Advice wanted about uni problem.

MrsManda

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I think that this is a very sensible point; lots of people don't understand that they learn through doing the assignments and that their purpose isn't only for purposes of grading.

This is the reason why the first year of an UG degree usually doesn't count towards graduating grade. My course is unusual (compared to most degree courses I looked at/my friends did) in that the first year does count for a HUGE 9th of the degree ;-)
Your first year is for learning how things work and getting into the mindset that you are not at school anymore and that lecturers are simply there to give you the basic bones of a subject so you can go away and learn the stuff you actually need to know.

I don't know about most universities but in the first few weeks of our first term there were opportunities to go on library tours to learn what resources were available to us and how to access services. There were also induction workshops where you could talk to second years about things they struggled with and learnt from. I think there was also an essay writing workshop. But the important thing about these is that they weren't compulsory. No one told you that you ought to do them, because not everyone needs it.

The course organiser for my course told us that ~90% of our degree will be down to us doing our own work. Assignments are there to keep us on track so that we know how we're doing so that we can work harder on those things we seem to be struggling with and just keep a watchful eye on those (rare) things which we're doing well with. First year is a steep learning curve but if you make the most of it, second year will seem easier (apparently).

Oldernotwiser

mellymeep wrote: »

But then that means if I get a rubbish mark I have to re-do it

Why on earth should you expect to be able to redo it; if your work was rubbish then you need to learn from that, move on and do better on the next one.

dieselhead

I am currently studying for a masters and my father is studying for his Phd, both of us had in drafts or samples of our work to out tutors, before final submissions, these are usually in advance of tutorials so the tutor can make useful comments of progress, and content, and occasionally writing style.

I believe that the introduction of tuition fees had made students very aware of the quality of teaching they receive, just because it is at university level does not mean that the teaching is good, you get good bad and indifferent instructors at every level.

The_One_Who

dieselhead wrote: »

I am currently studying for a masters and my father is studying for his Phd, both of us had in drafts or samples of our work to out tutors, before final submissions, these are usually in advance of tutorials so the tutor can make useful comments of progress, and content, and occasionally writing style.

I believe that the introduction of tuition fees had made students very aware of the quality of teaching they receive, just because it is at university level does not mean that the teaching is good, you get good bad and indifferent instructors at every level.

At postgraduate level is is slightly different, I think. I assume you hand in your work to your supervisors? Postgraduate courses will not have hundreds of students (across all years since essay deadlines are usually similar) all wanting the same academic to check over their work before submitting it.

melancholly

for the OP - if you are nervous about not having a written record then take someone with you to a meeting with the tutor. maybe the course rep would be a good choice. given that the tutor is now that fed up of your emails that they've asked you to stop sending them, having a second person there is particularly advisable.

to others who are struggling with the whole independent learning nature of a degree, there are usually many courses on offer to help - how to do online literature seraches, how to get an academic style of writing, how to contruct an essay etc etc etc. these can be run by departments or more general places like the library or the careers service. they may help. there are also plenty of opportunities to give feedback on the course or to take some proactive action to improve the situation, like starting a study group with oher people on the course.

there is an issue here but it seems to me that it's all about expectation rather than about what is fair or not. there is an expectation from some students that was never going to be realised....unfortunately the attitude of 'i'm payng you should jump at my every request' is just the most unlikely one to get any sort of a positive reaction.

Oldernotwiser

The_One_Who wrote: »

At postgraduate level is is slightly different, I think. I assume you hand in your work to your supervisors? Postgraduate courses will not have hundreds of students (across all years since essay deadlines are usually similar) all wanting the same academic to check over their work before submitting it.

When you're studying for a PhD or research Masters, this sort of supervision is what your fees cover as there's unlikely to be much in the way of formal teaching.

celyn90

dieselhead wrote: »

I am currently studying for a masters and my father is studying for his Phd, both of us had in drafts or samples of our work to out tutors, before final submissions, these are usually in advance of tutorials so the tutor can make useful comments of progress, and content, and occasionally writing style.

I always found at post-graduate level that it depended very much on the supervisor. My masters supervisor was very hands on and often asked me for drafts, but then I was his only student and he was very intrested in the project.

My DPhil supervisor has never seen my thesis - he will get a copy when I have done my corrections; the same one that will go the library.

I would certainly second looking at the careers service for help with study skills; student services and the computer services (if you have them) are also often very good.

aqueoushumour01

TrickyNiki wrote: »

Do you think I should complain? How would I go about it withoug alinenatiing the lecturer and not letting me sit the second demonstration in a few months (60%)?

I think you already did that by insinuating that he was ignoring you.

welf_man

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Why on earth should you expect to be able to redo it; if your work was rubbish then you need to learn from that, move on and do better on the next one.

Many Universities / courses require you to pass every assessment and give you an automatic resubmission if you fail the first time.

I work at a '94 Group, research-based, top-20 University and still students have an accepted right to pre-submission assistance if they want it.

I'm fascinated to know where some of you study that this isn't the case!

Mel.

Blacksheep1979

mellymeep wrote: »

I don't understand. So I'm supposed to just float through university entirely on my own, hand in pieces of work that are sub-standard because I've no clue what I'm supposed to be writing about

Well you should maybe listen in lectures/seminars and do some outside reading - that kind of attitude isn't going to do you any good in the real world where if you don't have a clue and keep trying to get others to help you with your work you'll get fired.

mellymeep wrote: »

all I want is a few pointers here and there because the information provided to me during timetabled sessions just isn't enough

That's what libraries with books and journals are for - timetabled lectures are designed to give you an idea of where you should be in your OWN studies, not to teach you.

I think you need to stop expecting to be spoonfed.