In article <[log in to unmask]>, [log in to unmask] writes
>Why not ask Professor Laurie Taylor to contribute to this discussion
>formally. He seems to be talking a lot of sense about it in the Higher these
>days - at least he largely represents my views!
>
>trevor
Hm . . . another Times Higher reader with time on his hands!
I always read Laurie Taylor, certainly always smile, and often laugh.
But my feeling is that he's getting a bit indulgent (rather like 'That
Was The Week That Was', telly's first go at satire in the '60s, did in
its later stages).
The plain fact is that individual universities do not have any *system*
for clearly demonstrating to students, parents, society or whoever, that
they are doing a good job. In the professional areas of medicine, law,
engineering, and computing science - to name four that probably get us
up to 20% of graduates, this task is in any event assigned to external
accreditation bodies (Law Society for law, from where current QAA head
John Randall was recruited, and Engineering Council for engineering, for
example).
It's also clear, again in the professional area, that those whom we rate
highest in academia, turn out to be only average in performance in their
profession. There is at best only a small correlation between rank
order in our examinations and rank order in professional performance.
(Will post 'chapter and verse' on this, if more than five of you want
it, otherwise only the five (or less) that request me via e-mail will
get it).
The QAA essentially has the task of addressing these two points. Can
they do it? Frankly, I don't know - but for the record I was impressed
by John Randall's presentation to the 1998 Annual Meeting of the
Engineering Professors' Council. I don't think he is going to go away!
Laurie Taylor's attendance at discussion meetings would certainly add to
the fun, and could very well stimulate some sensible responses - but I
don't think we can count on it. We need to ensure that we, and our
universities, are represented.
--
Bill Cranston, University of Paisley, Scotland
(mailing from home)
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