(no subject)
This is kind of funny, because I am posting in my blog about a course that uses stereotypical students' blogs to convey information. But anyway, onto the point.
UW Engineering Class 2009 (Myself) and it looks like all future classes are required to take 5 distance education courses over their Co-op workterms. These courses are PD Eng 15, 25, 35, 45, 55. At the moment, I am enrolled in PD Eng 15, as is everyone else in UW Eng. 2009.
PD Eng has been a huge source of complaint and controversy in the Engineering faculty for many reasons. The course is attempting to teach many 'soft skills' through an online course and is proving to be very ineffective. Concepts are portrayed through the blogs of 4 fictional, stereotypical Waterloo co-op students, all of which are complete idiots in their own way.
One is a daft 'geek' stereotype, knows pretty much everything by the book but has no communication skills. One is a lazy, whiney little bitch, always complaining that her boss always asks her why she did things certain ways and basically trying to insure she has done her research. Another is a pretty dumb guy, who doesnt speak in full sentences. The last is a ditzy girl who doesnt understand anything that should basically just be known, like disclosing confidential information to people outside the company. Anyway, It's pretty insulting to think that the stereotype of a co-op student is that we're all critically flawed idiots.
The main problems I guess I always sort of knew in the back of my mind, but some I wasn't quite able to explain properly. Yesterday, several people sent me the link to this site:PD Eng Sucks
And this helped me to be able to explain what I think is wrong with the course...
1. Students are pressured to write what markers want to see instead of thinking for themselves
I really believe this one is true, There have been several occasions where people have gotten academic offences for saying what they believe is true. Although I'm sure they were at least a bit sassy, it feels a lot like 1984-esque censorship. Because the course is mandatory to graduate, and course mentors are hard set on the original mark they gave you, it is necessary to comply to their requests, often redoing an assignment with all the bullshit you know they want to hear, but you really dont feel is true. On the same note as 1984, the course mentors also monitor forum topics and delete forum threads and comments they deem innappropriate, often ones where students are upset by the way their assignment has been marked and trying to share that with other students in the course. The course mentors also monitor how much time is spent on each page of reading, and on each assignment. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING.
I'm Afraid I'm going to be taken away to the ministry of love
2. Unneeded stress at the end of the workday
This is not a big deal for me.. it is a pain in the ass, but not that stressful.
3. Infringement on what is supposed to be our time away from school
This is somewhat true. It doesnt take a horrendously long time to do, probably about 4 hours a week on average. But that is 4 hours a week I could be cycling or another + 100 km or more
4. Assignments that do little to develop professionalism
This relates back to point #1. It is almost developing anti-professional practices by forcing students to say what is expected, rather than necessarily the truth. I don't think professionalism can be learned by reading about it. There are very few things I have learned in PD Eng 15, and the course is now over.
5. Critical reflections that want us to explain how we feel towards a subject instead of doing it
"This returns to the statement of actually learning how to do a task versus learning the theory behind such practises. Many times the critical reflections ask for feelings and thoughts about situations that students really do not care about. In turn, they fabricate answers that markers want to hear in order to get a pass. This does not add anything to the education of co-op engineers."
6. Blog entries play off stereotypes and reflecting upon them teaches nothing
The blog characters are critically flawed and it's almost pointless to reflect on obvious blunders they make.
7. Graduates of the Engineering faculty have gone on to positively impact the workforce without the support of PDEng
The professionalism of previous graduates has never come into question for almost 50 years.
8. Assignments are graded with respect to “student competency” requiring a mark of 75% or higher to pass
This is not really a bid deal.. but it is sometimes hard to understand what is required for a 75%. It is silly that they have to quantify your mark vs. a competent/not competent with a better explanation of what is required
9. PDEng will deter candidates from attending the University of Waterloo
This might happen if the class of 2009 and 2010 make a bigger deal of this... I'm not sure.
I'm plus scared to sign the petition on the PDEng Sucks Website,
I'm double plus sure I'd get an academic offence...
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
THE THOUGHT POLICE HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED!!!
UW Engineering Class 2009 (Myself) and it looks like all future classes are required to take 5 distance education courses over their Co-op workterms. These courses are PD Eng 15, 25, 35, 45, 55. At the moment, I am enrolled in PD Eng 15, as is everyone else in UW Eng. 2009.
PD Eng has been a huge source of complaint and controversy in the Engineering faculty for many reasons. The course is attempting to teach many 'soft skills' through an online course and is proving to be very ineffective. Concepts are portrayed through the blogs of 4 fictional, stereotypical Waterloo co-op students, all of which are complete idiots in their own way.
One is a daft 'geek' stereotype, knows pretty much everything by the book but has no communication skills. One is a lazy, whiney little bitch, always complaining that her boss always asks her why she did things certain ways and basically trying to insure she has done her research. Another is a pretty dumb guy, who doesnt speak in full sentences. The last is a ditzy girl who doesnt understand anything that should basically just be known, like disclosing confidential information to people outside the company. Anyway, It's pretty insulting to think that the stereotype of a co-op student is that we're all critically flawed idiots.
The main problems I guess I always sort of knew in the back of my mind, but some I wasn't quite able to explain properly. Yesterday, several people sent me the link to this site:PD Eng Sucks
And this helped me to be able to explain what I think is wrong with the course...
1. Students are pressured to write what markers want to see instead of thinking for themselves
I really believe this one is true, There have been several occasions where people have gotten academic offences for saying what they believe is true. Although I'm sure they were at least a bit sassy, it feels a lot like 1984-esque censorship. Because the course is mandatory to graduate, and course mentors are hard set on the original mark they gave you, it is necessary to comply to their requests, often redoing an assignment with all the bullshit you know they want to hear, but you really dont feel is true. On the same note as 1984, the course mentors also monitor forum topics and delete forum threads and comments they deem innappropriate, often ones where students are upset by the way their assignment has been marked and trying to share that with other students in the course. The course mentors also monitor how much time is spent on each page of reading, and on each assignment. BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING.
I'm Afraid I'm going to be taken away to the ministry of love
2. Unneeded stress at the end of the workday
This is not a big deal for me.. it is a pain in the ass, but not that stressful.
3. Infringement on what is supposed to be our time away from school
This is somewhat true. It doesnt take a horrendously long time to do, probably about 4 hours a week on average. But that is 4 hours a week I could be cycling or another + 100 km or more
4. Assignments that do little to develop professionalism
This relates back to point #1. It is almost developing anti-professional practices by forcing students to say what is expected, rather than necessarily the truth. I don't think professionalism can be learned by reading about it. There are very few things I have learned in PD Eng 15, and the course is now over.
5. Critical reflections that want us to explain how we feel towards a subject instead of doing it
"This returns to the statement of actually learning how to do a task versus learning the theory behind such practises. Many times the critical reflections ask for feelings and thoughts about situations that students really do not care about. In turn, they fabricate answers that markers want to hear in order to get a pass. This does not add anything to the education of co-op engineers."
6. Blog entries play off stereotypes and reflecting upon them teaches nothing
The blog characters are critically flawed and it's almost pointless to reflect on obvious blunders they make.
7. Graduates of the Engineering faculty have gone on to positively impact the workforce without the support of PDEng
The professionalism of previous graduates has never come into question for almost 50 years.
8. Assignments are graded with respect to “student competency” requiring a mark of 75% or higher to pass
This is not really a bid deal.. but it is sometimes hard to understand what is required for a 75%. It is silly that they have to quantify your mark vs. a competent/not competent with a better explanation of what is required
9. PDEng will deter candidates from attending the University of Waterloo
This might happen if the class of 2009 and 2010 make a bigger deal of this... I'm not sure.
I'm plus scared to sign the petition on the PDEng Sucks Website,
I'm double plus sure I'd get an academic offence...
BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING
THE THOUGHT POLICE HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED!!!