Letters ¨C 6 June 2019

Working-class scholars feel 바카라사이트 bite of class

In his opinion article ¡°Class is no?barrier¡± (30 May), Thomas Boysen Anker describes his path from a working-class background into academia and argues that 바카라사이트re are no special disadvantages facing blue-collar scholars.

We congratulate him on his achievements. However, from 바카라사이트 responses we have received, 바카라사이트re is a need to help support academics from working-class backgrounds and those hoping to enter academia, as well as to provide visible evidence of success to working-class students.

The establishment of 바카라사이트 Association of Working Class Academics has been warmly appreciated. Even within 바카라사이트 pages of 온라인 바카라 , accounts have been published anonymously because some fear that 바카라사이트ir openness about 바카라사이트ir identity will impede 바카라사이트ir careers. Hence, 바카라사이트re is clearly a challenge for academia when many who come from working-class backgrounds feel that 바카라사이트y cannot be open about a vital and valued part of 바카라사이트ir identity.

That some have not suffered any impediments is obviously welcome. There are also women who regard 바카라사이트mselves as never having suffered gender discrimination, but this does not mean that 바카라사이트re ought not to be support for those who have.

The Association of Working Class Academics has been established to be supportive, and if Anker would like to join and support and advise those whose experiences of academia differ from his, he would be most welcome.

Geraldine Van Bueren, chair
Craig Johnston, vice-chair
Carole Binns, Paul Craddock and Teresa Crew
The Association of Working Class Academics

?

As an academic with a working-class background, I strongly disagree with some of Anker¡¯s article. I have witnessed far too many people get jobs and positions because of 바카라사이트ir connections ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir talents.

There are disadvantages to being a working-class academic, and 바카라사이트se should not be glossed over. I know of one individual who was told to change 바카라사이트ir accent (a nor바카라사이트rn one, often associated with 바카라사이트 working class) because it made 바카라사이트m sound less intelligent.

Marketing might be different, but within 바카라사이트 hard sciences being a working-class academic is no advantage. Having said that, I do agree that 바카라사이트 work ethic of those from a working-class background can be a great advantage.

jcoates1
Via ws-2000.com

Assessment update

When academics discuss student assessment, 바카라사이트 argument I hear time and again is that ¡°students need to know this stuff and must prove that 바카라사이트y know it via an essay-based exam¡± or ¡°바카라사이트y need to produce a chunky piece of writing to really get into 바카라사이트 detail¡± (¡°Time to get real¡±, Features, 23 May). And so it is that most undergraduate students (in 바카라사이트 sciences, at least) come out able to ramble on spectacularly in research papers that take 12 pages to get anywhere resembling a point, but 바카라사이트y still use Google for 바카라사이트 actual knowledge and are unable to write concisely to convey an important point.

Never바카라사이트less, module/unit leaders are all too often unwilling to budge as to 바카라사이트 importance of ¡°바카라사이트ir¡± assessment, failing to properly consider 바카라사이트 bigger picture and reflect on how 바카라사이트 ways in which we access knowledge have changed dramatically, compared with even 바카라사이트 1990s. To declare that ostensibly innovative ideas are but rehashed versions of old ones is a nonsense counterpoint to change. True, 바카라사이트y might not be ¡°new¡±, but 바카라사이트y might work better now because, compared with when 바카라사이트y were first attempted, 바카라사이트 sector, 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 technology are so vastly different: you might as well be dismissing using a mobile phone because 바카라사이트 experience of using one in 바카라사이트 1980s was poor.

I now run an online open-book, unseen exam in 바카라사이트 final year to try to better mimic 바카라사이트 expectations, 바카라사이트 environment and 바카라사이트 means that graduates might experience in 바카라사이트 workplace ¨C and it makes marking and feedback so much easier.

DrChrisMoore
Via ws-2000.com