NURSING AND EDUCATION PLATFORM

The problem today is, people are so in fear of losing their job- education/ health/ plumbing etc-- they will not suggest new approaches fearing it to be regarded as  a criticism. A good manager- thanks to those I have had and have- will at least listen. Rewards should be given to those who suggest/ accept new methods.

The case of the RGN who unfortunately killed herself re the fake phone call about Royalty. Was it fear of disciplinary or the NMC? Many nurses live in fear of disciplinaries and the NMC -even for drug errors. IT is time we encouraged honesty and openness-- not fear. I of course do not know the full facts. I like many, am sad that it lead to this.

The perfect Storm  For Universities  popenici.com web

Please see

http://twelvemonkeys.webs.com/

Please see attached web re psychology. Perspectives so often ignored today. If using the content in any way, please reference it to the site. The author (M) does not seek accolades but plagiarism ocurs too often today and original authors need acknowledgment.

Being academic to me, means thinking and considering all aspects . not just what you were taught. This surely means questioning and raising issues. Therefore as academics, we should be prepared to discuss and be questioned. Consider Freud, today he would not even be offfered a PHD as original his work may have been because of the controversy.What therefore is academia? Is it enabling students to meet grades established thus regurgitating facts given to them or recognised by lecturers / HE bodies? Please reply if I am wrong. Do we need a return to the socratic method? A blank canvas when lecturing (no power points!!) (Yet- inner held knowledge of the lecturer?). Am I the only speaker here- or at least, the only one who dare to question? What has gone wrong with academia?? Is it funding and standards? Are we afraid to fail assignments or not to depict our sesssion on a pre-formed power point??

We need  a change in the whole of society; not just care or education. How people are educated affects how people work in any discipline. We need to be prepared to generate discussion and listen to others. We must not fear they who may have more knowledge or new methods. Yet such people are often blocked thus old methods continue.People often today fear loss of their job and are under stress. It depends how much they value the true quality of what they do.

Must we all follow like sheep? Enticed by Funding?I am sure if we wanted to study political honesty, we would not get funded nor be advertised. It seems many agencies are tied to politics and afraid to publish or support, that which is not accepted. Hypocritical is it not?

See item The Sun S Dolan Nov 30 2012.Watch for book, how to make millions without a Degree. Amazon.

I find that history in subjects- apart from history/ philosophy- is neglected today. Please correct me if I am wrong. Indeed students are marked down , and authors work rejected , for referring to early references. Yet early refs gives us the background of many aspects and explanations for development or lack of development. Take such class works as Goffman, Szasz, Foucalt or Laing.When teaching anything, I always give a historical overview.  We need to know the work of early authors in order to build on it, whether or not we agree with it.

Higher education may be becoming stale- but I do not want to generalise. The term dinasaurs (Avis et al 2002)  is used to refer to individuals who have taught the same info using same methods and been in the same job for years. Some establishments dislike new methods and approaches undertaken by questioning staff. Hence it is very difficult for willing new lecturers  to gain access. HE thus becomes an automatic delivery service for knowledge that meets set criteria. Ownership and dictatorship of knowledge is then  the situation. The question is who is the dictator? Is it Governmental with establishments in fear of losing funding? Hence some aspects and the views of some theorists, especially classic ones, are neglected. Yet the aim of HE is to promote thinking amongst students, not  provide knowledge.