The University of Manchester responds to student outcry over moving lectures online
This follows the university's recent announcement that the upcoming academic year will consist of 'blended learning', rather than a full return to campus for students.
On Wednesday 7th July, representatives from The Mancunion, the University of Manchester’s student newspaper, spoke with the university’s Senior Leadership Team on their upcoming plans for online learning.
The meeting, which was broadcast live on Facebook, was organised in response to the university’s recent announcement which caused outrage amongst students wishing to fully return to campus in September following the easing of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions.
In Wednesday’s Q&A session, Dan George (the Associate Vice-President for Blended Learning) expressed how “we are so sorry for all of the stress that this misrepresentation has caused.”
Nancy Rothwell / The Mancunion
“It is not and has never been our intention to move lectures or teaching permanently online,” George stated, instead expressing their eagerness for students to return to campus in any capacity possible.
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When asked what blended learning will consist of, George stated that it “combines the best of online and digital content with outstanding in-person, on-campus interactions”.
“Anything we’re going to do in the digital space is about enhancing, not replacing, the learning experience”, she added to address students’ concerns that lower-quality teaching and impersonal videos will entirely replace their classes.
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Students also expressed their worries about teaching time, with the petition addressing how blended learning may result in lower contact hours for the many degree programs that consist largely of non-interactive lectures.
However, Dan George dispelled this by stating that “there’s absolutely no driver to reduce contact hours by blended learning”, and instead the university will strive to utilise these hours in better and more interactive ways.
The University of Manchester
Action has also been taken to ensure that students can play an active part in creating the new blended learning model after the uproar it initially created.
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April McMahon, the Vice-President for Teaching, Learning and Students, stated that the announcement was not intended to be a fixed decision of online content going ahead.
Instead, she stated that “this is your chance to get involved […] help us shape blended learning for after the pandemic, the way that it’s going to give the best value for students.”
The University of Manchester recognises that it has previously made these large decisions with no student input, so open meetings will be held throughout the summer to allow them to have their say.
While other universities may potentially make a similar announcement before the next academic year, the University of Manchester is the first to make a formal announcement.
Featured Image – The University of Manchester
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Passengers warned of ‘disruption’ ahead of more Bee Network bus strikes this weekend
Emily Sergeant
Bus services across Greater Manchester will be disrupted later this weekend as drivers from two companies stage strike action.
In what is the latest chapter in a long-running dispute, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) says it has had confirmation that staff from two operators, Stagecoach and Metroline, will go ahead with further planned strikes this weekend.
If this is the first you’re hearing of the upcoming industrial action, 2,000 workers who were employed by Stagecoach, Metroline Manchester, and First Bus Rochdale – each of which are firms among those that make up the bus part of the Bee Network – walked out in a number of co-ordinated strikes earlier this month amid an ongoing pay dispute.
Unite the Union said each of the firms are ‘highly profitable’ and it’s therefore ‘disappointing’ that workers are being denied a fair wage.
In this case, Unite has confirmed that drivers at First have called off further action after voting to accept a revised pay offer.
Passengers are being warned of ‘disruption’ ahead of more Bee Network bus strikes this weekend / Credit: TfGM
However, both Stagecoach and Metroline staff have opted to proceed with strike action onFriday 10 October, Saturday 11 October, and Monday 13 October.
This means that around 190 services, including some dedicated school buses, will not run on strike days, and TfGM is therefore advising everyone to ‘check before they travel’ and allow extra time to make their journey.
Bus services in Tameside, Trafford, and Stockport are not expected to run, and some services in South Manchester, parts of the city centre, and Rochdale will also be impacted.
Many bus services will continue to run ‘as usual’, however, and this includes services such as the Free Bus in Manchester city centre, as well as the majority of buses in Bolton, Bury, Salford, and Wigan.
The strikes are the latest in an ongoing dispute over pay / Credit: TfGM
“While we are pleased that planned industrial action by First staff has been called off, we encourage Stagecoach, Metroline, and Unite to continue discussions to avert further strike action,” commented Danny Vaughan, who is the Chief Network Officer at TfGM.
“We’ll continue to keep passengers informed and support them to make journeys wherever possible. We encourage everyone to check the latest status of their service before they travel, leave plenty of time for their journey and to get in touch if they have any questions.”
Unite has indicated that further industrial action will also happen on Saturday 18, Thursday 23 and Friday 24 October.
This action could still take place, if pay negotiations are not concluded.
Featured Image – TfGM
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First vendors confirmed Glossop Market Hall, including two indie Manc traders
Danny Jones
The first vendors for the upcoming Glossop Market Hall have been announced, and the lineup includes two beloved Greater Manchester independent businesses.
Better still, the third is another noteworthy name from the North West.
Glossop Market Hall is scheduled to launch later this year, setting up shop in the historic town hall complex, where the High Peak Borough Council, a retail shopping arcade and various other municipal buildings have stood in various different iterations for nearly well over a century.
With the Derbyshire town set to celebrate the opening of the newly revamped market hall, those behind the new Glossop attraction have now revealed the first three names set to take up residence there.
As you can see, the biggest names already signed on to cook from one of the six kitchens is a Manchester favourite food hall in its own right: Hello Oriental.
The Pan-Asian paradise not only has a subterranean space below Circle Square, but also at The Trafford Centre, as well as a dessert spin-off in Freight Island.
Indie trader number two comes in the form of B&V Trading, who are based at Stanley Square in Sale and specialise in eco-friendly, UK-made treats, toys and essentials for four-legged friends.
After proving a hit with the locals, their small stall at nearby Altrincham Market has grown to see them open up not just a second site in the leafy Cheshire suburbs of Knutsford back in 2022, but now boast a third location in neighbouring Macclesfield.
Speaking of Macc, local gin and whisky makers, Forest Distillery – based up at the famous Cat and Fiddle Inn pub towards the Peaks – they round out the first wave of regional businesses set to pop up in Glossop Market Hall (GMH) when it finally arrives this winter.
And once again, as the update on social media reads: “This is just the beginning”.
Natives, day-trippers and tourists from all over are bound to visit this place when it opens sometime in November (exact date still TBC), and with space not only for a dedicated bar, dining space and a coffee shop, but a total of 17 retail spaces, we can’t wait to see what comes next.
GMH becomes just the latest among a growing trend of food and drink halls popping up all over our part of the country, with virtually every Greater Manchester borough now boasting at least one of their own – or, in the city centre’s case, what feels like a dozen now.
Exhibit number… not sure, we’ve lost track at this point.