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Original poster

So no glimmer of hope for students.

42 replies

RainingBatsAndFrogs · 22/02/2021 19:32

Stay home, stay online. Schools can go back but students can’t get the education they are paying for.

My Dc doing a STEM subject hasn’t set foot in a lab or had any face to face contact with course tutors or fellow course members since paying the massive accommodation cheque. Angry

It isn’t fair, right or necessary.

OP posts:
LadyWithLapdog · 22/02/2021 19:36

I feel the same. Ours can, fortunately, do everything online but it’s a shame to be missing out on the student experience. OTOH better this than getting ill. I don’t know anymore.

OverTheRainbow88 · 22/02/2021 19:38

Education shouldn’t be affected too much; I only had 5 lectures a week and the rest was private study.

It’s the social life and normal student life being missed

Giddly · 22/02/2021 19:39

I'm a lecturer and I agree it's grim. A lot of my students are really struggling with their mental health. We are all trying so hard to ensure they have as good an educational experience as possible online, but of course it isn't the same, even for those on programmes with no practical component. Our university set up a really good system for face-to-face teaching which I believed can be done safely. I presume the main problem is the movement of large numbers of people into different shared households and halls of residence, which I can see would be a bit of a risk.

Original poster
RainingBatsAndFrogs · 22/02/2021 19:40

@OverTheRainbow88

Education shouldn’t be affected too much; I only had 5 lectures a week and the rest was private study.

It’s the social life and normal student life being missed

Was yours a lab based course?
OP posts:
OverTheRainbow88 · 22/02/2021 19:41

No, but Boris did say practical courses can go back

Gluestick80 · 22/02/2021 19:42

Education shouldn’t be affected too much; I only had 5 lectures a week and the rest was private study

Surely that depends on the course? Confused

OppsUpsSide · 22/02/2021 19:45

My DN is in their 3rd year of medicine, pretty sure 5 hours of lectures doesn’t cut it for them.

OverTheRainbow88 · 22/02/2021 19:47

@OppsUpsSide

Well I’m guessing that would full under ‘practical’ courses!

Yea I hated paying the same as those who got 30 hours of teaching a week!

Bati · 22/02/2021 19:48

My daughter is a 1st year student vet so supposed to be very practical - she has only done 4 practicals since she started in September.
No idea how they are expected to catch up on all the hands on experience they should have done by now when it's a very full time medical course.
Really wish she had deferred a year.

HSHorror · 22/02/2021 19:58

It is necessary the wave in our city from the 2 unis was huge.
It could be smaller as a lot of them had it now but they could well get it again

TheKeatingFive · 22/02/2021 19:59

Yes, very tough on them

titchy · 22/02/2021 20:01

Courses with practical elements such as labs will be back for those elements from 8 March. Hope that helps OP.

OppsUpsSide · 22/02/2021 20:02

Well I’m guessing that would full under ‘practical’ courses!

You’d think so, but he’s been home for months!

SplendidSuns1000 · 22/02/2021 20:10

My sister is in her second year at uni. First year she spent 2 months doing work face to face (they had nearly 3 months induction to the course where she didn't take a single note or do any work) and hasn't been back since. They've just told her her course will continue to be online until she graduates. So £9,250 per year + £600 rent pcm for a flat she's got a 3 year contract for. Her course is supposed to be very practical but they just show them videos of people doing the practical work! She's devastated. These poor people wasting money on a course that's drummed into them as vital to their future but is unlikely to be any good as they're not trained enough.

lyingwanker · 22/02/2021 20:14

At my uni only medical and social work courses have been allowed in for face to face this teaching year. However, in reality, I don't think any of us have actually been in to uni at all. They've delivered it all online so far and I can't see that changing for the rest of this school year either. This lockdown has been really hard for me, I've had 4 children at home (over exam period) whilst studying a technical degree because their school refused to accept I'm a key worker! I feel so sorry for the younger students who got stuck in the student accommodation and were very isolated. Our uni had been ok though and said to stay at home if you want to and we will reduce your rent. I know some unis haven't been as good.

PaddingtonsSister · 22/02/2021 20:19

Maybe because every uni town had huge surges from students not playing by the rules so not chancing the parties this time

DrMadelineMaxwell · 22/02/2021 20:24

DD is in her 2nd year.

First year there were strikes at Christmas then strikes before Easter so she had 16 weeks teaching in total. Then lockdown and not back til this year.

We picked her up (from her English uni) for Christmas and due to our country's rules (Wales) we're not allowed to travel to take her back yet and they've told students to stay here.

The only upside is that she chose to stay in uni accommodation so wasn't charged for term 3 last year and should get some credit from this term put towards next term's costs.

She's - luckily - doing ok at home distance learning.

titchy · 22/02/2021 20:42

@PaddingtonsSister

Maybe because every uni town had huge surges from students not playing by the rules so not chancing the parties this time
Except that's not true Hmm
TheJerkStore · 22/02/2021 20:43

Maybe because every uni town had huge surges from students not playing by the rules so not chancing the parties this time

That's not true.

Original poster
RainingBatsAndFrogs · 22/02/2021 20:46

@titchy

Courses with practical elements such as labs will be back for those elements from 8 March. Hope that helps OP.
I’m not sure.

“Students allowed on campus from 8 March
The government has prioritised the return of those students who need to come on to campus for practical teaching, specialist facilities or onsite assessments to complete their year or award”

So is it only if needed in order to ‘complete their award’ ??

OP posts:
ThroughThickAndThin01 · 22/02/2021 20:49

It says complete their year doesn’t it?

titchy · 22/02/2021 20:53

Complete their YEAR or award.

I'd imagine your dc's uni will email them towards the end of the week or early next once they've worked out how they're going to arrange things.

Giddly · 22/02/2021 21:13

Nope - not my experience of students. Obviously living in a shared house it's going to spread if one student gets it but this reviling of young people who have actually lost out the most from lockdown restrictions has been one of the many unpleasant sides of the pandemic.

Ledkr · 22/02/2021 21:24

How do we know what defines a "practical course" dd is in her first year of dance and is doing it online in a normal sized room. She is seriously worried about losing stamina and technique as its ao limited in a small area.
They really have been cheated. I dont see how its ok to have 30 odd kids in a class but they cannot attend uni in classes of about 16.

Ledkr · 22/02/2021 21:26

And her and her friends have been fab. Stuck to rules, stayed at home. Even getting annoyed at anyone not sticking to rules.

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