Giving the Power and Freedom of Education Back to the Student

At the end of an english lecture I suddenly zoned in for a change when the words of the lecturer caught my ear.  She told us, the students, that we could send her feedback on the provisional essay questions that she had set for the assignment worth 40% of our mark for this semester.  I couldn’t quite believe it, there were gasps from the audience: for once we actually had a say on important work that is part of the assessment.  Ok, so there weren’t actually gasps; more like sighs of relief that the lecture had finished – nobody seemed to be as struck as I was at our new found power.

     Upon leaving the lecture theatre I hit the library to see the provisional questions the lecturer had uploaded and immediately I spotted things that I found problematic or confusing.

     It was great for the tables to be turned and for me to be able to mark the work of my superior.  Exams and assignments are always things that we seem take for granted: inevitable, unchangeable, just plain awful – and it’s true.  That’s what they’re like, it’s always been that way (sometimes good, sometimes bad) and no one can change that.  But it was liberating to participate and contribute to my education for once – I have never had an opportunity like that before and I don’t think another will come up soon.  I felt as if the outcome of my studying was in my own hands, where it belongs, and no longer decided by devious essay questions that they haven’t changed for about 20 years.

     I sent my comments away (generally things like be more specific here, clarify what this means or consider rewording this) with a word of caution that I wasn’t trying to sound like I knew better or that my suggestions were infallible.  I basically wrote how I was really just thrilled to actually have a say. 

     Over the past year and a half of pressing on with Uni work I’ve found it fascinating and enlightening in so many ways; but there are times when you can’t help feel a little frustrated at the way the courses are run.  Sometimes it’s timetable dilemmas, other times it’s the long wait for assignment feedback then the unhelpfulness of the comments; not to mention that at Strathclyde University the faculty of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (HASS) has been brutally marginalised and undervalued - that’s for another article but believe me it is in the making.  Remember all the times when you wished you could just scream at your lecturer or tutor because of their complete failure to understand the situations, desires and needs of students?  You put up with it at school, but University can be different.  There’s nothing wrong with challenging work and you get used to the stress of deadlines, but can we at least have some say on important issues like how we’re assessed, what from the classes should take and know that when we have concerns and suggestions someone will listen to us.  Lecturers need to get off the picket line and start interacting with students again.

     So, take note lecturers and University officials across the land: it’s our education – can we have it back please?

      Sigh of relief and air punch, my comments were very well received.  Thank you, lecturer, look what can be accomplished when we work together. 

     This was an example of a lecturer trying to engage with students, but students have to respond because it works both ways.  Call me the sacky-student-suck-up if you want to; but I look at the essay questions before my email, and then look at the amended questions the lecturer posted recently – this sacky student had his say and made a difference.

Making a Stand at Sochi

Consider the effort, ambition and determination that an athlete puts into competing at a major sporting event – the Olympics, Paralympics and Winter Olympics being the apex of the sporting calendar – then imagine being told at the last minute it was all in vain.  For reasons beyond your control you can no longer take part in what you’ve spent your life preparing for: crushing your hopes and dreams and potentially ruining careers.  This is the main reason why I think it would be wrong to boycott the Sochi Winter Olympics – respect for those representing team GB.

     However, I do realise it comes at the cost of giving up the principals of human rights that Britain has always championed.  Put simply, the overt homophobia in Russia is appalling.  For far too long it has been unchallenged by the rest of the world leaving many liberal countries with only a facade of tolerance: it’s all well and good to support equality at home, but ignoring international discrimination without any strong condemnation is hypocritical.  Putin’s anti-gay and lesbian rhetoric is ludicrous.  His anti-gay legislation has seen countless members of the Russian LGBT population physically and psychologically bullied with crimes ignored by the authorities. 

     With this in mind, I still believe that boycotting the Sochi Winter Olympics would be the wrong course of action.  I think that David Cameron is right to say that the best way to stand up to the crimes in Russia is to participate as opposed to sitting out.  Mainly because, unfortunately, boycotting the games would have little effect other than being a moral protest.  A protest of real consequence would only work if a number of liberal democracies signed up; and even then, would Russia listen or even care?

     As well as having little effect, a boycott would be politically damaging and I think this is Cameron’s main concern.  Relations with Russia are frosty at the best of times, but to snub such a massive event could potentially look like a petty retort to the disagreements the countries have had over the years.  Furthermore, it could escalate (as I’m sure the press would acknowledge) and resurrect the battle of liberalism against communism – it sounds a bit extreme, but the media wouldn’t hesitate to dramatise the issue. 

     The issues in Russia can only be solved by the international community pulling together to chastise the country for its human rights abuses.  The Winter Olympics itself is a sporting event and therefore should not be compromised for competitors and fans solely because of the faults of the host country; politics and sports are never a winning combination and should be left to their own devices.  The protest should have been against Russia hosting the event in the first place; but now, the situation is unchangeable.   Political diplomacy and pressure during and after the games would be more effect than not showing at all – which would almost be like giving in.  Let Britain turn up and show them how we do.