4 ms·

It is a matter of principle that no course or program should be easier than another. Of course, this principle does not match reality. But as an academic in a m

by Daub 4y ago

It is a matter of principle that no course or program should be easier than another. Of course, this principle does not match reality. But as an academic in a management position, I try hard to level the playing field at a course level.

devwastaken 4y ago
You can't level a playing field where students can just buy all the answers online and get the same degree. At this time a university does not function as proof of education. It's proof of elitism. That one is not too poor, and will take on a lot of debt and follow orders. Any course that does not hand make its materials should not be accredited.
- Daub 4y ago
  Almost completely agree. I have put a vast amount of energy and time into raising the bar of our course material.
- imtringued 4y ago
  University and education has always been a certification game. What matters is that an institution has approved you and certified what you know.
tester756 4y ago
>It is a matter of principle that no course or program should be easier than another. It makes no sense and I don't think there's solid reasoning behind this concept like... why?
- Daub 4y ago
  Why? Simple… 1. Students would flock to easy courses and avoid hard ones. Students can be very mercenary, especially when they are choosing electives. They want the degree, not the learningf experience (some of them anyway). 2. Lecturers would make courses deliberately easy in order to purchase good student feedback. One of my first tasks as manager of my program was to put a stop to lecturers who were giving an average grade percentage of 98 (I kid you not... 98 freakin percent). FYI student feedback is one metric of tenure. I am not saying that all subjects are of the same difficulty. I am simply saying that it is perfectly possible to package domain-specific knowledge/skills in approximately demand-equal lumps.
  - tester756 4y ago
    Hmm, in my world like 95% of the courses are mandatory and you cannot change it (or maybe it's very tricky to do, so I've never heard about it), so first point is not as relevant "here". Second point I think should be solved by standardized tests which have other benefits. >I am simply saying that it is perfectly possible to package domain-specific knowledge/skills in approximately demand-equal lumps. but why? some concepts are easier than the other and for some courses people are... let's call it more likely to be prepared for example "here" people have english classes (as a second/n-th language) since elementary school, then in middle school, then in high school and once again when attending higher edu institution so when they've been learning english for something like 14 years then of course they're going to have easier time when comparing to some compiler construction class or something like that
    - Daub 4y ago
      Yes… most of a program is core. However, in more than one case I dealt with, there was different content and wildly different grading practices in different classes of the same course. Clearly unfair practice. > Second point I think should be solved by standardized tests which have other benefits. In a design program the course content is defined generally but a lot of leeway is allowed as to how it is delivered. The general point I am making is that fairness should be maintained. In my experience, students care almost more about fairness in grading than they do about their grade.

by Daub 4y ago

devwastaken 4y ago

You can't level a playing field where students can just buy all the answers online and get the same degree. At this time a university does not function as proof of education. It's proof of elitism. That one is not too poor, and will take on a lot of debt and follow orders. Any course that does not hand make its materials should not be accredited.

Daub 4y ago
Almost completely agree. I have put a vast amount of energy and time into raising the bar of our course material.
imtringued 4y ago
University and education has always been a certification game. What matters is that an institution has approved you and certified what you know.

tester756 4y ago

>It is a matter of principle that no course or program should be easier than another. It makes no sense and I don't think there's solid reasoning behind this concept like... why?

Daub 4y ago
Why? Simple… 1. Students would flock to easy courses and avoid hard ones. Students can be very mercenary, especially when they are choosing electives. They want the degree, not the learningf experience (some of them anyway). 2. Lecturers would make courses deliberately easy in order to purchase good student feedback. One of my first tasks as manager of my program was to put a stop to lecturers who were giving an average grade percentage of 98 (I kid you not... 98 freakin percent). FYI student feedback is one metric of tenure. I am not saying that all subjects are of the same difficulty. I am simply saying that it is perfectly possible to package domain-specific knowledge/skills in approximately demand-equal lumps.
- tester756 4y ago
  Hmm, in my world like 95% of the courses are mandatory and you cannot change it (or maybe it's very tricky to do, so I've never heard about it), so first point is not as relevant "here". Second point I think should be solved by standardized tests which have other benefits. >I am simply saying that it is perfectly possible to package domain-specific knowledge/skills in approximately demand-equal lumps. but why? some concepts are easier than the other and for some courses people are... let's call it more likely to be prepared for example "here" people have english classes (as a second/n-th language) since elementary school, then in middle school, then in high school and once again when attending higher edu institution so when they've been learning english for something like 14 years then of course they're going to have easier time when comparing to some compiler construction class or something like that
  - Daub 4y ago
    Yes… most of a program is core. However, in more than one case I dealt with, there was different content and wildly different grading practices in different classes of the same course. Clearly unfair practice. > Second point I think should be solved by standardized tests which have other benefits. In a design program the course content is defined generally but a lot of leeway is allowed as to how it is delivered. The general point I am making is that fairness should be maintained. In my experience, students care almost more about fairness in grading than they do about their grade.