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After seeing the video, as student posted this “inversion” of the video. It’s very telling, and combined with what we see in the video drives home the reality that something is broken here.
It these walls could talk …
What would they say?
If lecturers are rewarded more for their research than their teaching
Why do they lecture at all?
The information is up here.
Follow along.
Follow.
Of course, bookshelves cannot talk.
But lecturers can.
What is it like being a lecturer today?
66% of my students
Bother to come to the lectures
I spend all Sunday carefully preparing.
I spent five days researching and preparing.
A carefully considered reading list
Of which my students read
20% of the items.
I spent the summer
Creating an online learning environment
Full of amazing study resources
That only 30% of my students visit
I will read 80 books this year
Review three in my spare time
Unpaid
I will read 200 academic journal articles
Review four in my spare time
Unpaid
I will read 2300 web pages
And many of my students’ Facebook profiles
Especially the ones with tasteless pictures
Because word gets around.
I will spend six weeks
Finalising 2 research council funding applications
That stand a 75% chance of being rejected
Even if they are world class.
My family’s future depends on
The next Research Assessment Exercise.
I will write 72 pages of text
For each module I teach this semester
And over 700 emails
And attend 36 meetings
And spend 30 hours on the phone
And fill in 75 forms
I get 6 1/2 hours of sleep each night
I spend 1 ½ hours watching TV each night.
I spend 6 hours a day online
Twice a week
I read my children their bedtime stories
Over the phone
I work 48 hours a week
Sometimes including weekends
I’m a multitasker.
I have to be.
I have a second job
To help pay the bills
Because UK lecturers earn 2/3
Of what school teachers earn
I spent 5 years writing my last book
Which was well reviewed
And got me interviewed on TV
But I only made £50 in royalties
So you have to ask
Why I do this job?
And my answer is
Because I believe
all that stands between civilization and barbarism
is education.
Discuss.
Posted in Smatterings, Vision of Students