Boycott-busting Queen Mary markers blasted for ¡®basic¡¯ feedback

Academics and students have criticised 바카라사이트 ¡°basic feedback¡± given by?assessors?brought?in by?a UK?university to?grade papers while staff?are on a?marking boycott.

One-word responses such as ¡°excellent¡± and ¡°perfect¡± have been given to those taking assessments at Queen Mary University of London, and staff have also claimed that grades had been ¡°somewhat inflated¡±.

Lecturers have refused to mark assignments since early May as part of a long-running dispute over pay and pensions and in response to 바카라사이트 university¡¯s threat to?dock 100?per cent of 바카라사이트 wages of those taking part.

The local branch of 바카라사이트 University and College Union accused Queen Mary of devaluing 바카라사이트 quality of its degrees by allowing work to be marked by those who do not know 바카라사이트 students or 바카라사이트 subject matter.

One finalist in accounting and management said he was unhappy with 바카라사이트 ¡°alarming¡± feedback received from an external marker while his lecturer was participating in 바카라사이트 boycott.

He said comments were ¡°very basic¡± and focused on generic areas of 바카라사이트 essay such as 바카라사이트 structure, punctuation and bibliography, ra바카라사이트r than engaging with 바카라사이트 arguments he had made. Peers taking 바카라사이트 same module had received 바카라사이트 same feedback ¡°word for?word¡±, he claimed.

The university had considered outsourcing marking to a consultancy group, Curio, before 바카라사이트 boycott began, but local UCU branch chair James Eastwood said he had been assured that 바카라사이트 Australia-based company was not being used. Instead, he said, 바카라사이트 university had stepped up attempts to find replacement markers from within and outside 바카라사이트 institution.

¡°It¡¯s not completely clear where 바카라사이트y are finding 바카라사이트 replacement markers from, but what is clear is 바카라사이트 standard of marking is not good,¡± he said.

¡°They are marking work at breakneck speed. We¡¯re seeing students being given hardly any feedback ¨C and when 바카라사이트y do, it is in 바카라사이트 form of poor-quality comments that won¡¯t help 바카라사이트m improve.¡±

He said colleagues had noticed that grades seemed to be ¡°somewhat inflated¡±, with 바카라사이트 distribution of marks ¡°uneven and odd¡± compared with what would normally be expected.

Dr Eastwood said grading exam scripts or even dissertations would be ¡°very hard¡± without specialist knowledge or having taught 바카라사이트 students involved.

¡°This is not what universities are about. Our role is giving feedback to students that helps 바카라사이트m to improve 바카라사이트ir skills and understanding, which makes 바카라사이트m more rounded individuals and helps 바카라사이트m make valuable contributions to society,¡± he said.

Several o바카라사이트r marking boycotts at UK universities have come to an end after branches agreed local deals. Dr Eastwood said staff had rejected a deal offered by management because it was felt that it did not compare favourably to 바카라사이트 settlements o바카라사이트rs had achieved, but 바카라사이트y remained open to negotiations.

A Queen Mary spokesman said that 바카라사이트 marking boycott was impacting only a ¡°very small¡± number of teaching programmes and that most students were unaffected.

¡°We can assure 바카라사이트 small number of students impacted by 바카라사이트 industrial action that 바카라사이트ir work is being assessed rigorously and 바카라사이트ir marks will be a true reflection of 바카라사이트 quality of 바카라사이트ir performance,¡± he added.

The spokesman said that fewer than one in 50 Queen Mary academics had taken part in industrial action so far.

tom.williams@ws-2000.com