Adam Curry was kind enough to mention this site in his link to the IT hype. Whilst visiting, I noticed that Adam had linked to a Slashdot | Who Were Your Best Teachers? article:

There are countless professors and teaching assistants who make learning computer science fun and exciting for students. Would Slashdot readers like to share a couple of great stories?

Adam went on to say that:

I think SlashDot is onto something important here. There is a growing shortage of Teachers worldwide. I believe it is because the role of educators has been de-hero-ized by the media, government and parents ourselves.

Many students in the past have commented on my performance as a teacher - via the teaching evaluation questionnaires - and I am very proud to say that some of these students even admit that I have been their best teacher. Such praise is one of the few reasons that I stay in academia. I also believe that the role of educators has been de-hero-ized by the very institutions that employ lecturers as it's becoming increasingly difficult to justify concentrating on being a good teacher as promotion, tenure, etc., pays little, if any heed, to such skills.

As a long-standing member of faculty in a Computer Science department it is a mite annoying to see our new, wet behind the ears, graduates go out and get a starting salary that is very close to, or that even matches, mine. One of these days UK universities will have to wake up to the fact that the recruit and retain good staff they will have to pay the appropriate remuneration, After all medics, vetinarians, dentists, and law lecturers are paid a discetionary higher rate. But I'll get down off my hobby horse now!