Not allowed to go home at the weekend, not allowed to mix with students outside your bubble, not allowed to have parties, maybe not allowed for Xmas?

[chomalungma]

I really feel sorry for students at Uni in Scotland.

Those students who are feeling isolated. Those who just want some fun and to experience student life.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-54285720

And break these rules and you could lose your university place

@Stripesgalore well back in the day there wasnt an alternative was there? But thinking about it, I'm not sure. It got you out of bed - and if you were lucky you might have had the opportunity to ask a quick question but generally not if there were 300 of you. Even later on when there were maybe only 40 or so I dont remember that being encouraged. They lectured, you took notes.

But we’re not back in the day, and we haven’t been for the whole time students have been charged nine grand for services which they are now being told are mostly not necessary or beneficial to a university education.

@Stripesgalore

If there are no real benefits to lectures in person, why were students ever made to attend them?

They are not not made to attend them in a lot of universities nowadays. Lectures are sometimes recorded and consequently not all students attend. A friend told me that only 1/3 of students attend her lectures since they have put them online. The ones that don't attend don't usually do as well but perhaps that's more reflective of the student themselves rather than anything else.

@Stripesgalore well what do you see as the benefit of in person rather than online lectures then? As a science student it was definitely the practicals and tutorials that "made" the course for me - and access to facilities like the library, journals etc. Lectures were just that - someone downloading information to you. Interesting, but the in person element was a necessity not a benefit.

In any lectures I have been involved with there has been interaction between the lecturer and the students. It isn’t just someone stood at the front talking.

Porcupine - no.

But smaller groups of a dozen or so for tutorials then why not?

Due to the nature of my course (teaching) I had very few large lectures, maybe one or two a week. But I had many small group tutorials and practical work groups. They were vital for sharing ideas etc especially just before teaching practises started.

Dd is also doing a teaching degree and she's expected to do this with just two short entirely social distanced seminars where they all sit in rows, 2m apart and not allowed to move.

Yet my friend teaches sixth form, so a year younger, and they have full time lessons, group work, practical work the lot.

I simply my don't see why there's such a massive difference in what's allowed.

@Aragog

Due to the nature of my course (teaching) I had very few large lectures, maybe one or two a week. But I had many small group tutorials and practical work groups. They were vital for sharing ideas etc especially just before teaching practises started.

Dd is also doing a teaching degree and she's expected to do this with just two short entirely social distanced seminars where they all sit in rows, 2m apart and not allowed to move.

Yet my friend teaches sixth form, so a year younger, and they have full time lessons, group work, practical work the lot.

I simply my don't see why there's such a massive difference in what's allowed.

Not every student will be 19 though. Some will be mature students. I think the universities have been told that students must be 2 m apart so they don't really have a choice about it.

@Aragog, no I agree with you that tutorials should be happening.