How long for marking of work?

bestpud

MrsManda wrote: »

In the case of my degree, the time it takes to get the marks back and feedback is highly dependent on the piece of work and the course but we are usually given a rough idea of when we are going to recieve the work back.

On my degree we have two class reps who go to a meeting of department heads each term with our feedback/complaints/suggestions on how to do it better. This obviously doesn't help us directly but does increase the likelihood of the years following us not ending up making the same complaints

I think that is the crux of it really. There seems to be a lack of communication in some unis and I do think lecturers should give students some idea of when to expect their work back.

It's like the difference between waiting in a queue when you can see staff are just rushed off their feet and waiting in a queue and not knowing what is causing the hold up or when it may be resolved - the latter is frustrating to say the least.

Class reps at my uni are definitely taken notice of and staff do implement changes where possible - it's a valuable system imo.

Danstar_2

I think the most important thing, particularly with the budget cut to the HEFC universities need to treat students like customers given the whole topup fee system. It's all good and well marking a piece of work but ultimately it's a service. Students should have essays returned to them with all the notes made when marking along with a mark scheme criteria and a short paragraph to the extent they met/didn't meet the criteria and what they should do to improve it. And a general paragraph summarising the overal mark and essay.

To student who fail exams should be returned to them with full feedback as above and students who get a 3rd or 2.2 should have an offer to have them returned.

It's all good and well dictating to students an hour every week for 10weeks but if they struggle to implement what you're meant to have taught them then there should be a clear guidline as to how and why they've been unsatisfactory.

The_One_Who

Danstar wrote: »

I think the most important thing, particularly with the budget cut to the HEFC universities need to treat students like customers given the whole topup fee system. It's all good and well marking a piece of work but ultimately it's a service. Students should have essays returned to them with all the notes made when marking along with a mark scheme criteria and a short paragraph to the extent they met/didn't meet the criteria and what they should do to improve it. And a general paragraph summarising the overal mark and essay.

To student who fail exams should be returned to them with full feedback as above and students who get a 3rd or 2.2 should have an offer to have them returned.

It's all good and well dictating to students an hour every week for 10weeks but if they struggle to implement what you're meant to have taught them then there should be a clear guidline as to how and why they've been unsatisfactory.

The thought of universities turning into a consumer service (which sadly is happening more and more) actually makes me cringe. I despise it.

Most lecturers have 'office hours' each week and are willing to meet with students if asked. Office hours are woefully underused though, and it's no wonder that academics (who usually go into work to research rather than teach) get annoyed when they have to give up a couple of hours a week for nothing.

Academics, essentially, are doing two full-time jobs and I think students should recognise this. They are employed (and promoted) primarily on their research credentials with teaching being secondary but largely expected. They have to do apply for grants, do research, write papers, get work published. Then they also have to write lecture material, fill in pages of forms for it, give lectures, mark essays and exams. Then they will most likely have postgraduate students to teach and/or supervise. They may also be involved in editing journals, peer-reviewing work and external examining.

Danstar_2

Which is exactly why the USA is leading for higher education. Because of their Market based, students as customers focus. Students should have the best possible learning environment and support. IMO research should be secondary.

tinkerbel

Manchester uni - presentation done in december, essay handed in the 1st week back over xmas after exams (1st Feb) a class of less than 100...
marks received... last week (end of May - the day before the exam = about 5 months since the essay, 7 since the presentation) - no feedback just log on and see the grade. There will never be any feedback. This is not uncommon.

I want my tuition fees back.

The_One_Who

Danstar wrote: »

Which is exactly why the USA is leading for higher education. Because of their Market based, students as customers focus. Students should have the best possible learning environment and support. IMO research should be secondary.

Debatable, and probably wholly dependent on the subject. Students may be seen as customers, but it doesn't guarantee 'good service'. Harvard is widely known as having a very poor undergraduate teaching programme. It's much more graduate-focussed.

At research-intensive universities with some of the world-leading academics, obviously teaching comes second. At the more teaching-focussed universities research is secondary. So there is an option there for where you go for what you want.

Danstar_2

Yes but world leading academics should be focused on research. But in their timetables once thy have published if they should then be teaching for a period of time with devotion to student.

University should be tutored learning on a weekly basis by academic staff rather than pure dictation by the course leader. This will inevitably mean smaller class sizes but that is only a good thing. It would mean students would attend more lectures as absence has probably a great deal to do with lack of involvement and separatation.

Number one excuse for not attending a lecture. "i'll just read the lecture slides" becaus seemingly that's all some lecturers do. Sone lecturers have a real passion for teaching as they want to pass on their knowledge gained through research to students others see lectures as something to get over and done with, never updating their slides yearly.

The best courses, the most involving ones for me, are were there's a small class. We do presentations, get involved in the learning and the tutorial sessions are weekly taken by the course leader and generally speaking they have the beat feedback.

It also helps to build a relationship with the academic staff which makes them seem more approachable when it comes to "office hours".

MrsManda

Danstar wrote: »

To student who fail exams should be returned to them with full feedback as above and students who get a 3rd or 2.2 should have an offer to have them returned.

As in rewrite?
So people who either aren't bright enough to get it right first time or are too lazy/didn't organise their time properly/didn't do their research properly should get the chance to read their feedback and do it again? So you punish those who are bright/organised? University is not school, they should not be babysitting you through your course. If you have a high level job (which people with degrees are generally aiming to get rather than working their way up from the bottom) you are expected to be able to work to deadlines, be given the work and expected to get it done to a high standard first time. The reason a person with a degree is supposed to be able to deal with this is because they've learnt at university.

(If I've misunderstood this comment I apologise).

bestpud

Danstar wrote: »

To student who fail exams should be returned to them with full feedback as above and students who get a 3rd or 2.2 should have an offer to have them returned.

You are joking? :cool:

In my experience, people who get a 3rd or a 2:2 are also those who can't be bothered. They also tend to be those who never attend tutorials or are never prepared if they do.

Here's a novel idea - how about students who feel they are struggling get off their butt and approach lecturers and/or their uni library for help?

You need to make a distinction between school and university imo.

The_One_Who wrote: »

Most lecturers have 'office hours' each week and are willing to meet with students if asked. Office hours are woefully underused though, and it's no wonder that academics (who usually go into work to research rather than teach) get annoyed when they have to give up a couple of hours a week for nothing.

That is certainly the case at my uni and lecturers often say it is only able students who contact them!

We had one send a stroppy email once as a third of the cohort had failed and, understandably, he was not impressed. We had tutorials afterwards and he told me the only students who were in the least but concerned about the email were those who had a good pass! The ones who'd failed didn't give a damn! He was not happy and who can blame him!

Danstar wrote: »

IMO research should be secondary.

As I understand it it is research that brings in the funding so less research = higher fees and/or less facilities for students. You can't have it all ways.

Further, I'm not sure unis should be 'teaching' people... :cool:

tinkerbel

research that causes lectures to be cancelled and not rearranged is bad. I understand why they have to do research but for what I have got from the academic side of university, I am hugely dissapointed.