The Higher Education Megathread

Karl wrote:@Cora: That's really shitty. One wonders how many bright, able people - particularly from poorer backgrounds - have been put off doing a Ph.D. in the arts and humanities because of the chronic underfunding. When subjects like history and literature are so undervalued, it makes me very worried for the future of our culture.

The culture in this country has shifted towards a "why should I pay for xxxx" over the last decade or so. We don't value any education in this country anymore, just look at the number of people that moan about having to pay for kids education, let alone the idea of free or cheap further education.

It's a shame and it is something that will be biting this country in the ass in 10-20 years time.

Moggy wrote:

Karl wrote:@Cora: That's really shitty. One wonders how many bright, able people - particularly from poorer backgrounds - have been put off doing a Ph.D. in the arts and humanities because of the chronic underfunding. When subjects like history and literature are so undervalued, it makes me very worried for the future of our culture.

The culture in this country has shifted towards a "why should I pay for xxxx" over the last decade or so. We don't value any education in this country anymore, just look at the number of people that moan about having to pay for kids education, let alone the idea of free or cheap further education.

It's a shame and it is something that will be biting this country in the ass in 10-20 years time.

In the words of Sam Seabourn:

Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should be incredibly expensive for government and absolutely free of charge to its citizens, just like national defense.

Erghh, I am onto my final (hopefully!) ever bit of academic writing and just don't have the motivation to write anything, even though I have taken this week off of work to try and get the bulk of the writing done. It doesn't help that I have until 1 June to submit, which seems so far away that there is no urgency to force me to do anything. Until I remember that I have a baby due next month and so really need to get this written now.

Never mind, I have managed 300 words today, time to slack off and watch telly.

I've applied to train as an IT teacher and have been offered an interview in a couple of weeks but there is no way I can go as I will still be working in Japan. FML.

With half an hour left, I handed in my second last assignment for the year, now to get started on the next one due Friday.

Rightey wrote:With half an hour left, I handed in my second last assignment for the year, now to get started on the next one due Friday.

Well done and good luck!

lex-man wrote:I've applied to train as an IT teacher and have been offered an interview in a couple of weeks but there is no way I can go as I will still be working in Japan. FML.

Assuming those conducting the interview process will be fairly tech-literate (given the nature of the subject matter of course advertised) can't you do a Skype interview or similar?

Had my six month review today. They reckon I'll be ready for my viva pretty soon and they're happy with the knowledge I have on my subject, it's just a case of finishing off the thesis itself now. I'm close to PhD-ing.

Moggy wrote:

Rightey wrote:With half an hour left, I handed in my second last assignment for the year, now to get started on the next one due Friday.

Well done and good luck!

Thanks, although today I realized I forgot to hand in the reflection that was supposed to go with the project

I also forgot to do the reflection

I emailed my teacher earlier today asking if I could send it by email as "I was unsure if it should be included with the final assignment as an appendix, but wasn't able to see any other way to turn it in" and just finished writing it up right now. I'm not sure if I should send it now, or wait until she tells me if it's ok, or not ok to send it to her this way.

ダン。 wrote:

lex-man wrote:I've applied to train as an IT teacher and have been offered an interview in a couple of weeks but there is no way I can go as I will still be working in Japan. FML.

Assuming those conducting the interview process will be fairly tech-literate (given the nature of the subject matter of course advertised) can't you do a Skype interview or similar?

It less an interview and more a full day selection process with other applicants and essay writing. I've actually managed to move my interview a week so I'm flying back to England to attend.

I'm pretty sure I won't get it, but you never know.

I'm going to be starting an MA in September
I need to remember how to write

Handed in my last paper of the year on Monday, thus completing my first year of my PhD. A big thanks to Karl for taking a look at it and giving me help

Rightey wrote:Handed in my last paper of the year on Monday, thus completing my first year of my PhD. A big thanks to Karl for taking a look at it and giving me help

Shite! I'm really sorry, I was going to get back to you about your last couple of questions tonight -- I didn't realise you were imminently submitting! I had to put it off a bit because I've been so busy at work. My apologies, and I hope you managed to get those last few points sorted...? It looked OK to me after a brief glance, but I didn't have time to check it all out. Sorry again!

Glad I was at least of a little help with your other questions the other day. Good luck with the end of first-year!

Karl wrote:

Rightey wrote:Handed in my last paper of the year on Monday, thus completing my first year of my PhD. A big thanks to Karl for taking a look at it and giving me help

Shite! I'm really sorry, I was going to get back to you about your last couple of questions tonight -- I didn't realise you were imminently submitting! I had to put it off a bit because I've been so busy at work. My apologies, and I hope you managed to get those last few points sorted...? It looked OK to me after a brief glance, but I didn't have time to check it all out. Sorry again!

Glad I was at least of a little help with your other questions the other day. Good luck with the end of first-year!

No worries, it was all a really big help and I think that I had the other stuff figured out, I just wanted a confirmation to make sure I didn't screw up anything.

Thanks again for all your help!

Just finished doing the bibliography and formatting on my dissertation, all I got to do now is wait and hour and I can head off to get it submitted.
Holy gooseberry fool that all nighter has strawberry floated me, I didn't think it would take 7 hours to list all of my references. I normally get up at this time on a Friday.

So I went back and did the interview in the UK. Just got to my massive collection of Japanese*redacted* only to find an e-mail from the Uni. They've given me a conditional place. I have to get 5 days teaching experience and pass my two skills test. So now I've got more shite to deal with.

lex-man wrote:So I went back and did the interview in the UK. Just got to my massive collection of Japanese*redacted* only to find an e-mail from the Uni. They've given me a conditional place. I have to get 5 days teaching experience and pass my two skills test. So now I've got more shite to deal with.

Congratulations!

What are the two skills tests, if you don't mind me asking?

Dan. wrote:

lex-man wrote:So I went back and did the interview in the UK. Just got to my massive collection of Japanese*redacted* only to find an e-mail from the Uni. They've given me a conditional place. I have to get 5 days teaching experience and pass my two skills test. So now I've got more shite to deal with.

Congratulations!

What are the two skills tests, if you don't mind me asking?

Literacy and numeracy. Thanks man.

I'm in the last 3 months of my PhD. I'm having to gut loads of it as most of the theory is weak, poorly-supported bollocks, so a lot of it is straight going in the bin. I've saved the old chapters in a folder labelled 'The Oubliette - DO NOT OPEN' and am being brutal out of necessity.

I genuinely don't know if i'll get through the Viva. If they say it needs 6 months or more of editing, I don't know what i'd do. I might take the MPhil and get the strawberry float out, because the funding will have run out by then so i'd need to find some work on the side AS WELL as going back over this strawberry floating car-crash for another 6 months to a year. Once this is done, either way, I'm going to archive it all in a hidden folder, get rid of the subject-specific books and never have anything to do with the subject ever again. I HATE it, and just want it done.

I'm going to come out, possibly with an MPhil, the academic equivalent of the 'at least you tried' sticker the slow/fat/stupid kids get in sports day, in the middle of an economic upheaval as a 30 year-old with too many qualifications and too little actual work experience and no academic publications either. As such i will be unemployable by basic shit-muncher jobs as, rightly so, they know i'd jump ship the second something better came along.

Joy.

Everyone who I've spoken to so far about PhD's has told me they hate it or wish they hadn't done it. Am I the only person who is actually enjoying this?