Very Angry

The Learning Facilitator Stephen covering the modual disscussion page for Alison - Wrote this - when what I was actually - and very clearly asking for was someone to READ my work so far and give me some personally tailored and REAL help!!! I think this is reasonable and the least I should expect at this stage!!! - on our first module!!!

Posted by Stephen at April 20, 2006 09:46 PM

We assess the body of the report, not the appendices as they are just supporting eveidence. The maximum limit is 4000 words and when submitting you shoould stae that 4000 words is the length of the report - no more! If you state that you have gone over the word count, then a 10% will be deduction will be applied to your mark. http://web.apu.ac.uk/anet/students/ugassess_regs/pt6.phtml There are, however, grey areas, for example, how many words does a piece of video count for? In addition, dont't count the following... "In determining what counts as text within the word limit, abstracts (if required) indented quotations, tables, figures, diagrams, footnotes/endnotes, bibliography and appendices shall be excluded. However, footnotes/endnotes must be contained within reasonable limits and should be used for reference purposes and not to extend the text. help you to improve your skills. However you produce your work, please remember to number your pages and write your SID number on each. This is, of course, very easily done using headers and footers." The rules are clear, but don't lose sleep over this, just state no more than the maximum word count and be sure it is clear to those assessing your works that when they read it that it is within the spirit of the regulations - they may count but only if it is obviously excessive.

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Is this an answer? The rules are useful but by now I have glened them form elsewhere - I have repeatedly asked for a LF to READ my work – and all I get is a meaningless stock answer – I was expecting a sort of virtual tutorial , perhaps a Skype phone call , so we could go through my work together and help me decide what I can cut our and what I can't (i.e. what is essential)

And its too late now!

If it was not a HUGE problem for me I would never have asked – I had already tried the peer review and while people were complimentary and some did mention I needed to cut it down, no one as been able to help me with HOW!

I have asked and got peer reviews I did this before asking for LF help, as I still felt I needed more help. I do not feel we as peers can at this early stage decide what in module work is important and what if necessary can be dumped with no lose of marks. Maybe further along the line when we have done a few modules and understand at an intuitive level what is important to include and what is not for the purposes of this Degree, then we can offer each other this kind of feedback and support – but not at this stage.

So I asked clearly in Plone for a Learning Facilitator to READ my work and given me an opinion and I feel that the facilitators on this course have badly let me down – first of all a deadline unacceptably just after a holiday (surely we are entitled to a holiday too and not to have this pressure during Easter?

This is very bad timing all round a deadline at the end of a holiday where some LF's are away and even if not away are probably are spending time with their own families - as I would very much like to be - and the deadline being just after a weekend when for the 3 days leading up to it researchers are bound to be struggling with their final presentation and need some feedback but as LF have families too - they are less likely to be around

but we are all busy people too!

and then my LF goes on holiday herself over Easter -
I expect now for saying this I have scuppered my chances of any further help from Alison or even may get kicked off the course - as I know from being a lecturer myself that it is considered unacceptable - not necessarily openly but it does not go down well - for a student to make personal comments about lectures lives - but I never had these divisions.

What I am saying is not actually intended to be personal though at all. As far as I am concerend it is up to LF when they take theri holodays .I guess if it is OK with their employers than LF are entitled to whatever time off they wish and when. This is just my anger at the lack of cover if any LF is to be away at this crucial time of our first module submission!

As it would have been OK if someone had been able to take Alisons work over properly and fully cover for her holiday by giving students proper support at this time - which near a deadline we are bound to need extra support.

I could very much have done with a Skype call while I was doing the work from a LF even is only for reasurance and just to show and interest and maybe a personal email from whoever was covering Alison to say she was away and they would be covering - or even an email form Alison to say when she would not be available and to give me the email of the covering LF. The same email could have gone out to all this LF's researchers, so it would not have been just me.

As it was I learned that she was away on Plone - and then by the time I could spare my time to go back on Plone the message about my LF holiday was right at the top of the page and while it said two weeks - it did not give the exact dates - which I think is crucial when you are away at a time your students have a deadline!!


And then when I ask for help, ask for someone to read my work and give me some real help.................

All I get only this un -personalised and stock answer above

What I wanted - and indeed expected for my course fee was; in a situation like this whereby I have tried to solve the problem I had right from the beginning - of too many words – a situation I have already tried to solve on my own and with support from peers...........................

Was that at this stage I should have been offered an emergency tutorial , via Skype or phone or even email , with someone who knows the requirements and has actually read my work and is prepared to help me find a way of cutting down the word count.

I think this is a reasonable thing to expect when I was so obviously appealing for help and have had the same problem all along the module but have until now not bothered any LF or even my peers and tried to sole it myself!!!
So I think I am entitled to a bit of time???

As while the fee for this course is not as much as some Degrees I think I could expect at LEAST this amount of input from the LF.

After all what else are we getting for our money? (money I can not afford by the way)

No one has to deliver any lectures this is a VERY cheap way of running a Degree once you have paid for any software and the technician’s wages and admin.

I am very well aware how cheap it is to run anything on-line compared to face to face as I run an online community too. And the fact is that I can run my online PNI support group for 700 members for 6 months to a year for the cost of running a face to face PNI support group locally for a couple of months!!!

Online I have no costs for travel, premises, heating, light, furniture, crèche workers or other childcare, paper and other materials such as flip charts toys for children, even no tea, coffee and loo paper costs and cleaning costs? And it is the same with this Degree – it is a VERY inexpensive way of delivering a course –

All get for my money is an impersonal and stock answer and NO attempt whatsoever to actually READ my work and engage in a dialogue with me about it!!!!

So then I lost it!!

I am so angry and seriously doubting I should be on this course??

VeriteeXX

PS Does anyone ever READ this learning journal anyway!!