Lack of comms from lecturer!

Impet_Limpet

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

I can see that you needed to speak to your lecturer to agree a topic/title but why are you looking for feedback whilst writing the work? Why do you expect this level of spoonfeeding; study at this level is supposed to be about independent thought, not to keep asking the tutor what he's looking for. It's not GCSE you know!

The purpose of the module is that its student initiated, but we are supposed to have regular meetings and record them in our personal development plan. I have almost finished the essay however the title
"With the recent opening of Lancashire Cardiac Centre in Blackpool and the continued media interest of increased incidence of heart disease and obesity, cardiovascular health is a hot topic both from the view of the NHS and the public.

Electrocardiograms: A guide to ECGs with photo ready diagrams to explain the principles and interpretation of output with an emphasis on the underlying pathophysiology of the heart. " Is as long as a piece of string.

the_devil_made_me_do_it

"Oldernotwiser".... your name speaks for itself.

Students are not wanting to be spoonfed, but it's no harm to ask for feedback on your essays ect as long as students are able to show that they are doing the work set and putting a good amount of their own effort into their studies, after all, degrees are meant and advertised as taught.

Oldernotwiser

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

"Oldernotwiser".... your name speaks for itself.

Students are not wanting to be spoonfed, but it's no harm to ask for feedback on your essays ect as long as students are able to show that they are doing the work set and putting a good amount of their own effort into their studies, after all, degrees are meant and advertised as taught.

Feedback when your work is returned is crucial and helps you learn and develop. Feedback whilst doing the work indicates spoonfeeding and hand holding that shouldn't need to occur at this level. Personally I'm horrified that students can resubmit work even at GCSE in order to get a better grade, at HE level it's truly appalling!

(I stopped being a student in 1999, which really isn't that long ago. The first thing we were told on that degree was that we were there to learn and not to be taught. That's the way it's supposed to be.)

the_devil_made_me_do_it

I agree with you to a point oldernotwiser, however, the lecturers don't/shouldn't tell students what to write ect, they advise them on where they should be looking for info, especially if it's clear the student is way off the mark.

I just sometimes get the impression lecturers are purely in the job for the money, and can't be bothered to even pretend to be enthusiastic and encouraging about their work and interests.

melancholly

Oldernotwiser wrote: »

Feedback when your work is returned is crucial and helps you learn and develop. Feedback whilst doing the work indicates spoonfeeding and hand holding that shouldn't need to occur at this level.

but clearly it does! at a lot/most unis, there are modules of extended coursework where feedback is given during the writing process to ensure that they stay on track (a lot like a PhD thesis!) - it happens and it is intended to help the students learn. usually there are restrictions whereby only one version of the essay/report can be handed in, so it's not the same as getting help on every point. if some students get help from their supervisors and others don't, then it's clearly unfair!

i agree that there is a lot of spoonfeeding going on - but if feedback is allowed, it has to be given on an equal basis to all students or it is completely unfair

melancholly

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

I just sometimes get the impression lecturers are purely in the job for the money, and can't be bothered to even pretend to be enthusiastic and encouraging about their work and interests.

if someone was in a job just for the money, i assure you that it wouldn't be in academia!!

the_devil_made_me_do_it

melancholly wrote: »

if someone was in a job just for the money, i assure you that it wouldn't be in academia!!

must be just in my experience then.

floyd

I could earn more working in a call centre than I do as an academic post-doc scientist, fact! I and others in my group willingly on occasion work 20 hour days and weekends for no overtime or bonuses so its certainly not for the money

Oldernotwiser

melancholly wrote: »

but clearly it does! at a lot/most unis, there are modules of extended coursework where feedback is given during the writing process to ensure that they stay on track (a lot like a PhD thesis!) - it happens and it is intended to help the students learn. usually there are restrictions whereby only one version of the essay/report can be handed in, so it's not the same as getting help on every point. if some students get help from their supervisors and others don't, then it's clearly unfair!

i agree that there is a lot of spoonfeeding going on - but if feedback is allowed, it has to be given on an equal basis to all students or it is completely unfair

I agree that it if it's available then it should be available to all, I just don't think that it should be available!

I think that it must be very hard to be enthusiastic with students who seem to have no interest in becoming independent learners but only want to pick tutors' brains to add a few extra marks. Soul destroying is the term that comes to mind!

Voyager2002

the_devil_made_me_do_it wrote: »

I just sometimes get the impression lecturers are purely in the job for the money, and can't be bothered to even pretend to be enthusiastic and encouraging about their work and interests.

!!!

Compare lecturers' salaries to virtually any other profession! Remember that completing a degree and a post-doc means that they will almost certainly be older than 30 before they begin their lecturing career (and start paying pension contributions, have the job security to start a family, etc). Remember that many of them are on temporary contracts -- HE is the third most "casual" employment sector after catering and building! Definitely not for the money.

No, the reason they are there is because they are fascinated by their subject and love doing research. Unfortunately, they have to waste time with kids who refuse to think for themselves and are only interested in getting the highest possible mark for the least amount of effort. No wonder that teaching is a low priority for them.

(I am still doing post-doc research and have yet to be offered my first lectureship, and I will be fifty next birthday. Still, at least I don't have to do any teaching.)