Prof. Josef Lauri, Department of Mathematics, University of Malta, Msida
Qualifications required to lecture in Maths at Mcast
Mcast is projecting itself as an institution of tertiary education with ambitions to confer degrees.
However, in a recent call for applications for posts of Mathematics lecturers, the main requirement at the top of the list was a “B.Ed. (Hons.) degree in Mathematics”.
The call did make a concession for “holders of other degrees specialising in Mathematics… but possession of the PGCE will be considered an asset”. This gives the incorrect impression that the B.Ed. “in Mathematics” is a degree specialising in Mathematics.
I cannot understand how Mcast intends to offer degree courses while employing lecturers who do not even have a first degree in the subject they teach.
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josef lauri
Nov 9th 2010, 08:48
The main arguments I seem to be reading are (1) There are many PhD's at the University who do not do a good job; (2) Some MCAST courses are at a very low level; (3) You need to know pedagogy in order to teach properly.
Well, (1) is old hat and totally irrelevant because there are also teachers with a BEd or a PGCE or even an MEd who cannot teach--so this proves nothing; (2) MCAST has to decide its role, as Prof Leone Ganado said. By hiring "lecturers" to teach remedial mathematics it is trying to have the cake and eat it, giving the impression that it is a tertiary level institution when it is not; (3) I never denied this, but many of you are actually denying the reverse statement and recommending that knowing too much of the subject is bad for teaching--and remember that we are talking about "lecturers" at a tertiary level institution--Prof Pule's letter says the rest about this point.
Rmangion
Nov 8th 2010, 08:26
Yes and while we are at it.
A Bsc, MA, PHD Graduate is not a guaranteed to be a good teacher. We are full of PHD's who know NOTHING about pedagogy and are just a means of "filling the empty vessels" with knowledge.
So again, look at the wider context, rather than wasting time on nitty gritties
RMangion
Nov 8th 2010, 08:24
Prof Lauri and Dr Pule,
With all due respect, before wasting time writing about such things ( yes a waste of time), its best if the university looks at its standards of teaching, and lecturers who are supposed to do a 2 hr lecture and only do 30 min to go and work at their private company etc.... or who give students assignments which are then used by the lecturer for his/her own research.
So......
jscerri
Nov 8th 2010, 07:51
Unlike University, MCAST offers courses at a wide range of levels. MCAST might be employing a “B.Ed. (Hons.) degree in Mathematics” at levels other than degree level. On the other hand having a 'pure' mathematician will still do whilst offering more flexibility to MCAST.
albert leone ganado
Nov 7th 2010, 22:08
I am afraid that we have to accept that while the number of students in tertiary education has increased exponentially there has been a drastic dumbing down of standards. You cannot expect the same standards and results with thirteen thousand tertiary students as with a selected and restricted academic elite group of mathematics students as when |I taught Prof Lauri and other first class students of exceptional ability. As things stand at present the majority of students who join MCST in technical subjects are those who have failed to obtain the necessary 'A' level qualifications in the physical sciences. From information I have seen many of the mathematics courses offered at MCAST in the first two years are at intermediate level and many qualification and remedial courses are of 'O' standard. So perhaps only the word lecturer is a misnomer and given the objectives and standard excpected a person with teacher qualifications is a better choice. As regards MCAST awarding tertiary degrees well we already see dumbed down degreesl being offered by a plethora of private universities sprouting all over. MCAST unfortunatel still needs to define its role of offering first class technical and vocational teaching and training
Gino Schiavone
Nov 7th 2010, 17:41
Altough qualifications like a basic degree are necessary along with good pdeagogical skills it is also important to have experience. Whom would educational institutions prefer to employ- a 30 year old who continued to study and achieved a PHD without at least 10 years experience ( because 5 years do not denote a proper experience) or a basic degree qualification with 10 years experience in the related subject? Experience is necessary as practice makes perfect. After all any degree is denoting that you are capable of doing research- the results of which might be outdated within 5 years- that is why a 10 year experience is necessary. The University of Malta is at fault itself in employing young lecturers with PHD who have not had 10 year experience. Moreover today we are als teaching for jobs in Europe not just Malta- so lecturers must have good contacts and be involved in at least a European association or any other body- in order to give what is best to the student. How many University lecturers publish and how many do not- this is the statistic needed before passing any coment- same goes for MCAST- lecturers that are movers and shakers PLEASE!
Joseph Galea
Nov 7th 2010, 17:34
Good point Prof. Josef Lauri, but you dont know at which level the lecturer is going to teach Maths. Some Maths subjects at MCAST are the very basic - even lower than 0-Levels. A good teacher for such subjects does not have to be decorated with all the medals and qualifications in the world...(Obviously, this would be a plus)
As far as I know Mcast have a hard time finding lecturers, so probably they lowered the requirements - better then NO Lecturer I Guess....
the Maths lecturer at Mcast was going to teach.
E.Muscat
Nov 7th 2010, 13:34
Although I am myself a maths aficianado,I do remember that the real mathematian/lecturers 'hated' teaching maths to the 'engineers' at the old MCAST.
There are already some real Maths lecturers at MCAST and although very good at maths hardly know how to teach :so PGCE is a must or at least having had a lot of engineering experience to be able to draw from this experience to motivate/interest the engineering students such as needed in a polytechnic or college of engineering.
Real Mathematicians should concentrate their energies at the university or making world
economics/banking disasters somewhere else!
Alexander Farrugia
Nov 7th 2010, 19:21
I happen to have a Masters degree in Mathematics, and teach Mathematics at MCAST, and have been for the past 7 years. I also had the opportunity to do a pedagogy course in vocational education.
I won't speak about my abilities as a lecturer, since it would be presumptuous and haughty of me to do so; all I will say is that my students enjoy themselves in my class, and the feedback I receive from them is that they're disappointed if and when I don't teach them in a subsequent year. Even though this 'certificate' was given to me by my own students, I think that nobody can judge my teaching prowess better than them.
Because of this, I respectfully beg to differ from your opinion that I "hardly know how to teach".
As an aside, you might like to be informed that MCAST also provides teacher training courses and qualifications to its staff that does not possess such a qualification.
josef lauri
Nov 8th 2010, 11:29
So let me see if I understand Mr Muscat well. Somebody who is a "real" mathematician should not be allowed to teach at an institution like MCAST, especially if it is applied mathematics which they will be teaching. In fact MCAST authorities should make sure that no "real" mathematicians teach there. Am I getting it right?
Oh, by the way, I did not say anything against MCAST lecturers having a PGCE, but only against their not having a maths degree. One does not imply the other. But oops, this is logic, and logic is only for those "real" mathematicians who should be locked up inside universities for the good of society.
But I must rush. I have a lecture soon and, after the success "real" mathematicians have had at messing up the world's financial system, I must teach my students some new trick to cause a social disaster.
Pule' Carmel
Nov 7th 2010, 11:43
What Professor Joseph Lauri stated for Mathematics applies to some other subjects. This is a very serious situation in the retaining of standards. Please use very qualified referees in the particular CORE subjects to check the real standards , and not those who have qualifications in " General Education".
Some time ago I was in the awkward situation as. The teachers who had INDUSTRIAL Background were given in house pedagogical courses. and you know what, the teachers with pedagogical courses and little standard in the CORE subjects approached me to give them courses in the CORE subjects, for they felt that they did not know enough for what they faced. This I feel have been going for many years and I know this as I served for many years as external examiner. I wrote about this to Higher Administrative Members, but they did not even aknowledge my letters let alone were prepared to meet me!
Pule' Carmel
Nov 7th 2010, 13:01
*As long as there exist “Educational Administrators with only a General Educational background” and selected “Selecting Boards” who do not know the difference between, a person highly qualified in “General Education” and a person highly qualified in “Specialised Core Subject” any quality assurance in Higher Education has no meaning as it will always be the person with “A General Education” who will be recognised by “Educators.” This has caused an inbreeding effect and so measurements or standards tend to finish up as relative and not "absolute"! The result is that we tend to retain the titles but not the substance.
This is like a Manager being regarded as capable of leading anything.
Or a Priest being able to advice on any moral subject.
Or a Teacher being able to teach on any subject.
Or a Lawyer being able to understand any law.
Or a Nurse being able to serve in any operating theatre.
Or a politician being able to lead any Ministry.
These General Titles depicting a Service rather than the real detail of a CORE subject are being used as loopholes so that the less qualified people in the CORE subjects get in where they should not.
E.Muscat
Nov 7th 2010, 14:10
How right you are,Dr.Pule'! I remember distinctly a 'pure' maths lecturer at the old MCAST who gave us engineering students, a course in statistics:he had in front of him at least 3 very good engineering brains (one of whom was Profs.Ghirlando):he managed his contempt of us by talking to the blackboard and teaching us nothing:what a waste, since I had to re-study statistics on my own, later! Thankfully he emigrated to Australia where his mathematical talents could be better appreciated!
Real 'useful' mathematicians are sometimes self taught mathematicians like the legendary Mr.Frisk who used to teach maths at the old Hamrun Lyceum in the sixties and seventies:God rest his soul!
Pule' Carmel
Nov 7th 2010, 16:39
I know many teachers who are also " self taught " like my uncle who was a masterboat tbuilder and my own mother who in addition to being a good natural mother she was also an excellent natural teacher. So perhaps we should take your suggestion that since " Real useful mathematicians are sometines self taught.... " and apply this to all subjects, for that is the case, and so we should just close all our educational facilities and rely on self taught teachers! It was like that in the old days!
I do believe that there is another option and that is " a teacher can be good in those required talents to transfer knowledge to others and also a specialist in the core subject he teaches"
This is the reason why all faculties at the University should work together more closely. To teach at degree level, one needs more than the core subjects one finds at secondary schools.