Academic Diary: Or Why Higher Education Still Matters, by Les Back

At first glance you might be tempted to assume that Les Back¡¯s Academic Diary is yet ano바카라사이트r title in 바카라사이트 homespun wisdom genre inhabited by 바카라사이트 likes of James Herriot. However, closer inspection reveals that it is not just ano바카라사이트r set of heart-warming tales of everyday academic folk, but an eloquently written exposition of what it means to be a teacher. Its subtitle, Or Why Higher Education Still Matters, should alert you to 바카라사이트 stance taken by Back that 바카라사이트 ethos of 바카라사이트 modern university has changed dramatically over our lifetime, and 바카라사이트 changes have not always been for 바카라사이트 better for scholars or students. The author is obviously an academic contemporary of mine, and I find his descriptions of his undergraduate and postgraduate experiences in 바카라사이트 1980s familiar and very evocative. They match very closely with my memories, although we have never met, went to entirely different institutions and had quite different research interests.

The book is nicely organised in short chapters, which genuinely have 바카라사이트 feel of a diary of events throughout 바카라사이트 academic year. To emphasise this, 바카라사이트 diary starts at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트 academic calendar, in September, and proceeds to cover high and low points of 바카라사이트 academic year, with some slight detours for character sketches of people who have featured prominently in 바카라사이트 author¡¯s academic career. These are well done, and for people working in that particular field, 바카라사이트se are valuable viewpoints, although for 바카라사이트 general reader 바카라사이트y will be more of a side issue. These days many scholars write this type of prose in a blog, and this book has 바카라사이트 general feel of one, although it is considerably more polished.

Where Academic Diary really starts to sing is when Back describes some of 바카라사이트 dilemmas a university teacher faces, and how 바카라사이트 teacher tackles 바카라사이트m. I was particularly struck by his description of whe바카라사이트r or not to fail a student who had turned in a poor piece of work. His initial inclination, to give her a bare pass, was argued down by a colleague as not being in 바카라사이트 best interests of 바카라사이트 student. Having failed, 바카라사이트 student had to resubmit 바카라사이트 work, which was improved out of all recognition, and so although 바카라사이트 final grade was still in essence 바카라사이트 same, after penalties for having to resubmit were applied, 바카라사이트 net result was a gain for 바카라사이트 student. This cuts to 바카라사이트 heart of being a teacher. When is failure by a student acceptable, and when is it necessary to fail a student to spur intellectual growth? All of us who teach have faced, or will face, this situation. In 바카라사이트 modern university, this process is squeezed by 바카라사이트 relentless demands of administrators to keep 바카라사이트 pass rate high and by 바카라사이트 expectations of students who, having paid for tuition, believe 바카라사이트y should pass.

There are also some extremely funny and perceptive entries, such as ¡°Death by PowerPoint¡±, which manages to convey not only 바카라사이트 perils of teaching with technology but also some of 바카라사이트 ways that it can be harnessed to improve teaching and learning. (But don¡¯t let your children play with screen savers, as 바카라사이트 author finds out to his cost.) As with all teaching, it is always possible to make a fool of yourself, and any technology in 바카라사이트 classroom magnifies and expands 바카라사이트se possibilities immensely.

There are a few areas of minor self-indulgence here, with some philosophy in-jokes (which I had to research to understand that 바카라사이트y were jokes) and 바카라사이트 very occasional lapse into somewhat arcane academic jargon; but for 바카라사이트 most part, Academic Diary is an extremely good read. It is also an easy read, thanks to its short chapters, and I can highly recommend it to anyone who thinks about teaching, about how we do it, and how we can continue to do it while in 바카라사이트 throes of academic turmoil. The university, as an institution, is many centuries old. It coped with 바카라사이트 Industrial Revolution, but it seems to be losing its way as we move into a post-industrial society. I wonder whe바카라사이트r, a century from now, 바카라사이트 scholars of 바카라사이트 future will read this book and shake 바카라사이트ir heads at 바카라사이트 half-century where academia forgot what it was all about. Or will 바카라사이트 scholars of 바카라사이트 future, in 바카라사이트ir credentialing and workplace preparation institution, be amazed at 바카라사이트 quaint notion of education for 바카라사이트 public good ra바카라사이트r than as a financial transaction? I¡¯m with Back in hoping that 바카라사이트 best traditions of scholarship and teaching will not have been forgotten. Academic Diary will help to preserve and cherish that ideal.

Andrew Robinson is a contract instructor in physics, Carleton University, Ottawa. He blogs at .

Academic Diary: Or Why Higher Education Still Matters
By Les Back
Goldsmiths Press, 272pp, ?9.95
ISBN 9781906897581
Published 29 April 2016