> "but it would be nave to argue that there isnt a downside." > "but my enthusiasm for critical thinking isnt always matched by students from other cultures. [...] this has resulted in some awkward moments when i have had to deal with comments such as aids is not caused by a virus and abortions lead to suicide (not easy to manage  how do you respect difference while also helping someone see they are wrong?)." > "and what about the english language? we are an english university, teaching in english with assessments written in english. this is an issue we are yet to resolve. in the beginning i had standards and tried to maintain them even when writing was poor. id correct poor grammar and spelling and dock marks when sentences were hard to follow (learning when to add a the and how to structure an argument seems to be particularly difficult when english isnt their first language)." > "the universities also had standards, and we had levels to reach and certificates of proficiency to check to allow a student onto our courses. but this has all changed now that we are even more reliant on their fees  and it feels that these checks are far more light touch and as long as the money is banked, the student can come. this can make teaching and marking tricky but i accept that standards have slipped now and am far more likely to give a badly written essay the benefit of the doubt than a bad mark." > "ive had uk students frustrated when no one else in the seminar speaks out and when they find those in small discussion groups hard to understand. ive had those in halls of residence with no one to go to the bar with when their flat mates dont drink alcohol. and students can be reluctant to join societies which seem to be split down cultural lines  rugby, golf, dance may not always feel open to everyone." 2/3  (long one but worth quoting at length)
United Kingdom