Hi, this is KB. So, I have a problem. I'm getting emails from some students who, for some reason, are on lists that ask me to click addys and boxes if I want to see the content of a given email. These emails ask me to verify my identify when I respond to their emails. Students should be aware of problems inherent in using services such as yahoo and getting involved in any kind of alleged 'layer of protection' between them and those who email them. I don't want to refuse emails from students, really I don't. However, I don't have the time to track down students who send out emails telling me that if I click on this or that box I can see the contents of a student's email.
If your current email account is a problem, please use the free University of Leicester email. If you have lost it or don't know it, send me a post through some other system (e.g. - Google) in a regular email and request that I assist you to get your U of Leicester email address. Please.
No tutor, being aware of the problem of hidden viruses in confirmation emails, is going to click on an unknown addy or a box to get through to you and assist you. Last year, I acquired a very nasty computer virus on my rather pricey PC laptop. That lappy is now being used as a doorstop. The virus problem could not be fixed by the computer department at a local university and they had it for a month! Now, I'm using my old Mac computer ...and I won't let this happen again. So, please give some thought to not using that 'Yahoo' address with all the notes requesting that I be one of your many 'friends'. Yes, I have a Yahoo account too but I don't send out anything really important this way and mine doesn't have verification notices. Actually, I have several different email addresses for different purposes. This way I keep my email tidy. If I had a problem getting through to a tutor I would get a Google email addy and request their assistance so I could use my University of Leicester ID and password. I will always try and assist you as long as I don't get emails with unknown email addresses in them. Many of these emails contain adware and/or spyware that loads into your computer the minute you click on it.
Okay, this is why this is so important. I take a lot of time to write back to each correspondent. I even have correspondents who are not students, but simply learners. I always have time for genuine learners no matter who they are or where they are. And, a word to the wise, no genuine learner has ever sent me an email that asked me to verify my identity or that contained a pop up advertisement. Not one. I want you all to pass, to get through your degrees and move ahead with your careers. However, if you have a Yahoo address with massive verification requests that come back at me, I won't click on those verification boxes. It's simple. I won't go looking for hidden emails either. And as for students who want me to respond them on a different email address, other than the email addy from where they sent the original question, please use your U of Leicester account instead. If you are at the office and decide to pop me a message on your business email account, you shouldn't expect me to be a mind reader and guess that there is another place you would like to have the return email sent. This is why University of Leicester provided you with an email address.
When I get unusual looking emails such as the ones I discuss above there isn't any way I have access to information that lets me know whether or not you are a student, without sending out copious emails to the already overloaded admin staff. Those of you who have needed help from admin staff, I'm sure you'd all agree that they should use their time ensuring that the U of Leicester postgraduate programmes are running smoothly, not trying to find out why you are emailing me. I won't burden them with these requests any longer. This will keep the system working. Thank you.
KB
Monday, March 29, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
What I learned in university
Last week, a student told me that she enjoyed reading about my struggles in university. I realized that I've never written anything about teaching and why I like to teach. Particularly, why I like tutoring students online or in small groups. So, this week I'd like to talk about the importance of the struggles I had at university and how they shaped me into becoming a better graduate student.
I attended university in Toronto, Canada a number of years ago. More than I'd care to admit. I'm not one of those students who like to think fondly back to High School. My family moved around; I went to two High Schools; I never seemed to get the knack of "fitting in." I like school, didn't study much and did really well in English and History.
When I was good at the subject, I was a very good student who got "A". In university, my grades were good but not excellent until the latter years. I did, however, work very hard and read a great deal. I was always interested in the information that we didn't cover on in the class. For example, when I took French Renaissance History I became intrigued by Ferdinand Braudel and his approach to history. When I took Shakespeare, I read all the materials that weren't on the syllabus.
This approach didn't help me as an undergraduate. Undergraduate education is, after all, about getting a base for the studies that follow. You need to thoroughly understand the readings that are given at this base level. I tended to deviate from the pre-arranged path and go off on my own. As a graduate student, this natural curiosity helped me greatly. It helped as well that I was older, and consequently more organized. This meant that I used to prepare my questions before, not during, my classes. Of course, I had the training of library school to teach me the right way and the wrong way of doing research by then.
Most of the problem of getting good marks is understanding where to get good information. I already knew about this. The 'net sometimes allows students to thing they are doing good work if they simply search for a few references on Google Scholar or Wikipedia. They write dissertations using Wikipedia to back up their research questions. It is so easy to think this is 'good work' and ignore the obvious, really good reference materials right under our noses in the Digital Library. Unfortunately, the 'net doesn't usually provide us with the right material unless we dig deeper.
What I learned in university, over the course of several different occasions, was that I didn't really know how to learn effectively. I resisted attempts, by the university, to go writing labs thinking that these were for other students, students who were failing. Of course, I could've spared myself some time and trouble if I'd learned about how to construct a research paper effectively in my very first year of studies. I didn't understand, when I was a new student, that my words and all my research should be earning me much higher grades. I had to wait for time and experience to get these grades, grades I could have gotten if I'd just accepted that there were things I needed to learn.
Now, when I look back, I want other students to learn from the mistakes I made so long ago. I was a good student, curious and bright. The principles of education haven't really changed. Do good research. Learn to use language effectively. Demonstrate that you have thought carefully and analysed the questions that you are attempting to answer. Answer the questions that are given by the instructor instead of something else. Ask for information if you don't understand the questions you are given.
Like the knight in Stephen Leacock's story, I have tried to ride off in all directions many times. I have had to learn to focus and think about the hard questions posed in university classes. I had to learn that taking the time to think was not a bad thing but was, rather, required by the content of the texts that I was trying to study. It took time to do this and practice. Now, it is my earnest wish that all students not do what I did during the early years of my university education. I want my students, and I mean you my readers, ask for help and try to learn more effectively without thinking it makes them weaker, but understanding that asking and accepting help makes you stronger.
KB
I attended university in Toronto, Canada a number of years ago. More than I'd care to admit. I'm not one of those students who like to think fondly back to High School. My family moved around; I went to two High Schools; I never seemed to get the knack of "fitting in." I like school, didn't study much and did really well in English and History.
When I was good at the subject, I was a very good student who got "A". In university, my grades were good but not excellent until the latter years. I did, however, work very hard and read a great deal. I was always interested in the information that we didn't cover on in the class. For example, when I took French Renaissance History I became intrigued by Ferdinand Braudel and his approach to history. When I took Shakespeare, I read all the materials that weren't on the syllabus.
This approach didn't help me as an undergraduate. Undergraduate education is, after all, about getting a base for the studies that follow. You need to thoroughly understand the readings that are given at this base level. I tended to deviate from the pre-arranged path and go off on my own. As a graduate student, this natural curiosity helped me greatly. It helped as well that I was older, and consequently more organized. This meant that I used to prepare my questions before, not during, my classes. Of course, I had the training of library school to teach me the right way and the wrong way of doing research by then.
Most of the problem of getting good marks is understanding where to get good information. I already knew about this. The 'net sometimes allows students to thing they are doing good work if they simply search for a few references on Google Scholar or Wikipedia. They write dissertations using Wikipedia to back up their research questions. It is so easy to think this is 'good work' and ignore the obvious, really good reference materials right under our noses in the Digital Library. Unfortunately, the 'net doesn't usually provide us with the right material unless we dig deeper.
What I learned in university, over the course of several different occasions, was that I didn't really know how to learn effectively. I resisted attempts, by the university, to go writing labs thinking that these were for other students, students who were failing. Of course, I could've spared myself some time and trouble if I'd learned about how to construct a research paper effectively in my very first year of studies. I didn't understand, when I was a new student, that my words and all my research should be earning me much higher grades. I had to wait for time and experience to get these grades, grades I could have gotten if I'd just accepted that there were things I needed to learn.
Now, when I look back, I want other students to learn from the mistakes I made so long ago. I was a good student, curious and bright. The principles of education haven't really changed. Do good research. Learn to use language effectively. Demonstrate that you have thought carefully and analysed the questions that you are attempting to answer. Answer the questions that are given by the instructor instead of something else. Ask for information if you don't understand the questions you are given.
Like the knight in Stephen Leacock's story, I have tried to ride off in all directions many times. I have had to learn to focus and think about the hard questions posed in university classes. I had to learn that taking the time to think was not a bad thing but was, rather, required by the content of the texts that I was trying to study. It took time to do this and practice. Now, it is my earnest wish that all students not do what I did during the early years of my university education. I want my students, and I mean you my readers, ask for help and try to learn more effectively without thinking it makes them weaker, but understanding that asking and accepting help makes you stronger.
KB
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Writing Directly to KB/Responding Personally to KB
Hi, this is KB the tutor who writes this blog. I receive a lot of comments from different students about this blog, most of them are students in the MBA/MSc at University of Leicester. There are also correspondents from outside the programme who are looking for grammar and writing advice as well. I'm very pleased to have such a wide variety of readers. In fact, I want my all my readers wherever they come from to write me at: ulsmdltutor@le.ac.uk if they need help.
This next part is important. Students from U of Leicester should identify themselves by writing using their U of Leicester email account. This email account is private, as opposed to a work email address. If you don't want your boss reading my advice to you about studying or your assignments, you should use your U of Leicester account instead of your business email address. Privacy is an important consideration in learning. So, please try and use your U of Leicester email addresses and stay private. If I respond to you on a business email, you have no expectation of privacy on that email. The U of Leicester email address offers that privacy for all registered students. Students outside the programme must do what they need to do to help ensure their privacy & to make sure they find my emails.
For this reason, I'd like to also mention that when students use hotmail, google or yahoo accounts to write to me they can lose my response. You may have a high traffic account. If you are outside the programme and write to me, make sure you won't lose my email in an inbox folder with over 1,000 unopened emails. I take time and consideration before writing to you, please have an account where you can easily find my email and respond to me in a timely manner. If you must, open up another account for learning where there will be little or no email traffic. I respond equally to all who seek help on their educational path and give them my advice. I will continue to maintain this policy at this time. As an educator, I will not turn my back on any student in need. U of Leicester students do have the additional option of speaking with me on Skype at a future date if they need more hands on approach advice.
I've posted this blog because, although my address is posted here, some students who need help are writing in the blog space. I'm trying to monitor this traffic but this becomes difficult when students respond to old blog entries going back months or years. I don't check all my entries, all the time. This is an ongoing blog. I check the last 3 entries for responses then I move forward. I want students seeking help to find me. So, correspond with me directly at: ulsmdltutor@le.ac.uk. In the future, I'm going to be reposting this advice in shortened form at the end of every month.
KB
This next part is important. Students from U of Leicester should identify themselves by writing using their U of Leicester email account. This email account is private, as opposed to a work email address. If you don't want your boss reading my advice to you about studying or your assignments, you should use your U of Leicester account instead of your business email address. Privacy is an important consideration in learning. So, please try and use your U of Leicester email addresses and stay private. If I respond to you on a business email, you have no expectation of privacy on that email. The U of Leicester email address offers that privacy for all registered students. Students outside the programme must do what they need to do to help ensure their privacy & to make sure they find my emails.
For this reason, I'd like to also mention that when students use hotmail, google or yahoo accounts to write to me they can lose my response. You may have a high traffic account. If you are outside the programme and write to me, make sure you won't lose my email in an inbox folder with over 1,000 unopened emails. I take time and consideration before writing to you, please have an account where you can easily find my email and respond to me in a timely manner. If you must, open up another account for learning where there will be little or no email traffic. I respond equally to all who seek help on their educational path and give them my advice. I will continue to maintain this policy at this time. As an educator, I will not turn my back on any student in need. U of Leicester students do have the additional option of speaking with me on Skype at a future date if they need more hands on approach advice.
I've posted this blog because, although my address is posted here, some students who need help are writing in the blog space. I'm trying to monitor this traffic but this becomes difficult when students respond to old blog entries going back months or years. I don't check all my entries, all the time. This is an ongoing blog. I check the last 3 entries for responses then I move forward. I want students seeking help to find me. So, correspond with me directly at: ulsmdltutor@le.ac.uk. In the future, I'm going to be reposting this advice in shortened form at the end of every month.
KB
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