A vision of Professors today

"All that stands between civilization and barbarism is education"

Sandra

De video "A vision of students today" heeft geleid tot een geweldig commentaar van Professor Sandra. Komtie (ga d'r even voor zitten):

As the world becomes ever more complex and fast-changing, the role of higher education as a guardian or transmitter of culture and citizenship needs to be protected.

– UK Government’s Dearing report, 1997

It these walls could talk …

What would they say?

If lecturers are rewarded more for their research than their teaching

Why do they lecture at all?

The information is up here.

Follow along.

Follow.

Of course, bookshelves cannot talk.

But lecturers can.

What is it like being a lecturer today?

66% of my students

Bother to come to the lectures

I spend all Sunday carefully preparing.

I spent five days researching and preparing.

A carefully considered reading list

Of which my students read

20% of the items.

I spent the summer

Creating an online learning environment

Full of amazing study resources

That only 30% of my students visit

I will read 80 books this year

Review three in my spare time

Unpaid

I will read 200 academic journal articles

Review four in my spare time

Unpaid

I will read 2300 web pages

And many of my students’ Facebook profiles

Especially the ones with tasteless pictures

Because word gets around.

I will spend six weeks

Finalising 2 research council funding applications

That stand a 75% chance of being rejected

Even if they are world class.

My family’s future depends on

The next Research Assessment Exercise.

I will write 72 pages of text

For each module I teach this semester

And over 700 emails

And attend 36 meetings

And spend 30 hours on the phone

And fill in 75 forms

I get 6 1/2 hours of sleep each night

I spend 1 ½ hours watching TV each night.

I spend 6 hours a day online

Twice a week

I read my children their bedtime stories

Over the phone

I work 48 hours a week

Sometimes including weekends

I’m a multitasker.

I have to be.

I have a second job

To help pay the bills

Because UK lecturers earn 2/3

Of what school teachers earn

I spent 5 years writing my last book

Which was well reviewed

And got me interviewed on TV

But I only made £50 in royalties

So you have to ask

Why I do this job?

And my answer is

Because I believe

all that stands between civilization and barbarism

is education.

Discuss.

Zo'n kijkje in elkaars belevingswereld is het begin van echt contact.

Zet een student eens op de stoel van een professor en een professor op de stoel van een student.

Lijkt mij een mooi startpunt voor de discussie.

Jou?

M.

Foto