Well, this is what I get for taking the time to go to Costco with Kristian to buy a big-ass TV. Oh, yeah, we bought a big-ass TV. Anyone wanna come to a Super Bowl party? I just decided that we need to have one. A big-ass Super Bowl party.
Anyways, big-ass TV procured. Delicious pizza consumed. Blog topic picked by Dustin.
Today’s topic is teaching with powerpoint. Something that is near and dear to my heart. Seeing as how I support pretty much all of the systems on campus that allow professors to teach with powerpoint. Or not teach. When they can’t use powerpoint.
Yeah, you heard me right. Some professors don’t teach if they can’t use powerpoint. They cancel their classes. Tell the students to go home. They. Don’t. Teach.
Quite frankly, this makes my head hurt. A lot. I mean, what did these professors do when they couldn’t use a projector and powerpoint? (Ok, they probably used overhead transparencies, but still). And why do they think that we put all of those chalkboards in the classrooms? Because we find white walls too boring? Because chalk dust is so good for electronic components? Because it’s not. Chalk is terrible for electronic components. But we put it in our classrooms anyways. Because we want you to be able to, you know, teach.
It’s enough to make your head explode.
Luckily, there are professors who don’t use powerpoint as a crutch. Professors who have a backup plan just in case something breaks. Professors who don’t spend an entire 45 minute lecture reading from their slides. Coincidentally, these tend to be the same professors who actually show up to my training sessions and learn how to use the equipment. You know, instead of calling me in the middle of their lecture in a complete and utter panic because they don’t know how to actually use the equipment.
These same professors always blame their problems on our technology. You know, because it’s the AV system’s fault that they thought that they didn’t actually press any buttons and they assumed that it would just choose the correct input on its own.
It really is enough to make your head explode. Until you repeat thee two magical words to yourself.
“Job security.”
Ok, I feel so much better now.
I am majorly jealous about your new TV! I want a new one so bad, our newest in the house is 10 years old!
The new TV sounds awesome! Wow, I feel old, I remember when professors used overhead transparencies and this archaic thing called a black board.