Mick,
I'm not jumping, but I do think you raise a very important point.
I am both an assessor and a DO so I have some understanding of both pov's.
My feeling is that it is once again an issue of communication. The DDA puts on HEI's an Anticipatory Duty. I would argue that if the best
way of providing support for a student is agreed by the Assessor and student but that it is not currently available at the relevant HEI,
then it IS ducking the issue to simply remove it from the list of recommendations.
However, the flip side of simply recommending regardless is only going to annoy and disappoint depending on your perspective.
My suggestion would be a discussion btw DO and assessor (something that has been discussed on this list endlessly in the past) which agrees
some kind of alternative whilst attempts are made to develop the relevant service. I would have thought this is the minimum that would be
required under that 'arm' of the law.
If it proved impossible/unreasonable for developments to be implemented, then so be it, but surely this would be more in line with the
spirit of the DDA? Naturally, the results of this discussion would also need to be communicated to the student.
Would this not be a fair approach?
Paddy
-----Original Message-----
From: Michael Trott [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 01 October 2003 20:42
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Electronic Notes Good idea - but - service or what?
In a message dated 01/10/03 17:15:16 GMT Daylight Time, [log in to unmask]
writes:
<< Further, it seems that students attending Assessments of Need are not given the opportunity to trial it. This is surely not empowering
the students or enabling them to discuss the relative merits of the system, from their own point of veiw, as against the alternatives. >>
Paddy made a good case for providing electronic notes to students through a system like stereotype. As an assessor I would be happy to offer
students an opportunity to trial the system during an assessment although such a trial would be limited to a demonstration of the technocal
features, not real note taking.
However, I wonder if DO's would be too pleased about this. Electronic notes is after all a specific method of delivering a note taking
service that has additional cost implications for the HEI. If a student arrived at an institution with a recommendation like this when the
service did not currently exist, would the DO be pleased? I suspect not.
However, perhaps this reaction should be discounted. If so we could be entering a period where external assessors will be making other
recommendations that will put additional demands on universities.
Students often arrive for assessments with unrealistic expectations of what the DSA can offer. I don't think it would help much if I
unreasonably raise their expectations of what their HEI can offer. OK, they could purchase the kit but if they can't find staff that can
touch type at any price in their area then this service can't be provided.
Before Paddy jumps down my throat. I am raising this as a discussion point. I am neither suggesting this is a good thing to tell HEI what
services they must offer or that we should duck the issue.
If DOs and, indeed, students, think that it is the role of assessors to recommend services that SHOULD be offered but might not currently be
available with no regard to the actual circumstances of an HEI then Dave and I should perhaps raise this at QAG and get it written into the
criteria for assessments.
Yes, assessors can check to see if the HEI offers this service but that's not the point I'm making. What about those who don't or can't
resource such a service?
Mick Trott
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