've repeatedly stated what to do and your students still dont understand, you have to explain it in another way. Its the lecturers job to make their subject as accessible as possible.
If the students aren't interested then youre not interesting and have no business in the education system.

Im not saying lecturers need to be entertainers but not caring enough to engage with your students no longer cuts the mustard.
This generation demands the best they can get. Annoying and all as it is for academic hermits...

RoddyUsher

I'm afraid that is not how third level teachers are trained or understand their job. We are involved in adult education where the student has a high level of autonomy and responsibility for their own work. Much information is provided but the expectation, and the design of the system, requires learners to do a lot of independent work beyond what is taught in lectures, tutorials, demonstrations etc. It has always been this way and in most countries continues to operate this way. Some of the frustration going on here is about the failure of students to grasp this fact and essentially go and explore and read material in a grown up way. A bit more of this might lessen the level of "venting" going on here.

Trog

RoddyUsher wrote: »

I'm afraid that is not how third level teachers are trained or understand their job. We are involved in adult education where the student has a high level of autonomy and responsibility for their own work. Much information is provided but the expectation, and the design of the system, requires learners to do a lot of independent work beyond what is taught in lectures, tutorials, demonstrations etc. It has always been this way and in most countries continues to operate this way. Some of the frustration going on here is about the failure of students to grasp this fact and essentially go and explore and read material in a grown up way. A bit more of this might lessen the level of "venting" going on here.

This.

Lecturers shouldn't ignore their students but at the end of the day most of them get hundreds of email per day, and a lot of that is students coming from 2nd level expecting to be taught as opposed to learning for themselves.

I'm not saying they should ignore all undergrads who contact them, but if sometimes when trying to filter through the inane queries a genuine one slips through the net, then I can understand.

At the end of the day, if you email a lecturer and don't get a response, they have an office and the department have a secretary, go see if you can get a quick word, even to tell them you emailed them. Then if they don't respond you're fully entitled to complain.

For the record, I've always found lecturers in my course to be very helpful as long as the query is relevant. If you've read the material etc and have a constructive question based on your own ideas they tend to enjoy the conversation. If you are asking what they want you to say they don't. In my experience, they even offer a lot of help if you simply don't understand something, which is more than I would expect, to be honest.
One or two lecturers I've dealt with have been abrasive generally, but some people are dicks. That's life, just because you're their student, it doesn't mean they are going to be less of a dick.

OP, if your essay was graded wrong, there's an appeals process, you don't have to deal directly with the lecturer. If you want to, it's frustrating, but you just have to actively seek them out and ask them face to face.

gearoidof

Bit hard to put in an extra hour per course when you're given 40 hour weeks...

kippy

Snow joke wrote: »

The government pays it, who else? and they pay it when they pay taxes, big swing. By the way, we are paying for it, its all part of the recession. How much do you think it costs to put a student through college, never mind a med student, the figures are incredible.

The individual would eventually pay it back in about 100 years or paying tax or so, but even at that, why should the tax payer have to fork over money to train a student so said student can feck off to a different country to work? furthermore, why should tax payers pay for dumb sh*ts to go to college just for the hell of it only to drop out a year later?

Thats got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with what I said.
The point I made was that despite the student not directly paying the lecturer, the lecturer is getting paid by the state (generally and generally very well) to do a job, ie pass on their knowledge and assist the undergrad.
So while you make the point that the students arent paying that much for this service, the lecturer is getting paid really well (in general) to do a job - if they treat undergrads like some here would suggest then I would think they dont deserve that level of renumeration.

Why should the tax payer fund students - well thats a totally different kettle of fish - and again, as in other threads on similar subjects, I make the point that right throughout society people support other people through their taxes in many ways shapes and forms and to question one level of support opens the door to questioning all levels of support.

kippy

RoddyUsher wrote: »

I'm afraid that is not how third level teachers are trained or understand their job. We are involved in adult education where the student has a high level of autonomy and responsibility for their own work. Much information is provided but the expectation, and the design of the system, requires learners to do a lot of independent work beyond what is taught in lectures, tutorials, demonstrations etc. It has always been this way and in most countries continues to operate this way. Some of the frustration going on here is about the failure of students to grasp this fact and essentially go and explore and read material in a grown up way. A bit more of this might lessen the level of "venting" going on here.

While this may be the assumption there are situations that occur whereby the student MUST interact with the lecturer to get either more information or have a query which is not answered elsewhere answered. That is a lot different from "independent learning and autonomy".
If adults are expected to have a high level of autonomy and responsibility one could ask why have the lecturer at all? Give the student the materials........the slides.......let them sit the exams- cut out the middle man altogether.

alejandro1977

StrawberryJazz wrote: »

I need advice.

I've heard this is rampant all over campus but I've emailed two different lecturers about pretty important things (exam and assignments) and they haven't gotten back to me at all. Both of these lecturers have emailed the class before so I know they are not technically challenged.

What to do? Its really important but I don't want to annoy them. Time is ticking. I'd see them in person but one lecturer finished our module last semester and the other one you need an appointment to go see, but she wont answer my email to make one ...ergo...awkward! :mad:Its also a sticky enough subject so she probably will not entertain talking to me at the end of a lecture.

What does one do?!?

Pick up the telephone?

A friend of mine is a lecturer. He's sick of students emailing him over trivial matters, especially when the course material/ exam schedule / lab schedule has already been explained.

If it's about the scheduling of a lab/exam the school/department secretary should know the answer. If you're too embarrassed to contact the secretary because it seems trivial then it probably is.

P.S. The standard of punctuation (never mind logic and manners) on this thread is appalling. For a TCD forum I would expect better.

P.P.S. OP: your use of (or lack thereof) the first person singular in your last sentence leaves a lot to be desired. Hint : incorrect use of "one" leaves you looking pretentious as well as silly...

StrawberryJazz

alejandro1977 wrote: »

Pick up the telephone?

A friend of mine is a lecturer. He's sick of students emailing him over trivial matters, especially when the course material/ exam schedule / lab schedule has already been explained.

P.P.S. OP: your use of (or lack thereof) the first person singular in your last sentence leaves a lot to be desired. Hint : incorrect use of "one" leaves you looking pretentious as well as silly...

With all due respect alejandro1977, one can f*ck off. . .

Thank you to everyone for your help. Not to get too much into it, but the matter in question is regarding a grade given on a continuous assessment test, the nature of which is a tricky topic. If she hasn't emailed me back its because she doesn't want to deal with the logistics of being wrong. Its not trivial at all.

I'd rather not get my tutor or appeals involved because it may look like I am trying to undermine her and in fairness, I don't want to embarrass her.

alejandro1977

StrawberryJazz wrote: »

With all due respect alejandro1977, one can f*ck off. . .

Thank you to everyone for your help. Not to get too much into it, but the matter in question is regarding a grade given on a continuous assessment test, the nature of which is a tricky topic. If she hasn't emailed me back its because she doesn't want to deal with the logistics of being wrong. Its not trivial at all.

With that level of wit I'm not surprised you're appealing your grade.

Put it in writing if you feel seriously wronged. Otherwise suck it up. And I don't mean Monica Lewinsky style. Though that might be the only way the lecturer will bother to pay attention to a juvenile undergraduate like you.

I'd rather not get my tutor or appeals involved because it may look like I am trying to undermine her and in fairness, I don't want to embarrass her.

You are trying to undermine her. You are embarrassing yourself (in fairness).

investment

Denerick wrote: »

Actually I'm merely trolling.

:eek: You should be banned so, that's illegal around here

where are the mods when you need them?

Denerick

investment wrote: »

:eek: You such be banned so, that's illegal around here or trinity

where are the mods when you need them?

Give me a troll over a halfwit any day.

ApeXaviour

Infraction for Denerick.

Closing this thread too.