Classroom LCD/DLP Projectors, UUUGGGH!!!!

[JaceTheAce]

Okay, I am just fed up with the professors' lack of knowledge in operating a projector in a classroom setting, or for any public setting in this case. The majority of my professors leave the front classroom lights blasting full brightness near the projector screen. My Accounting Law professor has the recessed lighting directly shined onto the projector screen. While the LCD projector puts out a decent amount of light, it's still impossible to read the smaller text on the powerpoint presentation. What text is supposed to be black is an off-white! To top it all off, the front classroom lights are turned all the way up.

AND...heaven forbid they use that digital overhead projector. It canNOT get it's white-balance correct and the LCD projector can't decipher the resolution of the digital overhead so it makes all the handwritten letters jiggle.

When will people learn how to operate a projector?! I seriously wish instructors would stop relying on PowerPoints that they merely read, and get back to teaching and lecturing the traditional way!

End of Rant

 

[majorloser]

I WISH MY PROFESSORS HAD PROJECTORS AND POWERPOINT!

We used to have to try and read handwriting from old overhead projectors and blackboards. Nothing like trying to read handwriting on mylar after they keep wiping it clean with a tissue over and over.

Wipe-off boards are only something that really got acceptance within the past 20+ years. They're a little better than blackboards.

I can remember a chemistry professor who would just sit on his desk with his legs crossed through the whole class and talk (about nothing). Would just read from the textbook and tell you what you should read. We wished he would have wrote anything down. Nothing like taking chemistry notes from speech!

 

[BMXTRIX]

These issues are why there are so many custom installers and why systems like Crestron/AMX exist and can do very simple room operations for a fairly reasonable cost. Lighting control still is my personal pet peeve when it comes to most systems though. I have gone into rooms with Grafik Eye dimmers (Lutron - controllable) which are not tied into $50,000+ control systems! Why? Because nobody did it. That's it.

Yep, figuring out lighting is not a priority for anyone, but if it makes things difficult for you to see, then I would ask the professor, before class, to see if he can accomodate you. I have always been a vocal student, much to the dismay occassionally of the professor and/or other students. Had a professor who was going to be out of town the week of mid-terms so he wanted (expected) us to come in and take mid-terms during Spring Break... Which is when I already had my vacation and plane tickets reserved. Darn straight I object! That's why the school puts out a schedule - so everyone is on the same page and plays by the rules.

- Back on subject -

You may get really good results and help your teacher learn something if you speak to him about it.

 

[Dan]

I can remember a chemistry professor who would just sit on his desk with his legs crossed through the whole class and talk (about nothing). Would just read from the textbook and tell you what you should read. We wished he would have wrote anything down. Nothing like taking chemistry notes from speech![/QUOTE]

I had a huge Organic Chem class of about 200. The prof would write the rection mechanisms on a huge blackboard across the top down the right side then right to left across the bottom and then spiral in to the middle. If she ran out of room she would randomly erase some part to squeeze the rest in. God help you if you fell behind. No wonder I hated that class