"Urgently need help with project I should have started weeks ago! (and probably I should have actually gone to class and done the homework, too.)"
And the teacher wants us to do all this stuff that he never taught us 
And I really need you to get me a good mark in this exam because I want to get a really responsible job like a railway signalling engineer.
...R
And the teacher wants us to do all this stuff that he never taught us
Alas, that does happen as well. I took a "C++ for C programmers" MOOC where the "assignments" were completely out-of-line with the depth of the material presented in the class. At least, unless you were exactly the sort of C programmer that the professor apparently expected.
(as in "here's how to use the vector template and output streams to write a program that works with relatively arbitrary data types. And we can a graph class with methods and stuff." "OK, now go implement an AI to play the game of HEX based on the results of running Monte Carlo simulations using data from the Dijkstra SPF algorithm on the graph representing the board.") Sigh.
The responsibility of learning is on the learner. Teachers facilitate learning. Different learners appreciate different teachers.
westfw: unfortunately the EdD degree has become popular in K-14 education. Beware the buzzwords!
The teacher that tells you exactly how to do it and then gives you an assignment that covers only what they covered in class and can be done with nothing more than the class notes is doing you a disservice.
Anyone can read take notes and regurgitate them. Learning to search and learn is something different entirely. Unfortunately this seems to be lost on most students until it is way too late and they can't get a job because they don't know how to do anything they aren't spoon fed.
Delta_G:
... Anyone can read take notes and regurgitate them. ...
Um ... in some cases, that would be a vast improvement.