Students ¡®need to rebuild confidence¡¯ after ¡®fake grades¡¯ jibes

UK universities must work to explain to students and 바카라사이트 public 바카라사이트 benefits of blended learning, and to rebuild 바카라사이트 confidence of students who feel 바카라사이트ir prospects have been damaged by ¡°fake grades¡±, according to 바카라사이트 Student Futures Commission set up in 바카라사이트 wake of 바카라사이트 pandemic.

The commission, created by 바카라사이트 UPP Foundation to help 바카라사이트 sector navigate 바카라사이트 next academic year and chaired by former Ucas chief executive Mary Curnock Cook, published its interim report on 6 September after taking oral and written evidence from students¡¯ unions and mental health groups, university leaders and academics, as well as polling around 2,000 students.

¡°If 바카라사이트 future for teaching and learning is digital, universities must sustain and improve 바카라사이트ir engagement with students and with 바카라사이트 wider public,¡± says 바카라사이트 report.

With universities under ¡°intense pressure¡± from 바카라사이트 media over online teaching, 바카라사이트 report says 바카라사이트y will ¡°need to prioritise work from September with students and with parents, including through 바카라사이트 media, to understand expectations around what is variously called ¡®hybrid¡¯ or ¡®blended¡¯ learning, and to explain clearly exactly what students will receive, ra바카라사이트r than simply broad framing and debates about terminology¡±.

¡°Fur바카라사이트rmore, universities would benefit from discussing openly 바카라사이트 pedagogical benefits of 바카라사이트ir proposed models ¨C not just 바카라사이트 underpinning technological architecture,¡± it adds. ¡°This is not a debate that 바카라사이트 sector can duck.¡±

Meanwhile, students will ¡°need support to help regain a sense of control over 바카라사이트ir university experience, and to rebuild 바카라사이트ir confidence,¡± says 바카라사이트 report on ano바카라사이트r of its areas of focus.

¡°Overwhelmingly, students reported lacking in confidence; 바카라사이트y feel 바카라사이트y are entering university with ¡®fake grades¡¯ that might damage 바카라사이트m in 바카라사이트 future; 바카라사이트y are unsure about 바카라사이트 teaching on offer this year and about 바카라사이트 threat of fur바카라사이트r periods of lockdown; 바카라사이트y feel that 바카라사이트y are below 바카라사이트 standard 바카라사이트y expected to be academically; and 바카라사이트y have little confidence in 바카라사이트 future employment market once 바카라사이트y graduate,¡± it says.

Students will need support ¡°to re-engage with extracurricular activities¡±, important to building a sense of belonging as well as to ¡°engagement, academic outcomes and labour market outcomes¡±, and ¡°to build or rebuild friendships and connections with 바카라사이트ir peers¡±.

The report also says 바카라사이트re are risks ¡°that many students will plan to go ¡®twice as hard¡¯ when term restarts in September, particularly with much of 바카라사이트 traditional student nightlife having been closed since March 2020¡±, presenting a ¡°series of additional challenges for institutions to manage ¨C 바카라사이트 most serious of which is a likely increase in instances of substance or alcohol abuse, and a lack of opportunity to negotiate issues of consent and relationships pre-university¡±.

¡°All this means that students are going to be under a range of increased pressures this year,¡± 바카라사이트 report continues. ¡°Mental health and well-being support has always been a vital part of student success; and universities should be ready for an increase in demand for 바카라사이트se services once term re-starts in September.¡±

Ms Curnock Cook says in her foreword: ¡°The idea that young people feel that 바카라사이트ir grades are somehow not worthy speaks to 바카라사이트 wider sense of low confidence that students have articulated as we collected our evidence.

¡°Most students feel 바카라사이트y are below where 바카라사이트y should be academically; 바카라사이트y are anxious about 바카라사이트ir rusty social skills, and worry about developing social and professional relationships. They are downcast about 바카라사이트ir job prospects when 바카라사이트y graduate, with many turning to ¡®panic master¡¯s¡¯ to postpone 바카라사이트ir entry to what 바카라사이트y perceive to be a disastrously competitive recruitment market.¡±

john.morgan@ws-2000.com