Colleagues

on this current thread, I thought I'd take the opportunity to report an 
example of the way that the ideology of modularisation seems to 
taken over from sound educational and pedagogic thinking. 
Just a few years ago, I applied and was interviewed for a post at 
my previous institution to head up the Undergraduate Centre for 
four business / management departments, at one of the two 
campuses. The first question from the panel, after the usual 
opening stuff, was: 'Could you outline what you see as the benefits 
of modularity?'. My response was to say that I thought we needed 
to take a balanced view, that any consideration of benefits should 
be accompanied by consideration of problems and difficulties. I 
then elaborated, citing the kind of issues already raised in this 
thread. I did say, and repeated, that the practical reality was that 
we did have a modular system and that we had to take greta care 
to ensure that we gained the benefits and did not suffer from the 
problems etc. I also said that I did have practical plans for that.

I wasn't offered the job. (It had been advertised internally, received 
no applicants, was re-advertised with a plea from the Director of 
undergraduate development for staff to consider applying. I was the 
only applicant. After declining to offer me the job, it was advertised 
externally.)

****
In feedback from the panel chair afterwards, the **first** point he 
made was that I "wasn't sufficiently committed to modularity". 
****
I half expected thumbscrews to be brought out, and to find myself 
stretched on the rack! I am now wondering whether the world is, in 
fact, flat, that the sun goes around the earth, and that combustion 
is caused by the emission of phlogiston. Perhaps we should look 
at other areas of unchallengable ideology that currently dominates 
educational policy and institutional practices.

regards


Len




Dr Leonard Holmes
Principal Lecturer in Human Resource Management
Manager of Postgraduate Programmes in HRM
Luton Business School, Putteridge Bury Campus,
Hitchin Road, Luton LU2 8LE
tel. 01582 743111 ext 5014
email [log in to unmask]
websites: http://www.re-skill.org.uk
          http://www.odysseygroup.org.uk

email: [log in to unmask]

websites: www.re-skill.org.uk
          www.odysseygroup.org.uk