When I was approaching the middle of my first semester at my university in America, I had an experience that I hadn't really encountered during my undergraduate studies. At first glance, this event seemed quite ordinary, but it was an example that caught my attention regarding how academics approach students' academic development.\n\nIn the university where I continue my graduate studies, I am taking a course called Migration and Citizenship. In our class, we discuss migration movements towards America, the processes of immigrants in the country, and the social consequences of migration. One day during class, I asked a question about the tendency of temporary migrant status individuals to commit crimes. My professor shared his information about the topic, and we continued the class. From my perspective, that moment was just a normal question asked in class and answered within a few minutes.
When I came back to my room in the evening, I received a message from my professor while checking my emails. He mentioned that the question I asked during the class was appropriate, but the answer he gave did not fully address my question, and he was sharing some resources to help me understand the topic better. Honestly, I did not expect such a response. The question, which took maybe two minutes during the class, had been addressed again several hours after the class ended by my professor, which caught my attention. Moreover, the email came at around 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening. My professor did not just stick to the answer he gave in class, but also took extra time to find a more comprehensive answer to my question.
One of the things I had difficulty getting used to after coming to America was the use of email. I saw that university and official procedures are mostly conducted via email here. I still have trouble developing the habit of regularly checking my messages; sometimes I realize important emails too late. Therefore, the message sent by my professor was also an detail worth paying attention to for me. While I had not yet managed to organize my own email habits, the fact that a scholar sent me a source hours after I asked a question during the class showed me how different forms the interest in a student's development can take.
Approximately a month later, it was time to submit the research I prepared on the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina and the subsequent refugee movements as a term paper. I received the result of my work, which was the way I was used to during my undergraduate education, and I physically took it to my professor. My professor was surprised by this situation, thanked me for my thoughtful behavior, and told me that I should submit my assignments through an online system like other students. I mentioned that I didn't know this practice and that I would pay attention to it in my future submissions.
Three or four days later, during the short break between semesters, I received another email from my professor. This time, it was about the research I had sent. In a message of approximately one thousand characters, he shared his evaluations regarding the content of my work and his suggestions on how I could improve my writing. What caught my attention while reading the message was that my professor did not consider just submitting the assignment sufficient. He had read my work, paid attention to it, and provided me with concrete suggestions to produce a better research. Moreover, he did this after the semester had ended and the vacation had started.
It was important for me that my work, which I prepared as a graduate student, was handled in this way. Detailed feedback from an academic during this process helps you understand where you are and what to pay attention to in your next work. What was truly valuable for me in my professor's approach was this. It was not just about my work being evaluated, but about focusing on it in order to reach a better academic point.
After these two events, I began to think that one of the topics that caught my attention during my university life in America was the approach of academics towards students and their academic development. During the five years I spent at the Kyrgyz-Turkish Manas University, I prepared dozens of works, gave numerous presentations, and submitted many research assignments in different courses. I don't recall having similar experiences from many of my friends who studied in different universities, different levels, and fields in Turkey. Of course, I also left my undergraduate education with valuable experiences. However, encountering such feedback twice in my first month in America, after the works I prepared over five years, made the difference quite clear to me.
Moreover, I cannot say that the university where I received my education is among the prestigious universities in America. Therefore, what impressed me was not the name of the university or its ranking, but the time and attention the academics devoted to students' development. Of course, it is not possible to evaluate an entire education system based on two experiences. However, I think it is meaningful to share this difference based on my own experience and to think about it further.\n\nI do not want to ignore the workload of academics in Turkey. In many universities, courses, administrative duties, research, and other responsibilities significantly limit academics' time. I am aware that this situation can affect the time available for students. Therefore, it is necessary to acknowledge that the issue is not only about the personal attitudes of academics, but also about the working systems of universities and the facilities provided to academics.
Meanwhile, there is another situation that I have observed in my environment and heard from students. I know many academics who dedicate their entire time to their own articles and studies, but do not allocate the same amount of time to communicate with their students. Sometimes, we encounter an academic environment where students hesitate to go to their professor's office with a question, let alone knock on the door, and even hesitate when passing by the floor where the office is located. Of course, this situation does not apply to every academic; there are many valuable teachers who take great care of their students, guide them, and invest their efforts. However, based on my own experiences and what I have heard from my surroundings, I think this issue needs to be addressed more.
I think more attention should be given to the culture of academic feedback and student-academic communication in our universities. I am not talking about expecting academics to answer every student's question outside of office hours or to write long feedback for every assignment. Academics have limited time and workloads. However, I believe it is important for an approach that guides students in their work, clearly points out their shortcomings, and helps them improve to become more widespread.\n\nDuring my graduate studies, I may not have the opportunity to take a course again from the same academic in later stages. Nevertheless, I think I will remember his approach. Because what motivated me was not just receiving a positive evaluation. It was seeing that my question was taken into consideration, that my work was read, and that time was set aside for me to develop academically.
These two events, which I encountered during my first period in America, found their way into my personal notes about university life. These experiences, which might seem quite ordinary to someone else, showed me an important aspect of the relationship between academics and students from my perspective. Going back to a student's question, reading their assignment carefully, and offering suggestions to produce a better work may seem like small details. However, these are behaviors that can directly contribute to a student's academic development and increase their desire to learn.
Throughout the text, as I mentioned, these are my personal views and experiences. Of course, it is not correct to make a general judgment based on just a few examples. I would be pleased to listen to your different experiences and opinions on this subject and to have a mutual exchange of ideas.
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