Views from the podium

LECTURERS are too scared of losing their jobs to be openly critical of new teaching methods but some at a traditional university in thenorth of England agreed to air their views anonymously.

"In theory it is all very well expecting students to be in charge of their own learning but actually they don't want to do it. Most students wantto be taught in the traditional manner by sitting in a lecture halland taking notes."

"If you are prepared to spend enough money to put in place the technology and the new learning materials to help students find out for themselves then learning innovation - so called deep learning - may well take place. But we are a long way off that ideal in higher education."

"Lecturing staff just don't get the support required to put in placealternative teaching methods. We need an enormous staff development programme to be fully under way before we start trying out new ideason our students otherwise it is not fair on them or on us."