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Salient. Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 15. July 9 1979

Are you sick of ½ year courses? — Study

page 17

Are you sick of ½ year courses?

[unclear: Study]

[unclear: Research] Project designed to evaluate [unclear: yout] of the Academic Year at Victo[unclear: iversity] is now under way. A final re[unclear: expected] to be presented to the Pro[unclear: al] Board early in 1981. In July 1975[unclear: ofessorial] Board decided to continue [unclear: out] then in operation and reappraise [unclear: uation] in 1979.

[unclear: toria] University is currently opera-[unclear: hybrid] system. This means that some [unclear: s] are available in the first half of the [unclear: nic] year, and examined at mid-year, [unclear: n] the second half and others over the [unclear: ete] three term year. It is the purpose [unclear: Project] to gather data which will pro[unclear: basis] for the Professorial Board to de[unclear: h] the organisation of the academic [unclear: the] future.

[unclear: options] are:

[unclear: nge] to a full 2 semester system

[unclear: ert] to a 3 term pattern with no half [unclear: f] year courses examined at mid-year

[unclear: tinue] the current hybrid system with [unclear: ne] modification.

[unclear: would] be difficult for Victoria to adopt [unclear: nester] system across all the departments [unclear: 6] faculties, and unlikely that other [unclear: ter- stitutions] would be persuaded to follow [unclear: Since]1975 there have been moves to a [unclear: ar] teaching pattern, most noticeable in [unclear: ecture], Physics, Psychology, Commerce [unclear: dministration]. The degree of [unclear: committ—o] the half year teaching and examining [unclear: n] it substantial.

[unclear: ough] there are advantages and disad[unclear: es] associated with courses taught over [unclear: 1] year and those taught over the half [unclear: is] not the purpose of this article to re[unclear: them] but to explain how the project [unclear: gned] to determine a layout of the aca[unclear: year] that optimises conditions/or tea[unclear: and] learning.

[unclear: e] main problems presently experien [unclear: e]:

[unclear: rettrictions] of the two week mid—[unclear: r] study/examining period for mar—[unclear: g] and assessing examinations and in[unclear: n] work handed in at the end of the [unclear: t] half year.

[unclear: repancies] in course credit loading and [unclear: essment] procedures.

[unclear: ile] it is not being argued that solu[unclear: vill] be found only by changing the [unclear: of] the academic year, the extent of [unclear: errelationship] requires a full [unclear: investi- .]

[unclear: e] project will focus on six major to—[unclear: concern]:—

[unclear: e merits] of full year versus half year [unclear: s] especially at 100 level.

[unclear: e] optimum credit loading for courses [unclear: e] problems associated with current [unclear: ment] procedures;

[unclear: rk] loads

[unclear: e] degree of correlation between inten[unclear: nd] result in course design

[unclear: e] implications of change for university [unclear: istration] and the research needs of

[unclear: e] implications of the study are wide-reaching and a variety of techniques will be uted with emphasis on maintaining the involvement of the staff and students of the university.

1)Documenting the relevant factors in course development at Victoria University. This will include the scrutinising of records, reports, calenders and correspondence. All staff who have been Deans at some time over the last decade will be interviewed.
2)A questionnaire will be circulated to students in the second half of 1979 and again in the first half of 1980. A student advisory group will be established to assist with questionnaire development and interpretation of the resulting data. Follow-up interviews with students will be conducted as required.
3)A representative range of courses will be chosen for 2 periods: 1969-1972 (during which time the unit system was in operation) 1976-1978 when the present credit system was firmly established. Statistics of attainment, assessment and course requirements will be examined for the period 1975-79. Comparisons will be made between courses differing in course length, credit value and assessment method.
4)A more detailed understanding of the effects of the Layout of the Academic year on the work of staff and students will be sought through the development of case studies of courses selected on the grounds that they have been recently, currently, or likely in the short term, to undergo change.

"And now number 8249 you have five minutes to answer this question, "Whay is the meaning of life."

The University Teaching and Research Centre has been allocated funds to permit the employment of three Research workers on a part time basis. Professor J. C. Clift and Mr B. W. Imrie of the University Teaching and Research Centre are responsible for planning the programme and supervising the research assistants. In addition there will be consultation with Dr Renner, the University Statistician, Ms Dawbin, the Liason Officer, Ms Swatland, Director of Student Counselling Services, Representatives of the 6 Faculties, Dr Wake, of the Timetable Committee, the VUWSA Education Officer, the student representatives on the Teaching and Learning Committee. It is hoped that the latter two will form the nucleus of the student advisory group.

The UTRC will report at regular intervals to the Teaching and Learning Committee and maintain close liason with the Deputy Vice-Chancellor and the Pro-Vice Chancellor (Academic).

Staff at UTRC will be pleased to discuss any queries or suggestions you may have. Please call in or phone Ext 725 between 9.00 am — 12.00.

[unclear: Glossary] of Terms

[unclear: ter]: Half of the academic year.

[unclear: ter] System: Basically comprising [unclear: parate] half-year systems with two [unclear: nents] two periods of final examina[unclear: nd] possible repetition of courses.

[unclear: t] of the academic year: A phrase [unclear: o] describe the periods of teaching, [unclear: on] and examination; it also implies [unclear: eration] of the length of courses, as[unclear: ent] of student performance and cre[unclear: ue] of courses.

[unclear: der:] This grey book is the definitive document of the University for regulations, dates, timetables, committees and constitution.

Hybrid System: Providing for full year and half year courses, mid-year and end year examining, at Victoria also includes variations in the use of internal assessment and end year examinations.

Unit System: Prior to 1972 course requirements were specified in terms of units with a unit representing approximately one-third of a year's work; 8 or 9 units were required for a first degree - half unit courses were available to a limited extent.

Student Participation

The Layout of the Academic Year

Students, when they view the ever increasing workloads in their courses, could be forgiven for taking a cynical attitude, when groups within the university start talking about improving the lot of students. In the past, things have rarely worked to students' advantage. When the students pressed for increased internal assessment, the university sagely nodded its collective head, and then went away and produced continual assessment. On other matters too, so-called "concern for students" has been used as a political football in intra-university struggles.

Well, is this study that is described above, another of these political footballs, or a serious attempt at evaluating our present system and then making the appropriate changes? The simple answer is that at this stage it is not possible to determine how the final report will be used nor what the attitude of the university will be towards its findings. As far as those involved in the project is concerned, their motivation is quite genuine. The attitude of the university however, seems a little different. Before going on to discuss how the university appears to be reacting to the project, and what we should do about it, some discussion on the necessity for the study should take place.

The Reason for the Study

The whole question of the structure of the academic year came up in a rather indirect manner, arising out of the problems of scheduling mid-year examinations, particularly for 1980. It was becoming clear that the existing hybrid system that had served us so well (?) over the last few years, could not accommodate all the changes that departments wanted. For this reason it was resolved to conduct a study, both looking at Victoria and at other universities which would provide the basis for an evaluation of three different structures for the academic year: the three-term proposal; the semester; or the existing hybrid. It was intended that the study would investigate all areas of importance, from administrative costs of the schemes, to staff and student opinion.

When considering something as complex as a university, with all its interactions and interrelations, it is not possible to examine the layout of the academic year without also looking at such matters, from the student point of view, as assessment, at whether full-year courses are superior, in certain regards to half-year courses, at how many hours students spend on their studies compared with their recreation.

It must be emphasised that the question of student opinion and attitudes are only a portion of the study, yet it is regarded as a significant portion by those involved in the study. But to get this information, it is imperative that there be student participation and involvement in the project. Not a particularly onerous task as it will mainly involve simply expressing your opinions through the various mediums that are being set up by the Teaching and Learning Committee (the sub-committee of the Professorial Board that is administering the study) particularly through questionnaires and interviews. The first of these questionnaires is expected to be circulated shortly. It is of great importance that students do co-operate by answering the form (and returning it!!!) — God knows the university doesn't often ask for student opinion (excepting the UTRC of course), let's make the most of it.

At the time of writing, the questionnaire has not been fully drafted, however the general form will be to seek student opinion over almost the entire range of the study. As well as asking for comparisons between full-year and half-year courses, assessment procedures and workload will be evaluated, the time available for student recreation etc. It is a fairly long document, but clearly in the interests of students to fill it in as accurately as possible. No-one can promise that the university will bend over backward to a accommodate student opinion, however if the information is available, students have a much better chance of improving their lot.

The University's Position

The official university attitude is hard to fathom. Support for the venture came from the Prof Board, and some lovely words were spoken in its favour, and for a time all looked rosy for the study. When the time came to request funds from the university however, members of the Teaching and Learning Committee learnt one of the hard facts of life - what people say is a good idea is quite different from what they will give money for. In this case, when faced with a specific amount, calculated by the TLC is being necessary funding to do the project properly, much of the earlier eloquent support seemed to take a holiday.

The money finally allocated was roughly half the amount requested. At that time, there was an understanding that, if the project did run short of money, a supplementary allocation could be made next year. Since that time though. Merv Wellington's knife has been out slicing through university spending, and it seems now unlikely that the University would be able to allocate extra funds if it became necessary. The result is that this study that everyone paid such diligent lip service to, may suffer in quality through inadequate funding.

Cuts in university spending have hit home at the other end of the study too. It is conceivable (though not very likely) that the study will indicate that we ought to move entirely to a semester system. If we leave aside the large numbe of academics sho would vote against this proposal, whatever the study showed, because of their own prejuidices, the next question that arises is: Can the university afford to make that sort of change? The answer for the next few years at least, would seem to be no — Victoria just won't have the necessary money.

Or take another example. Suppose that the study indicated that internal assessment should be more widespread. It would be outside the financial resources of the university to provide the extra staff that would be needed if such a proposal were to be properly implemented. This study is seeking ways of improving the quality of study at a a time when the Government is seeking to lower it.

All this doesn't mean that students should not participate in this exercise, indeed it is vital that all students do contribute. What it does mean however is that we don't limit our involvement merely to the timespan of the study. Once the study is completed, we must then work to pressure the university to ensure that any of the recommendations that are in students' interests are adopted. In the meantime students should give the study their support — in particular, answer the questionnaire.

Peter Beach (Student Rep. on TLC)