from the archives (the tale of the tutorian)
Posted to uq.itee.engg4800, 11 May 2004 1:05:23 PM
asciian wrote:
Has anyone else ever wondered why our grade depends on what our project kiddies say about us, but none of their grade depends on what we say about them? Shouldn't we be a second part to their peer review?
Well! Gather ye round, students, it's story time!
Once upon a time in the labs of Axon, when nary a student was seen without their toolboxen and ideas were free as in b33r, there were project teams doing 3E291 and 3E391, including one Particular Team doing 3E291.
Day and night they slaved in the name of Project, the air thick with clouds of solderous smoke, designing and assembling their designs among the other teams of zealous and idealistic undergraduates. They persisted, and they endured.
The Particular Team saw strange and unfamiliar faces appear at the doors of the labs, smile and laugh with other groups, offering encouragement. They shrugged and worked industriously, bereft of encouragement.
Throughout the semester, the tutorious overlo- ..overseers in the heights of GPSouth received word from the students of the Project Management subject 3E493, that the students of 3E391 and 3E291 were working ever faithfully to their course.
Golden reports were placed on their desks, detailing wondrous devices from the far off labs, seen by the studious project managers with their very own eyes, planned and policed by the diligent project managers' own plans and policies.
For six months that halcyon age lasted, until the cost of freedom fell due.
In the name of Project, the projects were called to be presented and verily, they were a marvel to behold.
The teams had worked and had prospered, and were rewarded. Even the Particular Team that had wondered at the new faces in the labs had succeeded.
The tutorious overseers wandered from group asking how they fared under the watchful supervision of their project managers. Each admitted that in their own way, the managers aided their project.
Until the tutorians reached the Particular Team.
"Truly," said a tutorian, "your work is pleasing to the client."
"Prithee, our thanks," they responded.
"But tell me in brief," the tutorian continued, presenting an red-faced student of whom they had never before caught sight. "How has your good project manager assisted you in your work?"
The Particular Team were confused, not understanding the meaning of the tutorian.
"We know him not," they said. "Is he quite all right? He appears to be suffering apoplexy."
The tutorian was much surprised, as the student before them claimed to have managed the Particular Team for six long months. Many reports had said this, and the minutes of many meetings had been produced, shown and assessed.
"Why, he is your project manager," exclaimed the tutorian. "He has evidence of your progress, meetings held in his presence, signed by your selves."
They examined the pages.
"This is not my signature."
"This is not my handwriting."
"This is not my name."
"Thief," they cried, "you have stolen our credit!"
"Thief!" cried the tutorian.
"Thief!" cried the labs.
Now, revealed to be unknown to his team, the lies of his documentation were uncovered. His work, a forgery, and all present - the entire class - had witnessed it.
The embarrassment of the faux project manager was so great, that his reputation was forever ruined among his peers. He cringed away, his hair turning grey.
If only the surveys of team leadership had been conducted in private, away from public scrutiny, this disaster might have been averted, and the unfortunate undergraduate engineer not forced to pursue a sordid and disgustingly wealthy career in politics.
(The moral of the story is: Don't get me started. ^_^)
rugle
[tutor]
Note: The events depicted in this fairy-tale are fictitious. Any similarity to any person living or dead is merely coincidental.