Firstly, this is not the obvious post about students in a pub sharing a packet of crisps all night. No, this is a more serious matter for anyone who reads this (I think that's just the two of us then). I refer to the recent phenomenon of students somehow morphing into consumers.
Anyone who teaches will I am sure be familiar with this and those who don't will just have to make the best of it - sorry.
So, there seems to have been a shift in the student community in all areas of FE. At one time, they signed up for the course, either did the the work or didn't do the work, passed or failed and that was the end of it.
Now they sign up PAY THE FEES and then expect to pass the course without any further effort on their behalf at all. Just turning up seems to be optional.
Are we just selecting students on the basis of whether they can pay or not? What happened to having a proper interview to determine how badly they wanted to do the course and learn the content? If they would even bother to turn up?
The module descriptions are clear enough and the students know that a little or a lot of home study is required, according to the nature of the course, but still they piss about and don't listen to the simplest of instruction or bother to even try to understand their part in the learning experience.
When they then fail or are in clear danger of failing, they whinge like fuck that the reason they have failed is the quality of the teaching, the quality of the course materials, their dyslexia, their learning style was not catered for - anything except acknowledging that they were too lazy to actually do the work.
They may as well be honest and just say I should have passed because I PAID!
Well guess what, it doesn't work like that. You have to work too.
Anyone considering doing an FE course and thinking they will pass because they have paid really needs to have a re-think. There is no value in a qualification like that. Anyone can buy one and it becomes a meaningless bit of paper.
You might as well just frame the receipt.
Boris
3 comments:
Oooh, Boris, on good form again. I see this with therapy students and I find it really hard to understand. Why would they think that they will automatically pass a course, because they have paid for it? The fact that I paid for my own training made me work bloody hard, as I determined that I wouldn't waste the money by failing it. I think the fault lies with training institutions as well, though. It is starting to feel like 'bums on seats', regardless of whether or not the individual has a desire or basic capacity to be a therapist. I find that very worrying.
I totally agree with you.
Kostas
(www.sarampalis.org)
Hi Ms M,
That raises ethical questions about taking money off prospective students when they probably can't/won't pass. Educational institutions shpould not do that. Perhaps that is the starting point for reform, that a prospective student be properly vetted as they used to be in the past. Full circle.
Kostas - hello, nice to hear from you. Glad you liked it.
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