So, all along I've been e-mailing this person, Dr XXXX XXX, thinking he's the Head Of Programme of my course. Why did I think that? 'Cause a couple of weeks before I started e-mailing him, I had given the UniSIM administration personnel a call asking about the viability of getting a different lecturer. The staff who answered my call said, "You're talking about... A change of lecturers?" And I thought, "Okay, that sounds right? Is that the official term they use?" So I said, "Yah." She stated that I should e-mail the Head Of Programme, and gave me Dr XXXX XXX's name and his e-mail address. So these were two critical information that I've been using in my communication with Dr XXXX XXX, the term "change of lecturers" and the idea that he was the Head Of Programme.
Near the end of my previous entry, I posted the e-mail confirming Dr XXXX XXX's action of escalating the matter of the incomprehensible lecturer to the Dean. A day after that e-mail, I received one from a XXX XXX XXXX. I was like... Who the hell is this...? Here is the e-mail he wrote, which was carbon-copied to the Dean :
Dear Zul and friends,
I'm writing this email to reassure you that in UniSIM, the issues of effective learning and good accessibility to learning resources are of key importance to us.
Your two emails have been noted. The Dean of the School is aware of the problem.
Now that you have gotten our attention, let's work together toward achieving your learning goals for MTD207. I think that's paramount. I'll be sitting in class, for the whole course if I must, i.e. for MTD 207 Video Technology, which starts next week, to learn for myself in what ways the lecturer may improve; or whether he is indeed irredeemable, as may be your opinion (I hope not though). There are plans to make this course largely e-learning, and here is where your feedback as to specifics will assist us.
You will also benefit in the process, as together we can look into supplying supplementary 'learning objects' in a raw form this semester. These learning objects can then be 'polished' into more effective objects for the e-learning objects we will be developing for July 2009.
In direct answer to your question of whether we will be removing Dr XXXXX immediately, evidently the answer is no, and as an employee yourself you could perhaps understand why. If you don't, that's understandable to us too. I would like to meet up with you during or after class next Wednesday, if I may. But we will not let the fact that the lecturer still has a contract to fulfill with UniSIM handicap your learning.
I seek your patience, understanding and cooperation in tackling the problem you face. Let's do this together.
Best,
Assoc. Prof XXX XXX XXXX
HoP, MTD
Oh, hello. HOP of MTD. So this guy is the Head Of Programme? -.-" Was there a transition that I wasn't aware of from the Dr XXXX XXX to this guy? 'Cause I was always under the impression that Dr XXXX XXX was the HOP, even before talking to the UniSIM administration personnel. One other thing that irks me about UniSIM is the lack of announcements in some of the major changes of the school. I just recently re-downloaded MTD's brochure, and noticed an additional 2 new modules in the year 2 level. Like, doesn't that kind of information warrant telling the whole MTD students?! And will the changes (again) affect all the students or just the new intakes? Be a bit proactive, UniSIM! -.-"
Anyway, after getting over my puzzlement of this associate professor's HOP status, I was puzzling over the fact he mentioned, in bold, the removal of the lecturer immediately. My first reaction was, "What the... He's totally missing the point."
It was actually never my intention to get Dr XXXXX XXXXX removed from the course; instead, I wanted myself to be removed from his classes. That is, I want to be transferred to another lecturer's class. Apparently, the term "change of lecturers" doesn't mean that, but means to replace the lecturer of the class with someone else. Fooled again by the UniSIM administration personnel.
Before I realised that though, I still thought the Associate Professor (AP) was totally missing the point of my e-mails and I instant messaged a few of my classmates what I thought. They replied that they were under the impression that I wanted Dr XXXXX removed. I then thought, "Wait, what...? Oops."
I then re-read all my previous e-mails in that context and realised that they were right. I had always used the term "change of lecturers" in my e-mails and never clarified what I meant. *Sigh...*
So I replied :
Dear Assoc. Prof XXX XXX XXXX,
It appears that I was not clear in my request, but it was never my intention to request Dr XXXXX XXXXX be removed. After re-reading my e-mails, I realised that this was what my request appeared to be, but my intention was only to ask that my small group of friends and I be transferred to another lecture group, taught by somebody else.
I had made a call to one of UniSIM's administration personnel before I started drafting my first e-mail to Dr XXXX XXX and she had termed this "a change of lecturers" and that was the term I used all along. It appears that I was mistaken.
After discussing with a few of my classmates, it became clear to me that my e-mails did not state my intention clearly and I apologise for that.
To that effect, can we still request for a transfer to another lecture group that is not taught by Dr XXXXX XXXXX?
Thank you.
Regards,
Zulkifly
CC : Assoc. Prof XXXXX XXXX XXXXX (This is the Dean.)
CC : Dr XXXX XXX
CC : XXXXX XXXXX
CC : XXXXXXX XXXX
CC : XXXX XXX
This e-mail was replied by Dr XXXX XXX. I still don't understand his position, if he's not the HOP. Is he the outgoing HOP, and the AP is the incoming one? Hrmm.
Hi Zulkifly,
Thank you for clarifying. Unfortunately, there is only one tutorial group for MTD205/207, just like many other MTD courses due to the relatively small cohort. I'm sorry to disappoint you in this. Things would have been much more straightforward had there been two or more tutorial groups for each of these courses.
I'll drop by next week to see for myself the situation that you and your classmates are facing.
Rgs,
Dr XXX
So, that's it. Ultimately, there are no other lecturers conducting classes along with Dr XXXXX XXXXX. Even if I was clear with my original intentions in my e-mails, there'd be no difference in the outcome. So, come Wednesday, it seems there will be 2 sit-ins for the seminar to appraise the lecturer. Will this be a step to improving the situation in UniSIM? Or is this just a way to shut me up? The AP mentioned they are planning to make these modules mostly e-based learning. How is that better? Little or no face-to-face seminars at all? I don't think that's a good idea, and really is going to be a step away from improvement.
More and more, I feel like I've been cheated and conned into joining this course in UniSIM (largely due to the misleading module descriptions as mentioned here), and sadly, I feel like I made the wrong move joining Multimedia Technology & Design.
Maybe the future modules will be better. Doubt it, but I can always hope. I think this "complaint saga" will conclude after one more entry later during this week regarding the sit-ins.
Back to (kinda) regular, boring, blog entries after that. Haha. Thanks all the visitors from Hardware Zone forum; you guys have been great! :)