As mentioned in my first couple of entries regarding the Audio Technology lecturer (here and here), I got so pissed off that I knew I couldn't handle having him as the lecturer for the upcoming Video Technology module too. I asked a few of my classmates what they thought about requesting for a change of lecturers, and they agreed with me when I told them I was planning to request it from the Head Of Programme (HOP) for the Multimedia Technology & Design course.

The e-mail I sent out to the HOP are mostly the same things I mentioned in the e-mail to the Audio Technology lecturer, albeit more condensed.

Dear Dr XXXX XXX,

My name is Zulkifly and I'm writing on behalf of several members of Dr XXXXX XXXXX's Audio Technology class. We have been having a lot of difficulty understanding what he had been trying to teach, and would like to request a change of lecturers for the upcoming Video Technology class that will also be taught by him.

Our request comes from the hope that we will be able to learn from a lecturer who can explain the material properly and competently without going round in circles. We find some, if not most, of his explanations incomprehensible as well, partly due to his heavy accent and mispronunciations of words. We find that during most of the seminars, we do not understand what Dr XXXXX XXXXX is trying to explain, not because we don't understand the topic at hand (some of us who have some engineering background were able to figure out what he would be trying - but failing - to explain while the rest who are not so lucky, wouldn't be able to understand him at all), but because a huge percentage of the time we would be scratching our heads, literally, in frustration, trying to decipher what he had just said.

We sent Dr XXXXX XXXXX an email some time ago, stating the challenges that we had been facing in his classes, and I am glad to say that he replied positively, and really seems to be taking our suggestions and trying to adjust his teaching style, but unfortunately, we feel that it is not enough and we fear that his lack of teaching skills will cause us to fail our module.

Dr XXXXX XXXXX seems to be a very good, and nice, person though. We just feel that we deserve a better learning experience than what he can provide us.

We hope you appreciate our honest, straightforward feedback, and approve our request for a change of lecturers for the upcoming Video Technology module after the one week break.

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

Zulkifly Bin Maidin

CC : XXXX
CC : XXXXX XXXXX
CC : XXXXXXX XXXX

Although the lecturer was really crappy in teaching, honestly he really seemed like he was trying and seemed like a nice guy. I figured since I was e-mailing his boss (right? Hierarchically, the HOP is above the lecturers?), I'd put in a good word or two after blasting his ass. The HOP replied 2 days later :

Dear Zul and friends,

Thanks for your feedback. I appreciate that. Sorry it took me some time to reply, as I had a whole day compulsory meeting.

There were some complex issues with the previous lecturer, so Dr XXXXX was hired as a new lecturer to replace the previous one. Although Dr XXXXX is new, I can sense his passion to teach. This is a plus point. Everyone has some plus points and some minus points be it in professional life or personal life. I'll have a chat with Dr XXXXX either this week or next week to see how I can help.

Meanwhile I ask that you kindly be patient with Dr XXXXX and, if possible, provide polite feedback to him directly rather than to give feedback at the end of the semester. Feedbacks at the end of semester will benefit the next batch of students while feedback during semester will be immediately beneficial to you.

Will you be OK if I forward this email (including your email below) to Dr XXXXX? This is to ensure that none of your points raised are missed out.

Best regards,

Dr XXX.

Noticed that he never mentioned anything about the possibility of a change of lecturers, and just asked that we "kindly be patient" with the lecturer. I know a change of lecturers is possible 'cause I remember reading it somewhere in the UniSIM website. I tried searching for it again, but I can no longer find it. The only reference close to this was in the FAQ page on the question "Can I request to change my tutorial group?", and that stated, "We are unable to accomodate requests from students to change lecture and/or tutorial group."

The UniSIM Student Handbook also stated, "Due to the large number of UniSIM students and the many combinations of courses taken by students, it is not possible to assign students to their preferred groups. Please be advised that UniSIM is unable to accommodate requests from students to change tutorial, lecture or seminar group. Students must stay in the specified group throughout the semester or academic year." But this is talking about a student's "preferred" tutorial or lecture group, and this is not the case for my group of friends. We are pissed off because of an unskilled lecturer, who fails in communication, let alone imparting knowledge.

I had also called UniSIM's administration hotline regarding a change of lecturers, and after telling the gist of the situation to the person who answered, she confirmed that we can request a change of lecturers by e-mailing to our course's Head Of Programme. So it's definitely in the HOP's power to grant us a change of lecturers, but it appears that he just would rather not.

I was telling a classmate of mine via WLM, "If our performance in school sucks, we have to pay for it with our results... If the lecturer's performance sucks, we have to pay for it also?!" I was saying how that's not fair, and as I had mentioned in the email to the Head Of Programme, "we deserve a better learning experience".

Here's my reply to his reply :

Dear Dr XXX,

Thank you for your reply. Could you please clarify on whether we are able to change lecturers for the upcoming Video Technology module?

Feel free to forward the email to Dr XXXXX. Most of the points have been brought up in our previous email to him, though.

I actually did feedback to Dr XXXXX in the middle of the semester. I would've given feedback earlier but I needed time to collect my thoughts and confer with my classmates. I only decided to draft the email to Dr XXXXX when I realised that I was not alone in my frustration.

While I don't believe it is fair for the students to pay for the lecturer's lack of teaching skills, I suppose we don't really have a choice but to have him as our Video Technology lecturer if we are not able to have a change of lecturers.

Regards,

Zulkifly

CC : XXXX
CC : XXXXX XXXXX
CC : XXXXXXX XXXX

As mentioned in my previous entry, I was annoyed with the accusatory feedback-sooner-not-later bit. And since he never stated that it's not possible to change lecturers, I wanted clarification in black-and-white. Here's his reply to my reply to his reply :

Dear Zulkifly and friends,

Thank you for your understanding. I will firstly communicate with Dr XXXXX.

Best wishes,

Dr XXX.

He didn't answer my question at all! I clearly requested clarification which he pointedly ignored. I was becoming more and more annoyed. And what did he mean by he "will firstly communicate with" the lecturer? Does that mean he will get back to me on the change of lecturers after he's spoken with the Audio Technology lecturer? Vague much? I'm not sure I have the time to wait 'cause the administration personnel whom I spoke to mentioned that I should request for a change of lecturers as soon as possible, and latest, should try before the start of the week break, before the next module starts. I don't want lack of time to process the request to be their excuse for my friends and I to be stuck with this lecturer.

Note that at this point I am actually much more pissed off with the Graphics Design lecturer than the Audio Technology lecturer. The Graphics Design lecturer seems to be incompetent and lazy, while the Audio Technology lecturer actually seems ten thousand times better in teaching attitude. The thing is, though, I can understand the Graphics Design lecturer, however lazy she might be, and I can understand the damned YouTube videos she use. But I cannot understand most of the things that the Audio Technology lecturer tries to teach, and even though he appears to be more passionate and hardworking, compared to the Graphics Design lecturer, it is this issue that will be detrimental to my studies.

It does appear unfair that I'm complaining to the Head Of Programme regarding the Audio Technology lecturer and not saying anything at all about the Fundamentals Of Graphics Design lecturer, doesn't it? She definitely deserves to be reviewed.

I'm planning another e-mail and hoping to escalate the change of lecturers matter. This outcome is unacceptable. I'm all for giving people a second chance, but not at the expense of my GPA, I think not. His being a lecturer at a University should mean he is qualified (both knowledge-wise and skills-wise) to be one. I refuse to be a guinea pig and I am not willing to learn from a substandard lecturer. I will post the e-mail (still drafting it) once I've sent it.