Experience with GMU engin/comsci -- professors with tough accents/hard to understand?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to work in computer science, you need to be able to understand accented English.

This is correct.

OK, fine.

My question is whether this has been an issue for students at GMU such that they are frustrated about the instruction and aren't learning. There are accents that are understandable and accents that are not.

NP. My friend's daughter is majoring in Biology at GMU and has been having a terrible time trying to understand the heavy accents of her professors, one in particular. He asked if there were any questions and everyone just looked at one another, totally lost. I'm sure this is the case at many (most?) universities as well and it makes me mad. Tuition paying students and parents should reasonably expect instructors who can communicate in clear English.

Agreed. And I say this as an immigrant myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This is true of most schools with strong STEM programs. Including Harvard, back in the day at least.

+1 back in the 90s.

+2

Yup, always in many math, computer science and engineering classes. Even in the 90s.

Now in 2023, it continues in the workplace. And they are managers too.

Deal with it.

[Anonymous]

My brother was an engineering major at a top program and they would have lecture classes with 700 students in intro and a professor with a heavy accent and 1990s technology to broadcast to the back of the room. Basically he just got the notes and worked from the textbook. At least now for all these classes there is better technology, including explanatory videos etc.

I would guess that schools are not allowed to discriminate in hiring based on accent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My brother was an engineering major at a top program and they would have lecture classes with 700 students in intro and a professor with a heavy accent and 1990s technology to broadcast to the back of the room. Basically he just got the notes and worked from the textbook. At least now for all these classes there is better technology, including explanatory videos etc.

I would guess that schools are not allowed to discriminate in hiring based on accent.

The lack of concern with teaching is why my kids will be focusing on applications to LACs.

[Anonymous]

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kid goes to another college and is a CS major. They said that one CS professor is known for being difficult to understand, so DC is trying to not end up in that class.

I work in tech. Yes, a lot of the people I work with have accents, but it's not the same. At work, I can ask them to repeat (a few times) or email me what they want to convey. Can't really do that in class at college.

Just record the lectures and listen back.

If the accent is really really thick, no amount of recording and playback will help.

When I used to watch shows with heavy Scottish or northern Yorkshire accents, I would have to pause it and ask my Brit spouse to translate. Today, we have close caption on most streaming shows, and I use that a lot.

If only they had cc for professors.

[Anonymous]

I had the same problem at Boston College: “My man Plato was wicked smaht.”

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP, my kid goes to another college and is a CS major. They said that one CS professor is known for being difficult to understand, so DC is trying to not end up in that class.

I work in tech. Yes, a lot of the people I work with have accents, but it's not the same. At work, I can ask them to repeat (a few times) or email me what they want to convey. Can't really do that in class at college.

Just record the lectures and listen back.

If the accent is really really thick, no amount of recording and playback will help.

When I used to watch shows with heavy Scottish or northern Yorkshire accents, I would have to pause it and ask my Brit spouse to translate. Today, we have close caption on most streaming shows, and I use that a lot.

If only they had cc for professors.

You can get an auto-transcription for your digital recordings from free online software--and if they are on zoom there is cc real time.

[Anonymous]

One kid of mine currently at University of Illinois UC is saying the exact same thing and he majors in Computer Engineering. Another kid at Purdue is also experiencing the same and his major is CS.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My brother was an engineering major at a top program and they would have lecture classes with 700 students in intro and a professor with a heavy accent and 1990s technology to broadcast to the back of the room. Basically he just got the notes and worked from the textbook. At least now for all these classes there is better technology, including explanatory videos etc.

I would guess that schools are not allowed to discriminate in hiring based on accent.

There aren't enough candidates for discrimination to be an option. America sucks at STEM. This is the result.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My brother was an engineering major at a top program and they would have lecture classes with 700 students in intro and a professor with a heavy accent and 1990s technology to broadcast to the back of the room. Basically he just got the notes and worked from the textbook. At least now for all these classes there is better technology, including explanatory videos etc.

I would guess that schools are not allowed to discriminate in hiring based on accent.

There aren't enough candidates for discrimination to be an option. America sucks at STEM. This is the result.

I am waiting for someone to chime in with: But my DS/DD studied French at a liberal art college and is now working in big law. He/She is making five times what a STEM major makes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had the same problem at Boston College: “My man Plato was wicked smaht.”

This is hilarious

[Anonymous]

One has the same issue with TAs unfortunately

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I had the same problem at Boston College: “My man Plato was wicked smaht.”

Yep. He waz a real pissah.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you want to work in computer science, you need to be able to understand accented English.

This is correct.

OK, fine.

My question is whether this has been an issue for students at GMU such that they are frustrated about the instruction and aren't learning. There are accents that are understandable and accents that are not.

Wrong Forum OP. No one here has kids at GMU. LOL.