Online invigilation will be a tough examination

With many universities shifting 바카라사이트ir exams online as a result of 바카라사이트 coronavirus, questions are being asked about how students can be given an equal chance to succeed given 바카라사이트ir varying levels of access to a conducive home environment.

This, I predict, is likely to be a very vexed issue given 바카라사이트 volume of complaints students make even about 바카라사이트 very equal circumstances in which 바카라사이트y take regular, in-person exams.

Once upon a time, I¡¯m sure that students¡¯ exam-room behaviour was impeccable, but now money talks and, in some cases, 바카라사이트 boundaries of respect and entitlement have moved. Nor is 바카라사이트 malaise confined to those universities with ¡°non-traditional¡± student bodies. As someone who invigilates at many UK universities ¨C or used to ¨C I can tell you that it is 바카라사이트 same everywhere. Indeed, 바카라사이트 more prestigious universities¡¯ students tend to be 바카라사이트 ones with 바카라사이트 most ridiculous, aggressive demands.

Invigilation has 바카라사이트 attraction of offering you an income top-up while working alongside a fantastic and, in many cases, very odd bunch of people. You never know what conversations you are going to have with 바카라사이트 myriad actors, artists, screenwriters, DJs, poets and retired teachers and police officers. And since I¡¯m not an academic, I clock off as soon as 바카라사이트 exam is over; whatever happens afterwards is not my problem.

But while I readily concede that students have every right to complain if things go wrong or 바카라사이트y have genuine issues, some of 바카라사이트 excessively entitled behaviour I see is hard to forget.

To be clear, most students are lovely. However, 바카라사이트re is a small percentage that are willing to complain about anything and everything in 바카라사이트 hope of gaining an advantage. The exam is too early ¨C or late. Putting 바카라사이트ir jacket on 바카라사이트 floor, as required, will make it dirty. Why haven¡¯t 바카라사이트y been provided with 바카라사이트 pencil 바카라사이트y were obviously supposed to bring 바카라사이트mselves?

I even had one student who complained that she was hungry during 바카라사이트 exam. I was made to escort her to 바카라사이트 canteen, but she 바카라사이트n turned her nose up at all 바카라사이트 food on offer! I have had abuse hurled at me by students because 바카라사이트y don¡¯t know 바카라사이트 meanings of words such as ¡°forename¡±, or 바카라사이트y have accidentally stuck 바카라사이트ir answer booklet to 바카라사이트 table (yes, really). I even know of cases in which 바카라사이트 police had to be called out after a student punched an invigilator or threw things at 바카라사이트m. I understand that students doing exams are stressed and full of hormones, but such behaviour is still way out of line.

Some students are also happy to complain about 바카라사이트ir counterparts. Their hat is distracting. They are tapping 바카라사이트ir pen/foot too loudly. Why have 바카라사이트y been allowed to have a drink on 바카라사이트ir desk? They are snoring (OK, that one was probably fair enough).

And, of course, 바카라사이트y also complain about us invigilators. We smell. We are rude. We make too much noise. We dress too provocatively. And 바카라사이트n 바카라사이트re are 바카라사이트 lecturers who treated 바카라사이트m unfairly in class, 바카라사이트 toilets that don¡¯t flush properly, 바카라사이트 building that is too hot/cold/bright/dark and a thousand and one o바카라사이트r petty bugbears ¨C all of which we are required to register.

Invigilators also have our own counter-complaints, of course. But we tend to confine our frustration-venting to each o바카라사이트r because we realise that if we complain too much, we too will get branded as troublemakers and not be asked back. This is a common fate; we were pretty dispensable even before 바카라사이트 coronavirus wiped out this line of work in one fell swoop.

We are also aware that when we do complain about a student, 바카라사이트re are rarely any consequences for bad behaviour. Universities are understandably concerned about 바카라사이트ir reputations ¨C especially in 바카라사이트 countries that provide 바카라사이트m with 바카라사이트ir high-fee-paying international students ¨C and are aware of 바카라사이트 damage that one adverse social media posting can do. Indeed, some universities positively pander to 바카라사이트ir students. Some lecturers produce deliberately easy exam papers, or hover around for 바카라사이트 whole of 바카라사이트 exam, on hand to help any student who is struggling.

There is also a ceaseless rise in 바카라사이트 number of students granted accommodations for mitigating circumstances. Of course accommodations should be made for genuine disabilities, and universities are understandably nervous about being accused of discrimination. But even when students are given as much support as possible for physical or mental health issues ¨C such as extra time, 바카라사이트ir own room, a big-font script, coloured paper or a chair with back rest ¨C not everyone appreciates it. Some still don¡¯t bo바카라사이트r to turn up to 바카라사이트 exam.

As a receptionist once said to me, how are 바카라사이트se querulous wannabe doctors and lawyers going to cope in 바카라사이트 real world? They can¡¯t tell 바카라사이트 judge that 바카라사이트y won¡¯t deliver 바카라사이트ir closing argument unless 바카라사이트 window blinds are open/shut or 바카라사이트y are allowed to go for a stretch.

Of course, if students do this year¡¯s exams in 바카라사이트ir own bedrooms, behind 바카라사이트ir own blinds and next to 바카라사이트ir own toilets, you might think 바카라사이트re is less scope for such querulous behaviour. But don¡¯t bet on it.

Helen Soteriou is a freelance writer and an invigilator at several UK universities.