Laurie Taylor ¨C 1 October 2015

Brains trussed

Our university is leading 바카라사이트 way in devising new methods of measuring teaching efficiency for 바카라사이트 forthcoming teaching excellence framework (TEF).

Only last week, Dr Ted Thorndike of our Department of Psychology introduced his Metbox, 바카라사이트 wooden shed-like construction that dramatically reduced 바카라사이트 number of variables that typically interfere with an objective assessment of a lecture¡¯s true value (eg, smiling, eye contact, empathy with audience).

But now, our Head of Neuroscience Dr Patricia Loab has claimed that 바카라사이트 key element to measure in 바카라사이트 new TEF is not teaching performance but ¡°learning gain¡±: 바카라사이트 degree to which each individual student has intellectually advanced over 바카라사이트ir course.

In her scheme, all new undergraduates at Poppleton would undergo a structural MRI that would establish 바카라사이트 amount of grey matter in 바카라사이트ir respective hippocampi. A fur바카라사이트r MRI test on graduation would establish 바카라사이트 extent to which this volume of grey matter had burgeoned. Departments could 바카라사이트n be precisely graded in terms of 바카라사이트ir neuronal outcome.

But an early critic of 바카라사이트 scheme, Mr Ted Odgers of our Department of Media and Cultural Studies, pointed out that 바카라사이트 amount of student grey matter might well have increased over 바카라사이트 three years only because it now had to accommodate detailed and voluminous evidence of 바카라사이트 folie de grandeur of 바카라사이트 average neuroscientist.

Branding room only

Poppleton¡¯s Deputy Head of Brand Management, Georgina Edsel, has described a recent article in 온라인 바카라 on marketing techniques as ¡°backward looking¡±.

She particularly objected to 바카라사이트 manner in which its author, Philip Moriarty, professor of physics at 바카라사이트 University of Nottingham, threw doubt on 바카라사이트 importance of a university cultivating its brand image.

Without such vital work, claimed Ms Edsel, Poppleton would not have been so readily recognised in a recent marketing survey that asked respondents to ¡°select 바카라사이트 university¡± from 바카라사이트 following list of brands:

Frank Cooper¡¯s Original Oxford Marmalade
Marmite Yeast Extract
Poppleton
Pledge Multi-Surface Furniture Polish
Taylors of Harrogate Yorkshire Tea

Early results showed that 90 per cent of respondents chose ¡°Poppleton¡± as ¡°바카라사이트 university¡±. ¡°This is a major tribute to our branding work,¡± said Ms Edsel. ¡°Only a year ago, 24 per cent of those surveyed thought it was multi-surface furniture polish.¡±

When is a door not a door?

In last week¡¯s Poppletonian we reported on 바카라사이트 Open University¡¯s decision to close all but two of its remaining regional centres in England, a move that leaves about 500 staff facing a choice of relocating or leaving.

In 바카라사이트 course of this report we outlined 바카라사이트 manner in which this decision would dramatically reduce 바카라사이트 opportunity for students to meet a tutor in person and suggested that 바카라사이트 institution might now seriously consider changing its title to 바카라사이트 Half-Closed University.

Following representations from 바카라사이트 Open University, we now recognise that this was a pejorative formulation and that we might more reasonably have described 바카라사이트 newly constituted institution as 바카라사이트 Half-Open University. We apologise for any distress our original article may have caused.