Hi
David's is a useful clarification of the issues.
Thanks for all the responses to my enquiry - both on and of forum.
Regards
Peter Hill
------------------------
David Grant wrote:
> This discussion has raised some fundamental issues. So my coments are an
> attempt to unpack these issues.
>
> 1] Sloppiness of recommendations.
>
> St. John comments: " The only justification > given
> >was that the student in question "had difficulty" in making > effective
> >notes from recorded lectures. >"
>
> This type of recommendation is sloppy and, in my opinion, it has been
> rightly questioned: A Needs Assessment should identify these difficulties.
> What are they? The quality of the recording? The quality of the
> lecturing? Difficulties with finding key places on the tape/disc?
> Inability to spell? Grapho-motor problems?
>
> Also, I would want to know about the quality of lecture notes provided by
> lecturers, and whether the student is being provided with photocopies of all
> overheads.
>
> There should also be consideration of other circumstances under which notes
> are taken, for example, on field trips, reviews of art exhibitions. etc.
> Note-taking is not confined to lectures.
>
> 2] Student preferences
>
> St. John comment that "Notetaking should be "only agreed when all other
> strategies have been fully explored"
> >
> Claire comments: "I disagree. This removes personal choice and preferences
> from the
> >disabled student"
>
> To employ a professional notetaker will cost in excess of £15,000 over a
> three-year period. A mindic recorder will cost about £250. There is an
> obligation to make cost-effective recommendations.
>
> [A xerox copy of a student's notes is a lot cheaper, but if a dyslexic
> student can read the hand-written notes of someone else then I would
> question just how severe their dyslexia was.]
>
> I think all would agree that it is vital that a student is an active
> participant in the decision-making process, but this also means that the
> student is informed of the requirement for assessors to make cost effective
> recommendations, and for assessors to outline alternatives.
>
> I'm often asked to recommend a laptop - but reasons of social
> convenience/personal preference are not a reason for agreeing to a request.
>
> 3] The purpose of higher education.
>
> HE is about becoming an independent learner. I very much agree with Bernard
> about enabling students to become automonous, and most students, to be fair
> to them, very much want to achieve this.
>
> Reamining totally dependent on a note-taker is reducing the ability of a
> student to play an active part in the learning process [for example, by
> learning how to be selective]. It is for this reason that I would agree
> that recommending a note-taker should be exceptional [for example, when a
> student is very close to being functionally illiterate].
>
> 4] The responsibility of HE institutions.
>
> As I mentioned above, my estimated costs of providing a professional
> note-taker is in excess of £5,000 per annum. Why should this cost be
> provided when lecturers could resolve this need through providing good
> quality notes in the first instance? A few do - many more should.
>
> David
>
> David Grant, PhD., Chartered Psychologist
> dyslexia diagnosis - a specialist service for students
> 3 Rosebank Road
> Hanwell
> London W7 2EW
>
> Tel: 020 8579 1902
>
> e-mail: [log in to unmask]
--
Peter Hill
Disability Coordinator
University College Worcester
Henwick Grove
Worcester
WR2 6AJ
Tel 01905 855413
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