Question

Feedback:

Answer 1

I am becoming increasingly frustrated with the way people are acting on OS. Lemme be more precise--everybody who helps is trying to become Socrates in that they are trying to become great teachers all of a sudden & are failing miserably.
A hypothetical example*: a person posts a question like this:
"If 3x+1=5, what is x?"
The person who is supposed to answer (lets say Mr. X) first starts trying to explain addition, then maybe subtraction (at which point the asker thinks to him/herself-"Ohh COME ONNNN.....F**k you!" & logs out) & then gives a link to a wiki article on "variables" & then asks a couple more questions which will make the other "helpers" patiently watching over this whole thing move on to another question too....
After all of this, this person feels great because he thinks he has become a good teacher (yeah, RIGHT!).
* I am exaggerating a little bit to get the point across.
Note: This is a purely hypothetical example. My example is based on the general trend, especially in the Math group.
The solution:
Ask the mods to do something about it. Send everyone an e-mail with guidelines on how to answer briefly & avoid overkill.
IMPORANT NOTE TO THE MODS: Please don't close this post & don't send me an e-mail with a warning or something. This is a democracy & I want people to see this. Healthy Criticism will enable us as a community to grow.

Answer 2

everyone has their own way of teaching; if you don't like their way of teaching , move on to next question

Answer 3

It is the asker who is suffering, not me.

Answer 4

So, I feel like there's a learning process going on in both sides of the interaction you're describing. The person asking is learning how to do their math, and the person answering is learning how to tutor. It's going to be a bit of a learning incline on both sides. However, a page with answering guidelines isn't a horrible idea. We should consider one for asking guidelines as well.

Answer 5

@rajathsbhat - First of all, we listen to all our users. My *only* issue with your post is the use of language. Other than that, I understand and respect your point of view on this issue.

And, as @farmdawgnation said, interactions on OpenStudy are by their very nature, imperfect. Anytime you have two people interacting there will be issues and learning curves as they adapt to each other.

With that said, I do understand your frustration with dialogues that are unnecessarily drawn out, and while you stated that your example is exaggerated, unfortunately I think we can both agree that it is not *that* much of an exaggeration in some cases I have seen.

The idea of 'teaching guidelines' is a good one - and a suggestion that has been brought up before is the idea of a 'Teaching' Group, where best practices and methods could be discussed and shared.

I would love to get more input from others on this as well, and hopefully sans language ;)

Answer 6

OK sorry about the language. :(

Answer 7

No worries @rajathsbhat - appreciate the apology. And also, I don't want to take away focus from your main point. I believe it's an important thing to discuss, and I'm really glad you brought it up. So no worries, just a reminder for next time ;)

Answer 8

So, if 'Guidelines for helpers' is on ur 'TO DO' list, i'll happily close this question. :)

Answer 9

No, let's leave it open for now - I'd like to hear other people's thoughts on this topic. I know that @blues had shown interest in the idea of a 'Teaching Group' before - and I'm sure others that I can't recall right now did as well.

Answer 10

Ok then.

P.S. Awesome beard that.

Answer 11

If anything would help it would be letting question askers know that they will have to think. And warn people who give away answers that they could be in trouble for it.