I am not that political, but the University has taught me not to be apathetic, especially in campus issues. I don’t post anything political in this blog, nor do I write anything political, so in this post I humbly ask your patience if ever my political views are incoherent or incorrect.
A few weeks ago rumors have started to swarm the campus that by next semester, the large class policy will be implemented on all RGEP courses (History, Psychology, Philosophy, College Writing, College English, Speech Communication, among other subjects related to the Humanities and the Social Sciences). If my facts serve me right, the policy states that every class must have at least 160 students all flocked in a single class. Imagine a school of sardines all packed in a single can.
Taking Math11
I took Math11 (College Algebra) when I was a freshman, and though I very much welcome my weakness in Mathematics, I have to admit that its being a large class also was a factor with my performance. The usual joke back then is when my classmates would ask my class standing, I tell them nakaupo na nga ang class standing ko eh, which is way below the passing grade.
Math11 is a three-unit course: a one-hour lecture twice a week and a one-hour recitation class once a week. One of my biggest problems is my lecture class (and, let my problems in that semester be in a pie chart, three-fourths of it I shall label Math11), especially my professor, since he skims his Powerpoint slides and assume that every goddamn student in the lecture hall knows what he’s talking about. He used to say, “oh, you guys know this way back in High School” as if everyone of us came straight from a Science High School. We used to discuss two to three topics in forty-five minutes; when we’re lucky he would solve two hardcore problems on the whiteboard–students at the farthest corners of the classroom couldn’t see his solutions.
So every time I go to that lecture hall, when I was a freshman, I know I’m failing. I’m still listening, still writing notes as prolific as with my other subjects, but I think no matter how thick your notes are in Math, it’s useless if you don’t understand the basics. I drag my feet to that subject (sometimes I skip the class, especially after knowing my class standing). Every time I receive my quizzes, it’s a zero. I don’t even understand factoring, dammit.
I asked help from my blockmate who’s performing very well in the subject, but she’s not that much of an effective tutor, though I appreciated her effort. She says “factor this then solve this” like it’s the most natural thing to do. I texted another tutor, a Civil Engineering freshman, but it turns out that he’s quite of a nutcrack (no offense to him, but we argued about the simplest things in life–heck, we didn’t even meet once).
In the recitation class my professor has this penchant for filling the blackboard with solutions. We spend two yellow pads for forty-five minutes, all of those are solutions, solutions, solutions. In the last few months my blockmate and I just stare at the blank yellow pad paper; you’re supposed to know what you did in the lecture class, because in the recitation class we only do exercises.
It’s hopeless, I used to say with a sigh. It’s a painful thing to know that my parents would know about my 5.0 at my first semester in UP (though again, my parents understand–especially my Dad; he got a 3.0 in his Math11 in Diliman).
In a large lecture class, I couldn’t ask questions. When my lecture professor would ask us if we have any questions, I’m sometimes tempted to raise my hand, but the mere imagination of all those 160 students looking at me and asking for a handicapped explanation is very embarrassing.
Half of the class failed the class (as what I’ve heard), including me. My professor’s name became known out of that incident; his name is just so notorious when someone asks me about my professor in Math11 they’d say, kaya naman pala.
I took Math11 again after three semesters out of fear of going back to the perimeters of Math building (until now I hate going there). I passed it because the finals exam (of course I wasn’t exempted) was almost exactly the same with the Pre-Finals. I got a grade of 3.0.
What I think
Large classes can be a very practical way of cost-cutting, but the fact that ever since our batch came it had a 300% increase, why cost-cut? Is the Tuition and Other Fee Increase not enough to cater both quality education and buying new facilities, renovating buildings?
I am after the implementation of large classes in Humanities and Social Science subjects, considering the nature of these subjects, which needs a student-professor interaction, and not just mere spoonfeeding of lessons and handouts. Science and Math subjects are a different case, I think (though there should be a small class for mathematically-challenged, like a special class or something; just kidding). Imagine Speech Communication in a large-class setting; how could a student, god bless him, deliver a speech in front of 160 students when he couldn’t even deliver it with 30 students? (Though rumors say that there will be recitation classes, the same process with Math and Science subjects.) Same goes with all the other subjects.
Also, the junior faculty of both Department of Humanities and Department of Social Sciences will be wiped-out since, to put it simply, only the senior faculty will remain to teach the large classes. It’s probably out of sympathy that I detest this part since my Psychology professor has been having qualms about it for the past few weeks. Sadly, I have to say she’s one of my most effective and competent professors ever (the entire class would have to agree with that, I’m betting my laptop about this).
When I was a freshman I watched Isko’t Iska, a play-slash-musical which demonstrates what it’s like in the university, like a play to give way and welcome the new batch. One of their songs has the lyrics “conducive to learning, U P L B.” For the next set of freshmen, if ever the large class policy will be implemented, I don’t think the lyrics would still fit in their condition.
I’m very much disappointed that some of my classmates, especially my Communication Arts batchmates, are not that sympathetic with these affairs (though I know they do have their personal reasons). They refuse to go to the rallies and fight for the remaining threads of quality education in the University. Think of the next batches; the tuition fee increase happened four years ago, yes, but we should not let this happen.
LARGE CLASS POLICY, IBASURA!
January 29, 2010 at 3:30 pm, filed under Baaaack then, Life at UPLB, Opinion and tagged Algebra, Communication Arts, Humanities, Isko't Iska, Math11, No to Large Class Policy, professor, RGEP, Social Sciences, UPLB. Bookmark the permalink. Follow any comments here with the RSS feed for this post.
HARSH. That is the only word I can describe how my Math 11 experience was. I am very well aware that my math skills are like way below passing. I took the course earlier than stated in the curriculum because I wanted to be ahead and graduate earlier. It was a preRequisite of an Econ subject which we, Journalism students, were required to take. Math 11, however, was printed in the curriculum with the phrase “consent of instructor.” I didn’t know what it meant back then so on my second semester of my 1st year in college, I, together with a blockmate, bravely headed to the Math bldg.
Firt exam came and the results came. Out of some 100 items, I only got 12 correct.
“Mr. Fainsan, please see me at my office.” Oh no, the professor said when the class ended.
He told me that the 1st exam was the easiest and that I terrible failed. He gave me two options: either I continue and study harde or drop the subject. He made it sound though that I was better off dropping the subject. I did. I went to the registrar’s office and wasted Php900.00 (Php300 per unit) of my parents’ hard-earned money. That was my first and only drop course in college. My friend also dropped the course but she still went to the classes (sit-in) to learn in prep of the next sem. I, however, rejoiced at the extra free time I just got.
Next semester came and I found out it was not required to take Math 11 after all. All that was needed was an adviser’s consent. Hahaha… In the end, my decision to drop the course was the right thing to do.
I fucked Math twice. I feel you.
I wrote something on the same issue about a week ago, although not as well-put as yours. I believe the problem with the university (and the administration behind it) is that they tend to overlook the possible effects of their goddamn stupid decisions. Personally, I am not much of a student activist but this issue made me stand up and walk out of my class.
As for your batch mates, I quote Papa P.
“[Kayong mga '07 at mga sumunod na batches] dahil mas malaki ang binabayaran niyo, dapat mas malakas ang boses ninyo ukol sa isyung ito.”
I didn’t see you this morning at the rally. We were there.
@Lei: I was late. I arrived around 11:30AM in front of the Admin building.
@Brew: After I saw my Math11 midterms when I was a freshman, I rushed to the Dean’s Office and plead to sign my dropping form. Sadly, she said I’m still a freshman (so what?) and it’s not too late.
After knowing my pre-final score (the most dismal class standing I have ever seen) I decided not to go back to the Dean’s Office. I knew she wouldn’t understand.
i was a so-so with my math 11, but my math 14 was a big disaster. punyetang math yan, sino ba ang nag-imbento nyan! hayuup!
I flunked Math 17, first semester of my first year. That was the first subject I ever flunked. With the rumors that it would be in large class as well in the next semester, I pity the New Freshmen or those who are taking the subject again.
BTW, I’m a Computer Science student. At some point, Math and Science courses are ineffective in large classes. Even though you listen and take notes and practice on solving, you still need to consult if your basics are shaky. With my two years of experience sitting inside a Lecture Hall (in Computer Science, medium and large class sizes are staples), with the environment churned by the air condition, the soft voice of the instructor, the uninteresting slide projected–sometimes I refuse to listen and rely on the laboratory and consultations. They cannot expect that every individual in class could understand what they are saying.
I am very disappointed with how a professor (I refuse to name him) skips class because he needs to eat, is late because he had a lunch date with his girl friend, and on the spot codes something in the computer (75% of the time is spent hand coding). It was 90% boring and if you don’t have the motivation to learn, you wouldn’t give a fuck. There are times when the lecturer and the laboratory instructor teaches extremely contrasting algorithms about the same topic (Computer Science is about algorithms, like the way you solve mathematical problems) so when the examinations come, you don’t know what kind of algorithm would you use. This lecture and laboratory/recitation class actually creates confusion in our department.
I flunked Stat 1 as well. Gaaaaaaah, large lecture classes.
math 11 was traumatic. it was my first year in UP and i already got a 3.0. i felt so stupid. hahaha!
the running joke nga among us is, “what math ka na?” “math 22. (or 33 or 44)” depending on how many times one has taken math 11. hehehe!
and my math 11 classes were 90-minute sessions. haha!
as for the large group classes, i’d still go for the usual small class primarily because i don’t want to see lecturers/part-time teachers losing jobs.
Nakakalungkot na parang walang pakialam ang mga BACA batchmates mo. BACA din ako kaya lalong nakakalungkot na malamang hindi interesado ang mga course mates sa isyung ito.
Sa tingin ko, walang kahit anong klase/subject, mapa-CMSC1 man yan o HUM1 o SOSC1, ang dapat ilagay sa ilalim ng large lecture class policy. At ang mga BACA students dapat ang unang makaunawa kung bakit. Walang kahit sinong communication theoretician ang magsasabing magiging epektibo ang pagtuturo sa ganitong klase ng scenario. Mas nauunawaan ko ito lalo na ngayong nagtuturo na ako. Mahirap nang magturo sa isang klase na mayroong mahigit 30 estudyante. Anong klaseng parusa sa guro ang ibibigay ng UP Admin sa mga titser kung bibigyan sila ng mahigit 100 estudyante sa isang seksyon? E di wala na palang ipinagkaiba ang sitwasyon ng UP sa mga pampublikong paaralan sa elementarya at high school? Dito na nga lang sa Cavite, karaniwan na sa mga public school ang magkaroon ng 100-120 estudyante sa isang seksyon.
Mahirap igarantiya ang de-kalidad na edukasyon sa isang klaseng may ganito karaming estudyante.
Parang tanga, hindi ba? Ginagawa tayong tanga nina Velasco at Roman, isama mo na rin si Abraham. Ang tuition ng UP, pang-La Salle at Ateneo, pero ang kalidad ay bumubulusok, at ang mga facilities ay kasingbulok ng Pampublikong Paaralan ng Baryo Kopong-kopong.
Isa pa, aminado si Velasco na dahil sa large class policy e magkakaroon ng mass layoff ng mga guro sa unibersidad natin. Kaya magsimula na kayong magpaalam sa mga magagaling na propesor kung hindi tayo makikiisa sa pagtutol sa anti-estudyanteng polisiyang Large Class.
PS
Pinag-uusapan na ng UPLB Alumni Association ang isyung ito. Kung ang mga alumni nga e nakikisangkot, ang mga residente pa kaya?
Sa tingin ko madali lang namang makumbinsing magkaroon ng pakialam ang mga batchmates mo kung maipapaliwanang nang maayos sa kanila ang isyu.
Nga pala, 3.00 ako sa Math11, haha. Nakalimutan ko na kung sino ‘yung prof ko. Nagretiro na ata (o baka patay na?).
Kitakits sa Elbi. :)
Ganun ba kahirap ang Math 11? Parang nakakakaba na tuloy. Meron din akong Math 11 ngayong sem, freshman ako ngayong S.Y.- Food tech ang course.
[...] because he felt like it. Real deal behind it: they don’t have enough money to pay for school. Fucking tuition fee increase. Saddened the org for quite a while, but what can we do? Now I’ve heard he’s taking up [...]