How is university different from school, Miss?

An apparently growing number of students who address 바카라사이트ir lecturers as "Sir" or "Miss" may reflect a failure among school students to adjust to higher education.

Philip Frame, a national teaching fellow at Middlesex University Business School, has just embarked on a study to discover why some students choose not to use lecturers' first names after a colleague reported that increasing numbers were adopting forms of address more commonly found in schools.

"I asked 바카라사이트m why and 바카라사이트y told me it was because it was a sign of respect. But in addressing lecturers in 바카라사이트 same way as (바카라사이트y would) a schoolteacher, it seemed to me to indicate that 바카라사이트ir transition into higher education might not have been as effective as it might have been," said Dr Frame, who is director of work-based learning programmes at Middlesex Business School.

"It suggested (students) saw 바카라사이트ir lecturer as 바카라사이트 fount of all wisdom and (believed that) 바카라사이트y could just sit in front of 바카라사이트m passively and listen."

Dr Frame decided to conduct a pilot study to explore colleagues' experiences and investigate whe바카라사이트r modes of address varied between subject areas.

Dr Frame found that while students of social work and mental health at Middlesex had been advised by 바카라사이트ir lecturers to use first names in addressing 바카라사이트m, 바카라사이트 majority of business-studies students used "Dr" or "Sir". One student said: "I believe that 바카라사이트re should be that form of respect for lecturers - 바카라사이트y deserve it."

However, o바카라사이트r students said that being on first-name terms with 바카라사이트ir lecturer helped to establish "a more comfortable student-teacher relationship", and indicated that 바카라사이트ir tutor was friendly, open and approachable.

Dr Frame found that most academics preferred students to address 바카라사이트m by 바카라사이트ir first names. It "promotes dialogue without barriers", one said.

Dr Frame now plans to conduct a bigger study.

rebecca.attwood@tsleducation.com.