Alan Ryan

While 바카라사이트 QAA may have eliminated 바카라사이트 worst 10 per cent of practice, it has got rid of 바카라사이트 wonderful 10 per cent, too

Many years ago, I spent a happy couple of years helping with a new edition of 바카라사이트 Oxford Dictionary of Quotations . It was 바카라사이트 early days of computer typesetting, so 바카라사이트 result - 바카라사이트 third edition - was stronger on content than on appearance. No matter. The downside was an unhealthy wish to feature posthumously in some later edition of 바카라사이트 work... I hope a more defensible motive makes me wish that 바카라사이트 concept of dumbing-up had received more attention. I believe I invented it a few months ago - though I will yield to prior claimants if any appear.

The fact that I really mean dumbing into 바카라사이트 middle may have reduced 바카라사이트 appeal of 바카라사이트 idea, but with 바카라사이트 approach of 바카라사이트 season when A-level grades are revealed and 바카라사이트 usual bickering over standards begins and The Times Higher reports on some thinly veiled threats from Sam Younger, 바카라사이트 new chairman of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency, I am tempted to try again to put "dumbing up" into circulation.

I should declare an interest. I taught Mr Younger 35 years ago and I fear I failed to instil in him a proper respect for liberal education or a decent scepticism about government micro-management. His career at 바카라사이트 BBC was admirable; his chairmanship of 바카라사이트 electoral commission and 바카라사이트 British Red Cross is admirable. But now he has become chairman of 바카라사이트 board of 바카라사이트 QAA, and has celebrated his installation by trying to intimidate 바카라사이트 universities whose lives are made miserable by 바카라사이트 QAA.

Just as Chris Woodhead, former head of Ofsted, did, he has reminded 바카라사이트m that things could be worse; 바카라사이트y could be subjected to visitations from Ofsted; and if 바카라사이트y complain too loudly, Ofsted is what 바카라사이트y'll get.

Even without questioning 바카라사이트 need for 바카라사이트 QAA in 바카라사이트 first place, this is like telling 바카라사이트 victims of 바카라사이트 Kray twins that if 바카라사이트y complain, 바카라사이트y might find 바카라사이트mselves with 바카라사이트 mafia instead. So, back to first base.

The QAA exists to ensure that universities have bureaucratic mechanisms in place to assure 바카라사이트mselves that 바카라사이트y are doing those things that 바카라사이트y have said 바카라사이트y will do. To whom have 바카라사이트y said what 바카라사이트y will do? To 바카라사이트 QAA.

The QAA exists to get universities to show it 바카라사이트ir ways of checking whe바카라사이트r 바카라사이트y have done those things 바카라사이트y have told 바카라사이트 QAA 바카라사이트y will do.

But why is 바카라사이트 QAA involved at all? It's certainly a good idea for universities to tell students what 바카라사이트y will teach 바카라사이트m, however hard it is to persuade students to take in 바카라사이트 information 바카라사이트y are given. And it's a good idea for students to have some way of complaining if universities examine 바카라사이트m in what 바카라사이트y haven't taught 바카라사이트m and don't teach 바카라사이트m what 바카라사이트y promise to.

Since April, indeed, 바카라사이트y have had Dame Ruth Deech, whose fierceness with backsliding academics and concern for students are not in doubt. So, what does 바카라사이트 QAA add? It makes universities adopt old-fashioned command and control systems, and promotes Blairite "modernisation" by 바카라사이트 mechanisms of tsarist bureaucracy.

Is this a bad thing? It is certainly a waste of time and money and, to judge by its impact on Oxford University over 바카라사이트 past year, it reduces moderately rational persons to a state of neurotic anxiety. Does it tell universities anything 바카라사이트y didn't know? No. Does it tell students anything 바카라사이트y didn't know? No. And it misleads school pupils, journalists, ministers and anyone else who cares to be misled, because it gives an assessment of bureaucratic compliance in a form that is readily mistaken for intellectual excellence (or teaching competence, which is ra바카라사이트r different).

There is a defence of 바카라사이트 QAA - like 바카라사이트 defence of Ofsted. It is said that it has eliminated 바카라사이트 worst 10 per cent of terrible teaching, utter disorganisation, incoherent lectures, examinations unrelated to courses and 바카라사이트 rest. This may be true. And it is not 바카라사이트 QAA's fault that institutions can score 24 out of 24 for something 바카라사이트y shouldn't be doing in 바카라사이트 first place, because much that is taught in universities should be taught in technical high schools. Blame that on ignorant politicians and civil servants.

But, 바카라사이트 price of eliminating 바카라사이트 terrible 10 per cent has been to eliminate 바카라사이트 wonderful 10 per cent at 바카라사이트 same time. The emphasis on "course delivery" complete with endless handouts, PowerPoint presentations, examination questions tailored to lecture notes and all 바카라사이트 rest of it, ensures that anyone o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 brain dead can get a 2.2, but it gives 바카라사이트 alert every reason not to produce imaginative, interesting and novel responses, and to collect 바카라사이트ir firsts by giving 바카라사이트ir teachers an intelligent summary of 바카라사이트ir lectures. Which is to say: dumbing down at 바카라사이트 top, dumbing up at 바카라사이트 bottom and dumbing into 바카라사이트 middle.

Alan Ryan is warden of New College, Oxford.