Crash & Burn: Incompetent Teacher Edition

There’s only one class that stands between me and student teaching: Technology in the Classroom. Its purpose is to make sure teachers know how to use MS Office, the internet, and (if somehow still available) overhead projectors. The state of California gives prospective teachers the option of testing out of the course, and I considered this option during the course of my academic career, but for a multitude of reasons I opted to take the class. Not that I couldn’t pass the test (I took a look at some study guides and have a fair idea of what’s on the test–heck, being a self-proclaimed computer geek, it’d be an embarrassment if I couldn’t pass the test). But because of whacky regulations, policies, and laws, it’s in my best interest to take the course instead.

Heading into the semester, I figured the class would be a piece of cake. My computer skills probably fall well short of anything Bill Gates can do–but I certainly can run circles around most English students. After all, I have my own website, run a home network that’s so complex it could double as a mainframe for a small country, and spend about 27 hours a day reading Engadget. I didn’t presume to know more than my instructor–but I figured I knew enough that I could pass the class with minimal effort. After all, any class that takes place in a computer lab is bound to be kickback.

During our first class meeting the teacher introduced himself, took role, and did all of those things typically associated with the first day of school. As he discussed the upcoming assignments for the semester, I slowly sunk lower and lower into my chair. Instead of hands-on assignments with computers, our semester would be filled with textbook assignments and papers. The history of technology would be discussed–including the detailed evolution of the pencil. He made it very clear this would not be a “how-to” course. If we wanted to learn how to use Word or make a web page, we should look elsewhere and learn on our own time. The class was going to take way more effort than I planned on putting into it.

While I sat there feeling sorry for myself, the teacher announced we would spend the rest of the class watching a video. The classroom had a video projector hooked up to the instructor’s workstation, which duplicated his desktop on to a screen the entire class could see (as useful tool if we were doing “how-to’s”). The teacher put a DVD into one of his computer’s optical drives and waited for the movie to be played.

“That’s odd,” he said. “It should have played automatically.” I found his assumption kind of presumptive because not all computers have the autoplay feature turned on (but then again not too many people have are adept enough with Windows to turn it off).

As the teacher fiddled with his desktop interface trying to get the DVD to play, the entire class was able to see him frantically clicking because the image was projected on the screen behind him. I didn’t want to say anything because every computer is different and maybe he was use to playing DVDs a certain way. But after about 60 seconds of watching him hunt and peck, I spoke up. “Go to My Computer.”

“Ah yes, that’s right,” he said. He quickly closed all of the windows on his computer and paused–unsure where My Computer was. The pause was very brief, but pretty clear he didn’t know where to find it without thinking. The instructor opened My Computer and I immediately saw that his machine had two optical drives. He kept clicking the icon labeled DVD ROM, but couldn’t figure out why nothing was happening.

“Is it in the right drive,” I asked from my seat.

Looking embarrassed, he ejected the DVD from the CD-drive and put it in the proper slot. A pop-up window appeared and he clicked play.

“I hope the sound is loud enough for everyone to hear in the back,” he said as he sat down and watched the movie. The sound was fine and I could hear clearly as music played over a black screen…or what I assumed was a black screen as filmmakers do some times. But when the timer reached 30 seconds I started laughing to myself. Our instructor used Windows Media Player to view the DVD. I don’t know why or how, but whenever Media Player is used to simulcast videos it does not do so to the second screen. I don’t know if this is a bug in the software or some sorta copyright limitation, but the program will only display a blank screen to the second monitor. This is not a well-know flaw, but certainly something a person would have come across before when making presentations or using dual screens.

Eventually the music faded and people started talking…and the image on the screen remained blank. It was fairly obvious to everyone in the room that something was wrong–including the teacher. But he sat there silently, trying to hide his panic. It became harder and harder for me to keep from laughing. The situation was beyond absurd. The teacher for my technology course clearly knew nothing about technology (or at least less than I did). No wonder he wasn’t going to offer any how-to’s–he didn’t know how to! This course was going to be textbook-based because he didn’t know any real world practical application. How could we expect an instructor to teach us Windows when he didn’t know anything about Windows?

“Uh, is there supposed to be video,” somebody said from the back of the room.

The teacher could no longer hide the problem. “Yes there is,” he said and quickly jumped up from seat. The class watched as he tried to close the program but couldn’t figure out how to do so (red X in the upper right hand corner–pretty standard stuff). When he finally closed Media Player, he double clicked the DVD again and the same problem occurred.

Finally, I said something. “Windows Media Player can’t simulcast for some reason: use Power DVD instead.” I knew he had Power DVD because I saw the shortcut on his desktop.

The teacher closed Media Player again and again double-clicked on the DVD. Again Media Player started playing the DVD and again a black image projected on the screen.

I got up from my seat and finally offered to help. It took about four seconds to close Media Player and start the video with Power DVD. The video came on the screen and I was an instant class hero.

“Thank you,” he said to me meekly.

The Wife told me I probably made a bad impression by being a show off and I really didn’t want to get involved for that reason. Normally I try to avoid providing tech support in the classroom. When a student wants to make a PowerPoint presentation to the class and can’t figure out how to hook up her computer, I stay out of it. The way I see it, if you’re gonna plan for something extravagant you better damn-well know how to use it. Fancy only works for people who can handle the technology. If you can’t handle it, don’t do it. And for those who don’t have that kind of rationale, I enjoy watching them struggle and panic in front of the class. They worry if their hard work went to waste. They worry if they’ll get it done. They’re embarrassed because the entire class is looking at them waiting for them to make it work. I like seeing that–I live for those moments. I think it’s because these people just assume it’s going to work. They don’t know enough about what their using and didn’t take the time to investigate how to do it. I feel like three minutes of shame might be enough motivation to better prepare next time around. Either that or I’m just a real jerk.

Unfortunately, that was not the case in this situation. He is the teacher of a technology course. He should be the one showing us how to do this stuff–not the other way around. When he can’t comfortable navigate his way around Windows, what sorta expert does that make him in this field? Even if he’s a Mac guy he still needs to know Windows to teach a technology class (Sorry Apple fans, you’re still in the minority–by a lot). Yet another incompetent educator in the classroom. Sometimes it’s mind-boggling how bad our education system is.