Ridiculous!! Why not institute a colouring competition as well?
=================================== Dr Ken Cussen Senior Lecturer in Environmental Ethics Graduate School of the Environment Division of Environmental and Life Sciences Macquarie University 2109 Sydney, Australia Ph: 61 02 9850 7973 =================================== >>> David Braddon-Mitchell <[email protected]> 04/01/10 1:45 PM >>> All attenders of seminars should note that, in order to encourage better understanding and discussion at seminars, from next week we will be administering a short test after each seminar, and before discussion. Probably this will ensure that discussion is more informed. Depending on the results of the test, discussion time will be allocated to each member of the audience, from a maximum of 10 minutes down to nothing. Relatively simple test questions will be requested from each speaker prior to their seminar. Although the speaker will provide answers, in order to ensure that these do not just reflect their idiosyncratic take on the issues, and that the test properly reflects the background , the answers will be vetted by ad-hoc committees. In order to ensure a degree of fairness, and that discussion from across sub-sdisciplinary boundaries can take place, members of the audience will asked to nominate how close their areas of study or research are to the paper. The grading of the test will reflect this, with much higher grades required to earn time for experts in the field. Thus, in a paper on Fichte, an expert on German idealism might require 80% to earn seven minutes, a Mill scholar would require only 60% and a teleonomist only 40%. Leading experts in teaching and learning have suggested to me that we could incorporate a further test if this trial proves successful: additional questions could be asked after the discussion, to see if people's understanding has improved. Evidence of continual improvement could be used to allocate bonus time in future discussions. Fair treatment is very important, and I encourage all attenders of the seminar series to give this system a fair go. On the other hand I apologize in advance for any inconvenience or teething problems. Please outline your suggestions and concerns and send them to me as the new system is implemented. Ordinarily I will be able to reply immediately, but I do plan to move to an implementation of the system at the meta level: those participants whose suggestions for improvement have been most helpful, and delivered in the most collegial way, will have their suggestions prioritized for trials. Let it be very clear that this is an efficiency matter; I have calculated the salary cost to the taxpayer of 40 academics listening to questions; it comes to $82.80 per minute and this does not include on-costs, room hire etc, toilet facilities etc. It is thus imperative that each minute be of a high quality, that we can fully justify. David Braddon-Mitchell, Professor of Philosophy, Department of Philosophy, SOPHI Main Quad A 14 University of Sydney NSW 2006 fax +61 2 9351 6660 Time in Sydney, NSW: http://www.worldtimeserver.com/current_time_in_AU-NSW.aspx _______________________________________________ SydPhil mailing list: http://sydphil.info 939 subscribers now served. To UNSUBSCRIBE, change your MEMBERSHIP OPTIONS, find ANSWERS TO COMMON PROBLEMS, or visit our ONLINE ARCHIVES, please go to the LIST INFORMATION PAGE: http://sydphil.info
