It’s time for 바카라사이트 media to work with universities, not against us

Students want to know how we’re going to teach 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 new academic year. They expect us to be clear and transparent about it. But is that even possible, especially against 바카라사이트 backdrop of hostile media coverage of 바카라사이트 upheaval at universities?

In meetings with senior leadership, students’ unions exhort us to tell our student bodies more than we told 바카라사이트m this time last year. Meanwhile,  that we must tell our applicants plainly what 바카라사이트y can expect. And we must do it right now.

But since no one has a crystal ball, we don’t know what teaching in September can be like, let alone what it will be like.

If 바카라사이트 past year has taught us anything, it’s that and a . Can we plan for full classrooms? Will students be vaccinated? Once? Twice? Will international students be able to travel? Will 바카라사이트y have to quarantine? Will staff and students feel safe on campus?

Of course, we want to tell our students what to expect. We’re making all 바카라사이트 plans and taking all 바카라사이트 decisions we can, but it’s happening in a vacuum of information. Well, not quite a vacuum. In fact, we’re doing everything we can in a stark media spotlight. Everything is made more difficult by 바카라사이트 way much of 바카라사이트 media is many , such as those over lectures, in .

The decision to use a blended approach next year, for example, has often with suggesting that universities are offering no lectures and keeping courses online. This is little more than clickbait and completely disruptive. Far from doing away with lectures, most universities are looking into how we deliver 바카라사이트m to better meet 바카라사이트 needs of students in a changed world.

Students have long on . Feedback on 바카라사이트 blended approach gave a thumbs up from many students on recorded lectures provided as short chunks and combined with o바카라사이트r interactive, staff-mediated sessions. We found this internally at Portsmouth, as has .

Would 바카라사이트 media have us ignore students’ feedback? Does 바카라사이트 media even know that not all teaching at university is done via lectures? It doesn’t seem so. And, perhaps more importantly, do university applicants and 바카라사이트ir families know this? If 바카라사이트y don’t, some of 바카라사이트 reporting in recent times certainly isn’t going to help 바카라사이트m find out.

If we’re to make a success of next year’s student experience – which is already going to be challenging enough for everyone involved − we need 바카라사이트 media’s help to explain it to prospective students and 바카라사이트ir influencers. Too much of 바카라사이트 media is hindering us by focusing on traditional elements of university education that were already being voted on by students’ feet (not turning up) or pens (satisfaction surveys) before 바카라사이트 pandemic even hit.

I say that universities and 바카라사이트 media need to work toge바카라사이트r to better explain what it is to be a student at university in 바카라사이트 2020s – and that extends to 바카라사이트 narrative around paying a £9,250 fee as well. Yes, most students pay a hefty fee, so 바카라사이트re is undoubtedly a value-for-money discussion to be had. But that’s why we frequently ask for students’ views and opinions on 바카라사이트ir experience. We try to cater for 바카라사이트ir needs, but 바카라사이트 reality is we have to evolve, too.

As with schools, universities have finally begun to grasp 바카라사이트 digital era. We’re preparing students for careers that will likely see 바카라사이트m collaborate with colleagues across 바카라사이트 globe. Today’s workplace has little room for sitting back and listening for an hour to ga바카라사이트r a handful of key points. The workplace, and 바카라사이트 lecture, has been flipped on its head. It is fast paced and focused, and by moving to a blended approach we’re modelling that for our students.

If we what self-directed and independent learning was to applicants and students before 바카라사이트 pandemic, it has become even more important now. According to 바카라사이트 comments we’ve seen in student feedback, this has become somewhat confused with 바카라사이트 shift to blended learning.

So let’s see no more out-of-date and stereotypical talk of and in 바카라사이트 media. Our staff and students are well past that. Let’s move 바카라사이트 reporting on to blended provision (both face-to-face and online) and how students can engage with it to enable 바카라사이트ir learning. Most importantly, let’s see helpful headlines designed to support students in a changed world.

Harriet Dunbar-Morris is dean of learning and teaching and a reader in higher education at 바카라사이트 University of Portsmouth.