I'm busy now but will give it a shot in the lull before exams.
4:34:08 PM   []

A for-profit company that offers "cram" sessions before exam time -- aimed at students who aren't confident they've learned what they were supposed to over the past three months -- has been told it can't rent space on the UW campus to hold its classes.

The website for the exam cram company is: Waterloo Exam Cram.

When I was at the University of Manitoba a guy named Grant, with a degree in English, ran cram sessions for all the major first year math courses. They were something like $70 for 8 hours and taught you how to pass. I know many people (myself included) who would not even go to class but would instead just sign up for cram session before the midterm and final (first year math courses do not have assignments at U of M).

The professors hated Grant but he was able to rent space at one of the 'church' colleges (at U of M the church colleges aren't as church-y as here).

If professors do not like these cram sessions, barring them from campus is not the answer. What is the answer? It is adopting an effective teaching style that is as easy to understand as those who teach the cram sessions. Grant at U of M, made the subject matter understandable. Professors need to give the students a reason not to attend. They need to make the students confident throughout the term.

I fully support these cram session because, for one, they will help students do better (even though they will only superficially do better since they will probably not really understand the material). And secondly, hopefully if these cram sessions take off then it will force the University to address the low quality of teaching by some of its professors.

Recommended related reading material is: And those who can't teach, teach CS (PR).
9:33:55 AM   []