[CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?

[John Ross]

I will try and explain what I mean.
I used to instruct communications electronics in the Canadian Navy.
When I was asked a question I couldn't answer in a way the student could 
understand. I would research further, from books and other instructors. That 
way, I was able to find a way that the student could relate to.
Some instructors would just direct the student to a page or section of the 
manual, expecting them to figure it out.
Some instructors knew their subject inside out, but couldn't get the point 
across to the student.
The letters after a name, in some cases end up being misleading, as to the 
persons abilities.
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "John Ross" <jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca>
To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2007 6:03 PM
Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?


> It seems to me, that the first people in a field, would have to be 
> self-taught.
> They learned by their mistakes.
> What they passed on, was don't make the same mistakes, that had already 
> been made.
> Some academics to a very poor job, of imparting their knowledge, and 
> unfortunately, their pay-scales are determined by the courses they passed, 
> and not their ability to impart the knowledge successfully.
> Some teacher/instructors couldn't teach their way out of a wet paper bag. 
> But they do have the credentials.
> Credentials do NOT the man make.
> John M. Ross
> Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada
> jrpiano at win.eastlink.ca
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Ron Nossaman" <rnossaman at cox.net>
> To: "College and University Technicians" <caut at ptg.org>
> Sent: Sunday, November 11, 2007 5:35 PM
> Subject: Re: [CAUT] CAUT credential vs. academic program?
>
>
>>
>>> Most (not all) of the stuff I hear and read from some of these "self 
>>> taught" guys (and Mr. N is one of the worst in that regard)  suffers 
>>> precisely from this lack of varied perspective. They see things from one 
>>> pair of eyes - their own. Never engaging in the give-and-take that a 
>>> true student/teacher relationship is based on, from which both learn. 
>>> Perhaps that's why some of these folks have such a jaundiced view of the 
>>> educational establishment - they seem to universalize their own 
>>> miserable experience which may have been caused in part by their own 
>>> unwillingness to perhaps listen to someone else's voice but their own...
>>>
>>> Israel Stein
>>
>>
>> I see that I've missed out. Had you been around to guide and inform me 
>> throughout my miserable mislead life, I might have eventually learned 
>> something worthwhile and become knowledgeable and competent at what I do. 
>> Pity it's too late for me to take up the Stein way of thinking at this 
>> point. I'm already ruined by too many rational cause and effect 
>> connections.
>>
>> And I still have met more than a few people who became quite accomplished 
>> musicians without formal instruction of any kind, which is what this was 
>> all about.
>>
>> Ron N
>>
>