269
8.M Reflection and theorising
The Research Group were critical of the timing and the nature of the
course work procedure. They felt that despite the aims of the Alter-
native Course and the attempts or protestations of staff, the course
work at the end of the day became less for them as individuals or
groups but about them
in that work had to be handed in for grading
and was no longer available to be worked
... 16
with.
The assessment pro-
cedure since
then has
undergone
substantial
Il
odif ication
but the
question remains whether the modifications are sufficient or whether
they do not point
in the direction of
student assessment as a part
of this reflective process
All of the school group work discussed in this section is directly
related to Course work. It relates to basic aims of the course to
do with depth and breadth of educational thinking and the capacity
to engage
a professional dialogue and in
attempting to
show the
course at work in these ways it perhaps enables a different perspective
on the
ques⅛tons of assessment
of what and by whom.
a) In depth work
The desirability of depth of educational thinking, academic reading
and research permeate higher education and have influenced its
professional Outreaches. The direction of the influence changes and in
teacher education is on occasion seen as questionable
(Taylor 1983 Hirst І98З). Postgraduate students it is
assumed, know how to read, research and present their work. The
be . .. .
Research Group suggested that though this might/true for them in their
undergraduate courses such in depth work in new circumstances was
not a personal habit that could be relied upon. Personal and profes-
See Appendix II