Thought Id start this one going because its rather dead on this board at the moment and I suppose all my usual muckers are either at the Stella tennis event watching Dim Tim (lose again) or at Henly Regatta eating cucumber sandwiches (they wish,...NOT).

Anyway please feel free to just talk to yourself blast away and let it go on any company or subject you wish. Just wish Id thought of this one before.

cheers GF.

Cynic,

I worked at a university in the 70 and 80s and it was the changes introduced by Thatcherism which "distorted" the universities and technology institutes.

It was Maggie Thatchers application of "market forces" which caused the universities to go into the market and pimp for "students" for further education and then designed courses "attractive" to overseas an homegrown adolescents.

The staff was not experienced in what was expected of them, or the courses they were proffering, many of the courses were ill-prepared.(Continuing until this day.)

But, is was the effect of smart arsed business managers and their applications being applied to accademia.

The academics were pissed off and decided to play the new "game" and did so at detriment to education.

I do agree that there was chaos in standardisation of qualifications and that should have been thought of.

Also, I labelled some courses as Mickey Mouse, but that often was due to my ignorance and when I saw the detail and complexities of the courses, my mind sometimes changed.

WHY PO FACE is so wrong about Media Studies.

he said earlier....... cynic- 30 Sep 2013 15:29 - 30209 of 30216

relates to part of 30207

==========

btw fred, i have no prob at all with "proper" arts courses at proper universities .... the problem lies with children (and their parents) having been conned by successive gov'ts that there is some value and path to eldorado in taking some rubbish degree in say media studies at little piddleton university.........ends

READ THIS..............

Media studies: a Mickey Mouse degree?

Media is vital to our lives, so it should be studied properly. And anyway, media studies graduates have a better-than-average chance of landing a job – so why are media degrees sometimes so scorned? Will Duffield reports.........

http://publicsphere.typepad.com/behindthespin/2006/06/media_studies_a.html

fred - you'll be telling me next that union leaders have themselves elected with the sole aim to look after the wellbeing of their members in close collaboration with the company and, of course, in the country's interest and that self-aggrandisement and similar does not come into it!

my major gripe about all and any university is that they and their degrees have been held up as the holy grail ...... i don't care who started that trend or even who allowed it to become self-perpetuating ..... the sad fact is that there are thousands of graduates who are flabbergasted that their useless degree from a 3rd rate uni is totally useless and of no interest to a prospective employer - and no, i do not think that just because you read geography your goal is or should be to teach same

the cynic might say that this myth was created to keep unemployment numbers down for as long as possible!

that many degrees could also be completed in 2 rather than 3 years is another issue

Bet you was the best caretaker that University ever had Fred, what did the students call you Mr Broom?

Despite this, some people still frown upon the value of a degree in media studies. The next time you encounter a scoffer, politely ask them what they know about media studies courses, the wide range of career opportunities, and the employment rates of media graduates. You will more often than not find critics have no idea what a media degree entails and are unaware of the practical value of a course..............................................

So Po Face whats your excuse???????????????????????

why am i wasting breath?
it happens that i went straight from school to work on the shop floor of a department store - or to be more precise, in the stock room

why am I whisteling......... AGAIN........

Despite this, some people still frown upon the value of a degree in media studies. The next time you encounter a scoffer, politely ask them what they know about media studies courses, the wide range of career opportunities, and the employment rates of media graduates. You will more often than not find critics have no idea what a media degree entails and are unaware of the practical value of a course..............................................

So Po Face whats your excuse???????????????????????

Cat got your tounge Po Face.....he he.

Cynic,

"the cynic might say that this myth was created to keep unemployment numbers down for as long as possible!"


That remark was commonly made like the the fact that the unemployment figures of the moment are distorted by increasing the schooling leaving age!

The valuation of degrees is problematic and influenced by the period of "changes" I have previously described. However, some of the larger and older universities escaped from the "smearing" and profited from the atmosphere created.

It distorted education, evaluation and expectancies of degree courses.

GF.

I think many courses arranged in the above period were ill-designed, that is the fault of the "administrators" and political "mandarins", not the students who were conned into applying for them.

Many of those courses are now defunct, but some have matured in effective training grounds within many fields and proving profitable.

There are many subjects being studied now which I have never heard of and one of my daughters has recently obtained another MA in a field which seems to be in the miniature of a subject.


Also, the advantages of a university or its equivalent is that it is mixing ground for all students of various backgrounds.

But I do think the changes to tuition fees and grants are detrimental and protective to the children of parents who have against those of have nots.

I think this is one coalition policy which annoys me more than any other.

=======

Is it time for a glass of something.

Im waiting Cynic hurry up.

I know quite a few people who did a media studies degree and one or two are quite famous plus the others are very wealthy off.

There isn't a wide range of opportunities for media students . The numbers studying far exceed the jobs available. Most would be better skipping university and saving their money.

gf is really on form today. He has produced more than his normal amount of bs.

According to the Good University Guide 2014 Durham University is now rated in top spot for History. Now the bad news. Durham is offering a module in Harry Potter studies for combined honours students.

Trade union leaders.

I think as a group they are driven by "altruistic drives" certainly more so than a group of "Etonian Old Boy elitists".

Do I think the unions leaders have got, or get everything right? No!

Do they get caught up in their own "glory", "simplicity" and less than pragmatic approaches? Yes, sometimes.

Knowingly, sometimes.

Have they done more good than harm? Probably.


Have the masses been badly led or misled.

Yes, often by tory governments.

Especially, when they voted for them!

Can they improve? Yes.

Can the "governing class" and the various governments do better? Of course!

8-)

fred - just marginally at a tangent ..... it amazes me though it should not that so few youngsters do anything to help themselves become more employable - e.g. doing holiday work in the field in which they would like to be employed, or indeed anything at all that will make them more desirable than the next applicant

as an easy example .....
i know a young girl who would really like to get into a decent fashion college, but instead of finding a holiday job in one of the local fashion shops, she works in the local farm shop with her friends ...... why would the fashion college then choose her in an interview situation? ..... racing certainty that a rejection slip will wing its way instead

Hays Cynic as done a runner under presure and proved wrong.

You yourself nobody trusts what you say anymore so just skip most of your posts.

Perhaphs its the influence Camoron and Osbourne have had on you telling porkies.

Its certainly working.

The Harry potter story is from 2010. It is just an optional module, part of a BA degree in Education Studies.

shortie - what on earth are "combined honours" and/or how on earth do durham - normally a very tough uni to get accepted into - think these harry potter studies will benefit their students and make them more employable?

Fred
You seem to think that only the Labour party can do things for altruistic reasons. That is clearly wrong. Thatcher was always concerned to do thing for people. She sent to a state school and came from modest means. Cameron, IDS, Osborne, Ken Clarke and many others are doing thing for the benefit of the UK public. Their methods are different. Nobody enters politics just to benefit rich people.

The Harry Potter story

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-wear-11011279

Hays,

You have read too many H Potter stories and believe them.

Its just magic.

Re-read my postings.

I think the motivations from joining a labour, lib/dem or con party are different for many of the groups who join them and influence by parental and school environments.

I think the likely member of the tory party has had a more blinkered and directed upbringing than those of the other parties.

That doesn't mean the tory party is depleted of altruists, but many of its membership are insular and less than empathetic to the situations of others.

Of course in the past and still, the Tory party have had leaders and members who have considered the total society with its bewildering complications and tried and have acting accordingly, but the present hierarchy seems devoid of such necessary understanding and actions, but applying antiquated ideology.

They are more involved in presentation.