Here are my comments:-
1. What do you consider to be a useful number of handouts per
session (lecturer)?
A bit like "how long is a piece of string?". I think that the number of
handouts, subject to the institution's constraints on printing and copying,
will to an extent be dictated by the topic being covered, and the level the
topic is being covered at. There is also a risk that one can become a victim
of one's own success if students perceive that you give out both a high
number and high quality hand outs each session, i.e. more "enterprising"
students will simply despatch one of their group to collect that week's
materials. Hand outs can clearly serve a valuable function in ensuring that
a session does not become simply one of copying material from
transparencies.
2. How do you judge the quality of your handouts?
On the whole on comments from module evaluation forms.
3. Does your department have a policy on the number of handouts
given to students?
Not that I am aware of although clearly there are limits.
4.Do you think that putting handouts in electronic format, i.e. on
the web or intranet, is helpful?
My own experience is that this is a good idea that in practice, certainly
for full-time undergraduates, does not work. It is open to abuse in that
students simply boycott lectures and download material. There is also a risk
of incurring the wrath of learning centre and IT staff as students tie up
the limited number of student printers as they print off pages of notes.
5. ant other comments you may have regarding this topic.
Dr David Robotham
Department of Human Resource Management
Leicester Business School
De Montfort University
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