I believe the review-based system is excellent for e-learning, but not the final story
One thing that really bothered me at university times was the fact that whenever I found a nice professor, they were either replaced by a bad one or had a small number of disciplines. By nice professors, I mean: the ones that clearly put their students at first.
Nothing against putting you first, however, my point is making it clear: it seems to me that several professors are deceiving. I think professors should put their students first. Somehow, our teaching institutions was designed to favor professors that somehow put themselves first. How come good professors disappear? I believe this is because our system serves the student, but are managed by others, what some calls the “middle man”. I cannot recall the reference, but once I have seen an assertion that sounds correct to me: wherever you have the middle man, it will either disappear or makes the system inefficient. Take what YouTube did to artists: many claims ir damaged, at least it become easier to show your most inner talents.
Nassim Nicholas Taleb has a concept that I like, it is called “skin on the game”. Essentially, people should have something to lose when they enter the game. It does not happen with the university system, especially in high-levels, such as master of science and PhD. Austen Allred[1] has a point when he questioned the classical education. Fundamentally, he applies the concept of skin on the game, even though not mentioning it. His thesis is: a professor is paid even though you get nothing from the education; he has nothing to lose. Not sure that his model of university is the best, but for sure some of the traits he points out should be present at future teaching institutions, if we want it to be more efficient. Universities are getting more and more inefficient, and sometimes I believe, article I am working on, Google may be the next generation of universities.
Coming back to the review-based system for teaching. It bothered me that you could not say anything about the bad professors, even if you said, nothing would happen. Maybe in private institutions it is different, but maybe not due to the right reasons.
About 70% of my postdoc research was done on YouTube: I learnt to web code on YouTube, essentially.
One thing I have learnt is that whenever a video was good, it found its way up, like what I like to call emergent properties. Not saying the system is perfect, but applying the concept of skin on the game, the students were the ones to evaluate the video, not someone using a tie and claiming to be an expert on learning. The best expert at learning is the student: if you learn, this is good; otherwise, it is noise.
When you are evaluated by reviews, as YouTube and Udemy, you have something to lose! Thus, you will teach better, maybe more anxious due to the uncertainties, that why some traits from university may be good for the professor metal health. Not say this is the final version, I see something in the middle of the classical systems and those models. Why? The classical system protects the professor, and it is correct, after all, how can one develop a long process if he is always changing subject according the market? On the other hand, how can someone fight for his learning if you have no option on who is going to teach you, and influence your future? Those two models are wrong, and a hybrid may be the solution! You should be able to chose your professsor, and your professor should be able to make a minimum living.
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