[quote name='Washu' timestamp='1322803431' post='4889679']
[quote name='Luckless' timestamp='1322792405' post='4889658']
Then there is the annoying, but required way. Once, and only once, during my round about path through university have I had a professor who was actually drummed out of their classes simply because they knew next to nothing about the subject, were unable to answer basic questions, and were unable to communicate during classes in any meaningful manner. Never did get a straight answer about how she managed to get the job. For some reason no one seems to enjoy talking about the professor in general.
In most universities, teaching is not the primary occupation of professors.
Research is. They teach because it provides subsidies that fund their research.
A lot of professors can be extremely intelligent and yet have a very hard time teaching what they know. That doesn't necessarily mean the one your speaking about was such a case, but I've known a few.
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Sadly, she was hired as an instructor to fill in courses that the researchers didn't have time to do and still be researchers. (Small university.)
And I'll be honest. Those "Know their stuff but can't teach" professors have been the ones that I learn the most from. For the most part, "Knows their stuff" and "knows nothing, but fumbling their way through anyway" tends to be very easy to spot.
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"But she interviewed well!"
Luckily at my University, the professors were actually required to teach. In some of my non-engineering courses (thinking English and some of the lower-end math/science), I had a graduate student as the instructor. But all my engineering courses, there was a professor teaching and not some TA. Of course with the classes with a Lab component, it was the TA - except this one electrical engineering course I took, three professors taught it across several classes, and each Lab there were several TA's and at least one of the professors. Now that was a bit unique.
On the other hand I also made my transition to being properly part of the professional game-dev world, and at some point you have to grow up a bit there. It's one thing to act out if you're an established person, but at my age and experience I can't really keep that sort of reputation.
