It was an international relations class, yes. But at times the lecturer found it necessary to express (mock) disbelief at our seeming lack of understanding of some seemingly fundamental concepts.
"Can someone explain what is international anarchy?"
"Do you guys know what is...?"
"Have you guys ever heard of...?"
The lecture theatre remained conspicuously silent.
"C'mon, i saw some heads nodding just now"
Still, the class remained adamantly uncooperative.
I guess at the end of the class everyone had almost something to say about the new lecturer, an Asian American guy who is new to the department and who is now taking over the second half of the module. At the start of the class he told us he has been in Singapore for a month, and there have been many occasions where people were frustrated either with not catching what he's saying or with him not understanding what they are saying. With regard to his speaking, he sure talks with an obvious American accent, and many a time he ends his sentences with that american-or-not-quite-american whatever. As for his difficulty with understanding some of the people he has had contact with, i wonder if it's Singlish that's the problem or some of our imperfect spoken English. For instance, he informed us that in american speech, the emphasis is on the first syllable, but it seems over here the emphasis is on the second syllable. Once, someone said the word urgently to him but after a few times he still could not comprehend him, because the person said urGENTly, as opposed to URgently. He even asked if anyone would like to say the word aloud so that he could hear how we say the word, but you know better what the response was like. Generally, i find his speaking alright except that sometimes it seems as though he is mumbling and i need to listen carefully to catch what he's saying.
Never mind that it's a political science class - true to typical Singaporean school culture, the front rows of the LT were customarily unoccupied while the back of the LT displayed a somewhat compression effect. And staying true to the Singaporean cultural setting also, lecture participation had to be painstakingly entreated. Even then, interaction and questions from students were virturally absent. At least this aspect of our culture was a visible source of frustration to the lecturer, who was undoubtedly used to a vibrant american class setting. (My friend who had studied in the U.S. assured me that over there, people speak and raise questions all the time; they compete to talk in class; and active participation is the norm, unlike here.) As evidence of his desperate frustration, he had to implore us to assume that we aren't in Singapore now, that we are in 'sunny Los Angeles' - that is, please for goodness sake speak up!
He spoke about his intention of showing a film some time later in the course and he told us the name of the documentary. Then failing to get a response from the class about whether anyone has watched or heard of the film, he hastened to add, 'wait a minute, do you guys even watch movies?' We do, thank you very much. Later the lecturer informed us that his sense of humour very much borders on sarcasm (yes i realised that long ago) and we would just get it all the time, unfortunately. I have no problem with that actually, for he's aware of his style of conducting class and he's being candid here. He's obviously being deliberately sarcastic but i don't think it's in a fundamental way very negative or disparaging. But i reserve my judgement, for these are early days yet.
I do sympathise with him even as i am guilty of indifference in class. But if silence and an unwillingness to speak up is indicative of an imbedded culture and all that attendant implications on our education system in Singapore, i guess the lecturer would have little choice but to adjust his expectations and not be too hopeful of replicating a vibrant Los Angeles or Californian class setting. Some of my peers are obviously very vocal during tutorial classes, but when under a larger public setting, many tend to just not want to voice their opinions even where opinions are overtly sought. The reasons, you and I know, are the same few, which i shan't talk about. I agree that it's a very unsatisfactory cultural attribute that boils down to some flaws inherent in our education system. It is an unhealthy state of affair, for it lacks the important qualities in a vibrant participatory culture, where the underlying mechanism encourages creativity and confidence in public speaking, and prospects for fruitful debate are likely to be more prevalent. I am not sure whether the situation and teaching emphasis in our primary and secondary schools have improved over the years.
For now, it awaits to be seen whether during the next lecture my peers will heed the lecturer's request and occupy the front rows in the LT. For me and my friends, i can safely say we will be typical followers instead of trend-setters. What's wrong with being at the back, you know. =)
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