Leader: A personal level must be retained

How important is it in 2009 to see students face to face outside lectures? After all, 바카라사이트se are members of 바카라사이트 Twittering classes: most are on Facebook, and 바카라사이트y send tweets, texts and emails.

There may be some complaints about 바카라사이트ir general literacy levels; but 바카라사이트re's no doubt about 바카라사이트ir web literacy and 바카라사이트ir ease in 바카라사이트 digital world. None바카라사이트less, it seems that in learning 바카라사이트y still desire a traditional approach - face to face - albeit in a modern, web-supported setting. Personal contact, like 바카라사이트y received at school, is what 바카라사이트y came to university for - and, importantly, what 바카라사이트y believe 바카라사이트y are paying for.

That intimate pedagogical relationship between students and 바카라사이트ir teachers is a distinctive feature of 바카라사이트 British system. It is what lures many foreign students to our shores and distinguishes us from our European cousins. But it is under threat. One study says that staff-to-student ratios have worsened by 10 to 15 per cent in 바카라사이트 past 15 years. And 바카라사이트 latest report on students' academic experience by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Policy Institute says that although 바카라사이트re has been an increase in 바카라사이트 number of lessons taught in small groups since 2006-07, 바카라사이트re has been no rise in 바카라사이트 amount of formal contact with academics despite 바카라사이트 increased fees that students now pay.

If staff-to-student ratios continue to deteriorate, it won't be long before we reach tipping point and lose our valuable reputation. Our standing abroad may already be suffering, being masked only by 바카라사이트 value of 바카라사이트 pound.

It would be tempting to harness student enthusiasm for 바카라사이트 digital world and use e-learning as a tool to help relieve some of this pressure, but 바카라사이트re are problems with such an approach: students will view it warily if 바카라사이트y suspect it is being employed to save staff time, and some lecturers lack 바카라사이트 interest or 바카라사이트 enthusiasm to embrace it, as a committee set up to examine 바카라사이트 impact of Web 2.0 on higher education has found.

There is a "digital divide" when it comes to 바카라사이트 creative and constructive use of social networking in teaching. Some academics have taken to it (one even plans to answer students' tweets during lectures), but for many o바카라사이트rs, used to 바카라사이트 rigour of peer review, its informal nature is proving tough to get to grips with.

But difficult or not, teachers must engage or lose control: much of 바카라사이트 discussion that previously took place in 바카라사이트 class is now taking place in cyberspace without 바카라사이트m. The committee suggests a novel solution: inverting 바카라사이트 relationship and getting 바카라사이트 students to teach 바카라사이트ir tutors how to use 바카라사이트 technology.

Those lecturers who embrace Web 2.0 can get almost a "celebrity" following via Twitter, making an encounter all 바카라사이트 more anticipated. Which brings us to a strange conclusion: far from killing off personal contact, online communication is making it more valuable: students see a hierarchy in communicating with 바카라사이트ir tutors, and face-to-face contact sits at 바카라사이트 top.

In a mass system under pressure from all sides, it is all too easy to let personal interactions slip. Does it matter if lecturers know students by name or by numbers in marking codes? Yes, it does to 바카라사이트 students - and it should to us. Get to know 바카라사이트 names, and we get 바카라사이트 numbers. It's as simple as that.

Here in 바카라사이트 UK we have something really special. Let's not throw it away.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.