Back on the teaching circuit

Tuesday, June 3, 2003

I took a class on Linux for the second year MCA students at the Oxford college on Hosur road Saturday. This time I dispensed with the slideware entirely and went to the class empty-handed. I asked them what they wanted to learn about and noted the topics on board. Then for each, provided a brief explanation and got them to ask questions on what they really wanted to know.

My one hour session lasted one and a half hours. We spent less time on Linux and more on operating system theory: memory management, protected mode, filesystems, firewalls, security with ACLs vs Unix permissions, the "32" in FAT32, more...

Apparently, it went so well that the college management wants me back this week with a different bunch of students.

For my part, two things need working on:

1. My voice. I still can't get it suitably loud enough. The back of the class complained that they couldn't hear me clearly.

2. I could have done with some preparation. On Saturday I had no time and no idea what the aptitude level of the students was. Next time I should look at the MCA syllabus first so I have some idea what they are supposed to know.

Anonymous — Jun 3, 2003 7:47:04 AM — # ↩

exercises
I have had similar experiences while teaching. The lecture is fun and amazing, but the students probably forget 80% of the things.

Preparation is key. And - suitable exercises are important. Students retain their newly gained knowledge if they solve some real problems using the same.

cherio
venu
--
venugopalm @ vmoksha com
- ravi — Jun 3, 2003 8:52:19 AM — # ↩
  
  Re: exercises
  Venu! Want an LJ-invite code so you can get yourself an account? How're ya? ;/
  - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 3, 2003 4:09:44 PM — # ↩
    
    Re: exercises
    You two know each other?
    - ravi — Jun 3, 2003 5:35:58 PM — # ↩
      
      Re: exercises
      'jah, ILUGC.
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 4, 2003 5:41:30 AM — # ↩
  
  Re: exercises
  Yes, agreed. I was wondering too if their enthusiasm for the class did anything at all for their actual learning.
Anonymous — Jun 3, 2003 8:25:40 AM — # ↩

Problem based learning..
A long time ago - I had read an interesting article at the Monash Univ site.. don't remember which one though.

But came across this interesting topic at Monash.
http://cleo.eng.monash.edu.au/teaching/learning/learning/centre/index_html

Talks about Problem based learning - a powerful way to learn. Infact - most Linux geeks learn using this technique, without realising it !!

cherio
venu
--
venugopalm @ vmoksha com
- madvenu — Jun 10, 2003 9:37:45 AM — # ↩
  
  Re: Problem based learning..
  OK Jace,
  
  I found that old article I was talking of... Its by Damain Conway when he taught at Monash...
  
  http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~damian/papers/HTML/TeachingTechniques.html
  
  There is another interesting paper from him..
  http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~damian/papers/HTML/Mentoring.html
  
  BTW: In case you don't know.. Damain Conway is
  http://www.yetanother.org/damian/damian.html
  
  Now, I am feeling good :) infact, I am going to cross post this to my own journal.. its too good to loose again..
  
  cherio
  venu
ravi — Jun 3, 2003 9:01:30 AM — # ↩

I thought the MCA course structure was supposed to teach people OS theory? If you're re-teaching them that stuff, hats off to the prof that handled the course for them ;/
satyap — Jun 3, 2003 10:27:56 AM — # ↩

Cool, you're a lecturer now.

"Oxford" college? Won't they get sued by The Real Oxford?

Try talking to the back of the class. Try moving around the class, and always talking to the most distant portion.
- ravi — Jun 3, 2003 11:30:21 AM — # ↩
  
  Oye satyap, ping.
  - satyap — Jun 3, 2003 4:28:13 PM — # ↩
    
    Pong.
    - ravi — Jun 3, 2003 5:34:23 PM — # ↩
      
      'sup?
      - satyap — Jun 3, 2003 7:17:39 PM — # ↩
        
        You tell me.
        
        (or read my journal :P )
        
        ravi — Jun 3, 2003 7:18:50 PM — # ↩
        
        I didn't know serf and zoratu had LJ accounts, too. Seems like all of #C-T hangs in here ;/
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 3, 2003 4:06:45 PM — # ↩
  
  Don't see how that could happen. There is a Cambridge in both England and USA. Both are homes to famous universities.
  
  I couldn't have walked around the place. I was writing down key terms on the board as I spoke. Guess better acoustics in the room would have made it easier for my throat.
birdonthewire — Jun 3, 2003 2:50:01 PM — # ↩

I have always preferred the writing topics on board thingie. From a listener's perspective that is. In my experience u get to learn much more, and the conversation is more free flowing. Presentations are good only when the presentation is really good.

Btw, saw your column in Digit today. Also that write-up on rediff about RSS where u were mentioned
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 3, 2003 4:08:07 PM — # ↩
  
  My column in Digit is published? Damn. I suppose I'm expected to buy my own copy now to read it.
  
  Off to Rediff now to dig out that article...
- Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 4, 2003 5:04:19 AM — # ↩
  
  BTW, that Rediff article was written by frozenaftermath.
  - frozenaftermath — Jun 4, 2003 5:32:40 PM — # ↩
    
    A truckload of apologies about not writing back about the article, been trying to sort out a few problems with the eds there about the way it came out in the end.
    
    There were a few mistakes they contributed to the article and some other things that I was not happy about. It should be cleared up in a day or so. Will get back after that.
    - Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 4, 2003 5:46:47 PM — # ↩
      
      No problem. And thanks for quoting me. I see I'm the only Indian quoted in the piece.
      - frozenaftermath — Jun 4, 2003 5:58:06 PM — # ↩
        
        I'm the only Indian quoted in the piece
        
        It was purely accidental and it is still a bit of a struggle to write to their requirements, which has to address the LCD first.
        
        Personally, I am quite disappointed with the final result, since the stuff I had from the other two chaps was quite good. But that is more my shortcoming. Like the song goes "you live, you learn". :)
        
        Kiran Jonnalagadda — Jun 4, 2003 6:04:40 PM — # ↩
        
        That's the primary reason I prefer self-publishing now. Indian editors in general have no respect for writers.
        
        frozenaftermath — Jun 4, 2003 6:45:50 PM — # ↩
        
        Hmm.. my job#1 is as a hack, so I can understand their position a bit better and also hold it that they know the audience better than the writer himself. And Rediff is really not the place to be discussing RSS core element specs ;-)
        
        Generally speaking, the current generation of editors will have to retire before the print medium learns to adjust to presenting the same information on the net too. From what I see here, online eds have total disrespect for print people and vice versa, with both not having a good grasp of what it is all about.