How do you tell a teacher you think he is flat out wrong?

[daishi5]

Small background: This is an online course from a state university. My major is economics and this course is a requirement for the school of business, it is called "Business and Developing Countries."

For some reason we started studying memes, and have moved onto Thomas Kuhn. In his lecture provided to us in a wordpad document, he cited wikipedia as his only reference. He follows up with this:

You can, of course, read Thomas Kuhn?s book, but for this class we can get the essence of his work and various perspectives on it by visiting the following two sites:
1. A brief biography of Thomas Kuhn. Either site will give you an overview of who Thomas Kuhn was, and his basic approach to life.
http://www.emory.edu/EDUCATION/mfp/Kuhnsnap.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Samuel_Kuhn
2. Summary and critiques of his work. The Amazon.com site has good summaries of his work, as well as insightful critiques. Read all of the editorial reviews, and scroll down and read all 80 of the reader reviews. Search on "Thomas Kuhn." On the Amazon site.
http://www.amazon.com/

This is not my first course, but this is the first time a teacher has directed me to read wikipedia and amazon as first sources for study of a subject.

Now onto the fun part, the basis of the lecture is that our life is full of paradigms which are models of thought. And that instead of progressing in a steady incremental pattern, we have periodic revolutions. He got the first part right when he said that Kuhn said that science does not evolve gradually. However, my teacher has expanded this to cover non scientific areas, which is where I believe he is wrong. At first I thought Kuhn was a loon, but I followed up with some further reading Stanford Encyclopeida of Philosophy. It turns out that (I believe) Kuhn's thesis of paradigm shifts is limited to scientific progress and that he never said anything about paradigm shifts outside of that area. The reasons I think my teacher is wrong is he gives three examples of paradigm shifts:

A. Higher education is moving from classroom based to internet based.

B. Physical Science, The move from Ptolemies theory of earth centered orbit, to the current theory of sun centered orbit.

C. Management theories, the move from central decision making to more lower level decision making and the empowering of employees.

Only the second example is even science based as he related it, but it still seems to be smaller than the actual paradigm shifts Kuhn refers to.

I am currently writing my response, and I was hoping to get a few ideas about how to do this in a more tactful manner and say that the lecture was way off base. Also, if anyone is familiar with Thomas Kuhn, and could provide me with more information, either in support of my view, or to prove that I am off my rocker I would appreciate it.

Also, I do not have access to Thomas Kuhn's book so I am unfortunately forced to make my argument without being able to read the work. And, the response is due by saturday, which does not give me enough time to read his work and form a good opinion on my own reading in time if I had it.

 

[imported_Imp]

Just call him out. Unless you're afraid of him/her raping your grades.

 

[LemonHead]

Originally posted by: Imp
Just call him out. Unless you're afraid of him/her raping your grades.

Right....or raping you.

 

[CrazyLazy]

Frankly I am not surprised. My experience with online courses is that they absolutely suck. Maybe it's just my small personal sample set that's bad, but I have seen no evidence to the contrary. Write a very critical, but not insulting response, give it into the teacher and see what happens. If he/she admits they made a mistake and corrects it great, if not drop the course and move on.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

First, there are these things called libraries...
Second, teachers don't want truth, they want opinions that are defensible.
Third, I would like him to show proof of C. Management theories, the move from central decision making to more lower level decision making and the empowering of employees. This is simply not happening.

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: Imp
Just call him out. Unless you're afraid of him/her raping your grades.

From they syllabus:

Keep in mind the written word can come across much harsher than the same thing said face to face. Be kind to your classmates.
A You will be graded on your ability to maintain a friendly tone in your messages even when (especially when) you are disagreeing with someone.
B If you are disagreeing with someone, say something positive first before stating your disagreement, as in ?John, you make some good points, especially xxxx; however, it seems to me??

I am calling him out on it, but the big factor is that I must do so in a polite friendly tone, and there it takes a big man to be corrected in public and not bear some form of grudge. I do not know if he has that type of objectivity or not.

 

[Chronoshock]

The answer is obvious... edit the Wikipedia article with something ridiculous






(I'm kidding, don't vandalize the wiki)

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: CrazyLazy
Frankly I am not surprised. My experience with online courses is that they absolutely suck. Maybe it's just my small personal sample set that's bad, but I have seen no evidence to the contrary. Write a very critical, but not insulting response, give it into the teacher and see what happens. If he/she admits they made a mistake and corrects it great, if not drop the course and move on.

Actually most of my courses have been good, this one has just rang alarm bells for me that say "feel good hippie hug circle" instead of facts. My previous course in intermediate microeconomics, and my current course in quantitative methods are both very good, and very focused on the subject matter. Also, this is a required course and this is not a fly by night school, I think I just got a whack job teacher.

 

[chusteczka]

Do not call him out on it. That way of thinking will only lead to a written attack from you to him.

Question whether the professor's broadened scope of the subject is supported by the more limited scope of the provided material.

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: chusteczka
Do not call him out on it. That way of thinking will only lead to a written attack from you to him.

Question whether the professor's broadened scope of the subject is supported by the more limited scope of the provided material.

Good point.

 

[CrazyLazy]

From they syllabus:

Keep in mind the written word can come across much harsher than the same thing said face to face. Be kind to your classmates.
A You will be graded on your ability to maintain a friendly tone in your messages even when (especially when) you are disagreeing with someone.
B If you are disagreeing with someone, say something positive first before stating your disagreement, as in ?John, you make some good points, especially xxxx; however, it seems to me??

I am calling him out on it, but the big factor is that I must do so in a polite friendly tone, and there it takes a big man to be corrected in public and not bear some form of grudge. I do not know if he has that type of objectivity or not.

[/quote]

Personally when I write something critical of a teacher I don't mess around with the personal crap, it just distracts from the the point you are trying to get across. Remember you want to attack the argument or point the teacher is making, not the person themselves. I would hope that any reasonably adult person could separate the two, and if your teacher can't that's their problem.

 

[mugs]

Why don't you go to him in person during office hours and discuss it with him?

 

[Daishiki]

Originally posted by: mugs
Why don't you go to him in person during office hours and discuss it with him?

What mugs said. And nice name.

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: Daishiki

Originally posted by: mugs
Why don't you go to him in person during office hours and discuss it with him?

What mugs said. And nice name.

Lives 3 hours away, and I currently have a work commitment to be available within 15 minutes if needed until tuesday. I work at a hospital.

 

[OCfreakley]

Ever heard the old analogy "feed the boss's parrot"?
If you want to get a good grade in the class, you always need to feed
your instructors parrot, whether said instructor is correct or not.
You can do your own research and form your own opinions, but
there isn't any need to prove the instructor wrong.
You will only be taking unnecessary risks with your grade,
unless you know for sure the instructor will appreciate your pwning them.
Which means more, being right or getting a good grade?
Someone who has gotten everything they have ever wanted and more
out of life gave me this advice once, and it has served me well.

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: CrazyLazy
From they syllabus:

Keep in mind the written word can come across much harsher than the same thing said face to face. Be kind to your classmates.
A You will be graded on your ability to maintain a friendly tone in your messages even when (especially when) you are disagreeing with someone.
B If you are disagreeing with someone, say something positive first before stating your disagreement, as in ?John, you make some good points, especially xxxx; however, it seems to me??

I am calling him out on it, but the big factor is that I must do so in a polite friendly tone, and there it takes a big man to be corrected in public and not bear some form of grudge. I do not know if he has that type of objectivity or not.

Personally when I write something critical of a teacher I don't mess around with the personal crap, it just distracts from the the point you are trying to get across. Remember you want to attack the argument or point the teacher is making, not the person themselves. I would hope that any reasonably adult person could separate the two, and if your teacher can't that's their problem.[/quote]

That is good advice, of course I do not want to attack the teacher, and I will avoid any and all personal attacks, but it is his work and some people don't take that well. I believe I can handle this reasonably well, but this is the first time where I have had a teacher give a lecture that I thought was so off base.

Although I do believe some peoples suggestion of doing it in private before doing it in public has a lot of merit.

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: OCfreakley
Ever heard the old analogy "feed the boss's parrot"?
If you want to get a good grade in the class, you always need to feed
your instructors parrot, whether said instructor is correct or not.
You can do your own research and form your own opinions.
There is really no need to prove the instructor wrong

That is true in business, but supposedly that should not be true in the classroom.

 

[chusteczka]

Originally posted by: daishi5
Although I do believe some peoples suggestion of doing it in private before doing it in public has a lot of merit.

Praise in public, reprimand in private.

 

[OCfreakley]

Trust me, it is ever so true in the classroom.
Online or not.
If you do test this theory let us know the outcome.
I hope it is positive anyway you play it.

 

[Zenmervolt]

Originally posted by: daishi5
C. Management theories, the move from central decision making to more lower level decision making and the empowering of employees.

*uncontrollable laughter*

Wow...

Your professor hasn't done anything in the business world at all.

ZV

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: daishi5

Originally posted by: OCfreakley
Ever heard the old analogy "feed the boss's parrot"?
If you want to get a good grade in the class, you always need to feed
your instructors parrot, whether said instructor is correct or not.
You can do your own research and form your own opinions.
There is really no need to prove the instructor wrong

That is true in business, but supposedly that should not be true in the classroom.

if you thought that you would have emailed him instead of posting a thread.

i called my high school biology teacher out once. she took me to the hall and explained it was rude to "call her out in front of everyone"

she didnt appreciate me reminding her that she was "wrong in front of everyone"

most teachers wont want to be corrected, especially ones stupid enough to use wikipedia as a reference to start with.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

PSA Never tell the head of your department that he is morally destitute and his actions all but criminal.

 

[daishi5]

Originally posted by: xSauronx

Originally posted by: daishi5

Originally posted by: OCfreakley
Ever heard the old analogy "feed the boss's parrot"?
If you want to get a good grade in the class, you always need to feed
your instructors parrot, whether said instructor is correct or not.
You can do your own research and form your own opinions.
There is really no need to prove the instructor wrong

That is true in business, but supposedly that should not be true in the classroom.

if you thought that you would have emailed him instead of posting a thread.

i called my high school biology teacher out once. she took me to the hall and explained it was rude to "call her out in front of everyone"

she didnt appreciate me reminding her that she was "wrong in front of everyone"

most teachers wont want to be corrected, especially ones stupid enough to use wikipedia as a reference to start with.

I am sure you are right to some degree, but I am glad I posted here first because for some reason it never crossed my mind to e-mail him instead of post to the board.

 

[Madwand1]

Originally posted by: daishi5
if anyone is familiar with Thomas Kuhn, and could provide me with more information, either in support of my view, or to prove that I am off my rocker I would appreciate it.

What Kuhn was discussing was not actually science, but a philosophy of science. In this view, the broader domain is philosophy, and it's quite appropriate for that philosophy to go beyond the constraints of a scientific domain.

It seems to me that you should try to actually think about your teacher's position instead of taking a narrow historical focus which misses the point altogether and does more to end thought than to encourage it.

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

He's learning on his own! GET HIM!