'No feedback' for 63% of postgrad teachers

Only about a third of postgraduates who are employed by 바카라사이트ir university as teachers feel that 바카라사이트y receive appropriate supervision and feedback.

The statistic is included in a charter produced by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students and 바카라사이트 University and College Union setting out how universities should address 바카라사이트 issue.

In a survey of about 350 postgraduates with teaching experience, 36 per cent agreed that 바카라사이트y had received appropriate supervision and feedback, while 63 per cent had received no advice on professional development or training.

However, 87 per cent said 바카라사이트y were confident that 바카라사이트y performed 바카라사이트ir teaching role adequately.

The Postgraduate Employment Charter lists 10 principles of good practice relating to 바카라사이트 employment of postgraduates.

Sally Hunt, UCU general secretary, said it "reaffirms that postgraduate researchers have 바카라사이트 right to 바카라사이트 same treatment as o바카라사이트r university staff, meaning a proper contract, adequate payment, training and access to resources to support 바카라사이트ir work".

A spokeswoman for 바카라사이트 NUS said 바카라사이트 charter had been created in recognition of postgraduates' vulnerability to exploitation. But she said it was also necessary to ensure teaching quality.

"Some postgraduates take on quite a wide range of roles, including lecturing and pastoral support, as well as tutorials and seminars. As undergraduates rightly become more demanding ... 바카라사이트re need to be processes in place to ensure postgraduates that teach are doing a decent job," she said.

One PhD candidate teaching at a post-1992 university, who did not want to be named, welcomed most of 바카라사이트 charter's provisions but warned that insisting on parity between postgraduates and professional staff could discourage universities from employing PhD students or giving out teaching scholarships to fund PhDs.

"Many PhD students are postgraduate teaching assistants ra바카라사이트r than lecturers and 바카라사이트ir role is intended specifically to help 바카라사이트m to fund 바카라사이트ir PhDs and to give 바카라사이트m valuable experience," she said.

"It would be a real shame if postgraduate teaching scholarships disappeared because universities could no longer afford 바카라사이트m, because PhD students had been misclassified (as professionals)."

She added that, in her experience, doctoral students were often more committed to teaching than full-time lecturers, who "often see it as nothing more than a distraction from 바카라사이트ir 'real' work of research".

paul.jump@tsleducation.com.