John and all,
I have no idea how I'm supposed to take your response, but let me point out
a couple of things:
1) a request like "tell me what I can find the most information on" could
be (mis) read/interpreted as "What will be the easiest to do", i.e. the one
that will require the least amount on my part both in terms of digging for
research and in terms of thinking of an arguable position because
presumably if there's alot written about something then people are already
debating said topic.
You may think me a pessimist about students but over the course of my years
of teaching, there are students who are like that, who for whatever reason
don't wanna do the work.
2) I am not saying that this student is like that (though for the record I
have had students who do say flat-out "I'm really scared about this
assignment, tell me what to do"), and John, only you and the course
instructor know the student and his or her motivations and capabilities,
but even this may be somewhat immaterial to the discussion at hand. From a
teaching standpoint, I stand by my earlier advice (and Claire's too) that
the "tell me what I can learn the most about" is too broad a request. Of
these questions, what does he or she *want* to learn about, because
investment breeds better work. Dialoguing with the student about what has
piqued his or her interest with these questions can only help you determine
what sources/databases, author's work, he or she might look at to get
started. It's kinda like when someone asks me "Well J, you're a DS
scholar, gimme a list of books or who are the most prominent authors in the
field," Well, the field is big-- are we talking, for instance, the UK,
Aussie, or US models? Did you want humanities, anthropological,
psychological, feminist, classist, or sociological takes? Media
representations or historical works? etc., etc, You get the idea. In order
for me to really advise someone I need more from them about where they are
and what they are thinking about so I might offer suggestions, (and in this
case b/c I'm not certain what the university library system has access to
on that campus, I might not even be that helpful), which I think, at its
core, is simply what I and some others were suggesting.
Best,
Johnson
At 10:09 AM 5/14/2004 +1000, John Homan wrote:
>Thanks Johnson,
>
>your replym roughly meets my expectation.
>
>rgds John
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Johnson Cheu" <[log in to unmask]>
>To: <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 9:49 PM
>Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice
>
>
> > John and all:
> >
> > At the risk of beating a dead horse, as we say in these parts, I wanted to
> > say that I had pretty much the same reaction as the others and I think
>that
> > was mostly because of the student asking you for your advice on which one
> > she "could find the most info on and learn about" because well, at the
> > Masters level, shouldn't the student have some idea what he or she wants
>to
> > do because presumably these exam questions are course-related and didn't
> > just arise out of thin air and shouldn't the student have some research
> > skills at this point? It sounds as though this person hasn't even done any
> > preliminary research to see what's out there, at least the way the request
> > was written, and even my undergrads are savvy enough to google a topic on
> > the internet before coming to my office hours. That being said, if it
>were
> > me, I certainly wouldn't do the work for this person, (her Masters, not
> > yours) though I may be willing to coffee with the person and ask leading
> > questions about her initial reactions to the topics, if she has any ideas
> > as to how she might respond, given what she's learned in the course that
> > piqued her interest. These might help clarify her thinking and her ideas
> > and settle her nervousness somewhat, though I'd argue that part of being
>in
> > grad school is learning how to deal with the stress that large exams like
> > your generals create on your own, as she goes about her work and research.
> >
> > Johnson
> >
> > At 06:00 PM 5/13/2004 +1000, you wrote:
> > >Dear Claire,
> > >
> > >Your response is not much more helpful than that of m99.
> > >
> > >I believe it praiseworthy when a student will make the effort to want
> > >broader info and opinion than the course tutor can provide. Incidentally,
> > >Debbie's course tutor is about 800km away, and just a voice on the phone.
> > >
> > >rgds John
> > >
> > >----- Original Message -----
> > >From: "Claire Wickham" <[log in to unmask]>
> > >To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > >Sent: Thursday, May 13, 2004 1:12 AM
> > >Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice
> > >
> > >
> > > > Well I thought it was an amusing reply, and raised the a valid point
>about
> > > > the quality of the course. The initial advice can surely only be
>"Discuss
> > > > with your course tutor who set the assignment" who should already have
> > > > addressed the issues that the m99m rely noted. To the enquirer: there
>is
> > > > nothing wrong about seeking advice but your queries are (mainly) those
> > >where
> > > > course tutors should be providing support and guidance. (And is this
>one
> > > > module/unit of your Masters' qualification?)
> > > >
> > > > Claire
> > > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: The Disability-Research Discussion List
> > > > [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On Behalf Of John Homan
> > > > Sent: 12 May 2004 04:10
> > > > To:
> > > > Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > Thank you for going to the trouble of putting an email together. I
>think
> > > > that the same amount of effort, or less, may have produced a message
>that
> > >is
> > > > more supportive than smart-alecky.
> > > >
> > > > rgds John
> > > >
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: "m99m" <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > To: <[log in to unmask]>
> > > > Sent: Tuesday, May 11, 2004 7:17 PM
> > > > Subject: Re: Fw: In need of advice
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > > .
> > > > > Eh... You can get a Masters in Disability Studies (well, the
>passmark
> > > > must
> > > > > surely be below 60%) just by drinking coffee and writing one good
>essay
> > >on
> > > > > one of these topics, or getting a pal to compile it for you? -- and
> > > > > obviously without needing to attend any boring lectures, working on
>a
> > > > > prescribed reading list about DS, taking a course on how to find
> > > > > information in the modern world, or any tiresome kinda
> > >textually-fixated-
> > > > > european-male suffering like that?
> > > > > What brand of coffee is it, anyway?
> > > > > m99m
> > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Subject: In need of advice
> > > > > > I was hoping you could give me some advice on which one I would
>have
> > >the
> > > > > best chance of finding information on and what would be beneficial
>for
> > >me
> > > > > to learn more about. I have to write 3500 words and it is worth 60%
>of
> > >my
> > > > > marks....this scares me a little! I have to choose one of these
>topics.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >1) 'A disability implies a non-problematic pathological condition
> > > > > intrinsic to the individual; it fails to recognise that the concept
>of
> > > > > disabilitiy is socially constructed'. Discuss this statement.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >2) Psychology has had an important impact on how we understand
> > > > > disabilitiy. Indeed the psychological test has been used extensively
>to
> > > > > identify problems and legitimate action. Discuss this statement,
> > >locating
> > > > > your response in a particular historical era.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >3) Policy documents are texts that are interpreted by school
> > > > > administrators, teachers and parents. With direct reference to a
> > > > particular
> > > > > policy, discuss how it has been implemented in a particular
>educational
> > > > > setting. What tactics and strategies have been used? In what ways
>have
> > > > they
> > > > > been enabling or disabling?
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Any advice you could give me would be very appreciated. Let me
>know if
> > > > > you prefer to meet for a coffee and go over anything.
> > > > > ______________________
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> > Johnson Cheu, Ph.D.
> > http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/cheu1
> > The Ohio State University, Dept. of English
> > 421 Denney Hall, 164 W. 17th. Ave.
> > Columbus, OH 43210
> > (614) 292-1730 (Office); (614) 292-6065 (Dept.); (614) 292-7816 (Fax)
> > ****************
> > Curriculum Consultant, LEND Program
> > http://medicine.osu.edu/LEND
> > Nisonger Center, 357H McCampbell Hall
> > The Ohio State University
> > 1581 Dodd Drive, Columbus, OH 43210
> > (614) 292-5482 (Office); (614) 292-3727 (Fax)
> >
> > ________________End of message______________________
> >
> > Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
> > are now located at:
> >
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> >
>
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>are now located at:
>
>www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/disability-research.html
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>You can JOIN or LEAVE the list from this web page.
Johnson Cheu, Ph.D.
http://people.cohums.ohio-state.edu/cheu1
The Ohio State University, Dept. of English
421 Denney Hall, 164 W. 17th. Ave.
Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-1730 (Office); (614) 292-6065 (Dept.); (614) 292-7816 (Fax)
****************
Curriculum Consultant, LEND Program
http://medicine.osu.edu/LEND
Nisonger Center, 357H McCampbell Hall
The Ohio State University
1581 Dodd Drive, Columbus, OH 43210
(614) 292-5482 (Office); (614) 292-3727 (Fax)
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Archives and tools for the Disability-Research Discussion List
are now located at:
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