Comments on: The HEAR: a richer record of student achievement http://leicesterexchanges.com/2012/10/09/the-hear/ From one of the UK’s leading universities comes a new way to make real progress on some key issues that shape our society. Join some of Britain’s leading academics and highest-profile opinion formers as we seek answers that could change the way we live for the better. So, the floor is yours; will you make the most of it? Mon, 13 May 2013 09:19:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Wassila Howes http://leicesterexchanges.com/2012/10/09/the-hear/#comment-18572 Wassila Howes Tue, 16 Oct 2012 12:00:09 +0000 http://leicesterexchanges.com/?p=2622#comment-18572 "The HEAR is also symbol of what UK HE does best – student-centred and quality- focussed education — and should further boost its reputation in a competitive international market." It looks like a sound and fair system of benchmarking, giving a true account of the student's long term HE progress and academic achievements. It gives credibility and reflect accredited credentials on an international basis accessed worldwide. Provided these are kept well protected and filed safely & securely, they can only benefit the person as a student and long life learner of the 21st century. Students as people are all of different aptitude and capabilities, for those brilliant and outperforming, it will be a great record to be proud of and show off for future jobs and expected promotions. As for those with less outstanding gifted abilities,it will be a great opportunity for them to show what they are capable of really, should the records show some failures and low grades, but then followed by gradual successes in achievements and a personality willing to learn, improve and better themselves, showing a gradual progression and advancement in knowledge, skills and performance. These would be all the needed and essential traits for future employers and ambitious entrepreneurs. This is where HEAR as an advanced HE record keeping should then be able to show a trend of great accomplishments of a 'different kind'. A kind which in most occasions, constitute more the norm then the exception. Any system of Benchmarking which will reward, motivate and propel students to outperform themselves is a good system which will eventually take students beyond any level they think they are capable of achieving, to levels they only dream of breaking: Breaking one's own records! This way no one is ever pulled back or hampered by anyone else,from the education system or the society, and least of all by oneself. If not, then one has only oneself to blame. “The HEAR is also symbol of what UK HE does best – student-centred and quality- focussed education — and should further boost its reputation in a competitive international market.”

It looks like a sound and fair system of benchmarking, giving a true account of the student’s long term HE progress and academic achievements. It gives credibility and reflect accredited credentials on an international basis accessed worldwide. Provided these are kept well protected and filed safely & securely, they can only benefit the person as a student and long life learner of the 21st century.

Students as people are all of different aptitude and capabilities, for those brilliant and outperforming, it will be a great record to be proud of and show off for future jobs and expected promotions. As for those with less outstanding gifted abilities,it will be a great opportunity for them to show what they are capable of really, should the records show some failures and low grades, but then followed by gradual successes in achievements and a personality willing to learn, improve and better themselves, showing a gradual progression and advancement in knowledge, skills and performance. These would be all the needed and essential traits for future employers and ambitious entrepreneurs. This is where HEAR as an advanced HE record keeping should then be able to show a trend of great accomplishments of a ‘different kind’. A kind which in most occasions, constitute more the norm then the exception.

Any system of Benchmarking which will reward, motivate and propel students to outperform themselves is a good system which will eventually take students beyond any level they think they are capable of achieving, to levels they only dream of breaking: Breaking one’s own records! This way no one is ever pulled back or hampered by anyone else,from the education system or the society, and least of all by oneself.

If not, then one has only oneself to blame.

]]> By: Chris Williams http://leicesterexchanges.com/2012/10/09/the-hear/#comment-18558 Chris Williams Sat, 13 Oct 2012 08:02:10 +0000 http://leicesterexchanges.com/?p=2622#comment-18558 This initiative emphasises the hubris of academic institutions. I have a clear memory of being threaten by my headmaster that my bad behaviour would end up on my school report as if I did not know, even at 12, that no one, not even my parents, would ever see my school report. My academic qualifications had some value for my first job but were just a tick in the box thereafter. The employer was only interested in what I had done in my last job or possibly the job before. I could have made up my qualifications for all they cared. I once eliminated them to test this theory and it did not even raise a comment. So what if this record says that the student works better on his own and then in the summer after graduation, he goes to South America and discovers he has a natural ability to lead Amerindians and becomes their cricket captain or their Che Guevara. Do you think there won't be a programme to hack it out there in about 5 minutes. Unbelievable! This initiative emphasises the hubris of academic institutions. I have a clear memory of being threaten by my headmaster that my bad behaviour would end up on my school report as if I did not know, even at 12, that no one, not even my parents, would ever see my school report. My academic qualifications had some value for my first job but were just a tick in the box thereafter. The employer was only interested in what I had done in my last job or possibly the job before. I could have made up my qualifications for all they cared. I once eliminated them to test this theory and it did not even raise a comment.

So what if this record says that the student works better on his own and then in the summer after graduation, he goes to South America and discovers he has a natural ability to lead Amerindians and becomes their cricket captain or their Che Guevara. Do you think there won’t be a programme to hack it out there in about 5 minutes.

Unbelievable!

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