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Lecturer not present to answer exam question

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  • 11-05-2011 11:28am
    #1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone know if your lecturer has to come to see if your okay with the exam paper?

    I do my exams with the other special kids ;) in UCD rather than in the RDS because of my dyslexia. I was a bit stumped with how to answer one of the questions today (as in is table format or essay format required).
    But there was no one to ask as no lecturer from my course attended. Im worried I did quite badly on this and was wondering if this is an issue I should raise now.


Comments

  • Closed Accounts Posts: 9,496 ✭✭✭Mr. Presentable


    No reason why you should have access to your lecturer during an exam. Once you enter the examination forum you are on your own, to be examined on what you have learned.

    It is your job to answer your exam question - not your lecturer's.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,135 ✭✭✭TheVoodoo


    Generally the lecturer will go where the majority of students are, most likely the RDS.

    Did the lecturer not explain the format of the exam in the revision classes?

    But no, there is unfortunately no case here, and little you can do about it. Best not worry about it, you'll only get flustered for the rest of the exams.


  • Registered Users Posts: 627 ✭✭✭Minier81


    If you had a question about the format of a question you should have asked the invigilator. The lecturer is not obliged to attend.


  • Registered Users Posts: 239 ✭✭Gae


    eilo1 wrote: »
    Does anyone know if your lecturer has to come to see if your okay with the exam paper?

    I do my exams with the other special kids ;) in UCD rather than in the RDS because of my dyslexia. I was a bit stumped with how to answer one of the questions today (as in is table format or essay format required).
    But there was no one to ask as no lecturer from my course attended. Im worried I did quite badly on this and was wondering if this is an issue I should raise now.

    They can't be in two places at once and most of them will go to where the main exam is held. Having said that, many lecturers will ask a colleague to check in on the special needs exams in Belfield while they're in the RDS.

    If you had a problem with the paper, the invigilator should have had the lecturer's contact details and got could have got in touch with them if necessary. Failing that, they would have contacted the School.

    However, they would tend not to give advice on 'how to answer a question' during the exam as that would give you an advantage over the other students who didn't get that advice.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭eilo1


    Hi guys!
    The exam was 3 essay questions. However Im doing physio and they wanted a treatment plan so I wasnt sure if they wanted in the same style we would use on placement (in hospitals) or with justifications in an essay format. It was only a one hour exam with 2 questions to be answered so I just tried to fit as much detail in as was possible in the time I had.

    Thanks for the replies, ill guess ill just leave it and hope I get through the net!
    Cant pass this one by compensation :o


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 17 ITUPE


    ELIO1

    Just like you I use to do my exams in Belfield....all on my own;). All of my lecturers for my under and post-grad years (albeit a few years ago), use to alway's attend the exam room just to check that everything was ok with the paper, and with me. They use to come in to Belfield after they were finished with the RDS exam hall.

    Things might have changed since I graduated, but I very much doubt it. I would definately contact disability support services in Belfield, because it is quite possible that neither the subject Dept. or the individual lecturer knew that some of their students were at another site. I'd also do it ASAP to avoid a repeat scenario, just in case if you have other exams to sit.


  • Registered Users Posts: 159 ✭✭wonderworm


    eilo1 wrote: »
    Does anyone know if your lecturer has to come to see if your okay with the exam paper?

    I do my exams with the other special kids ;) in UCD rather than in the RDS because of my dyslexia. I was a bit stumped with how to answer one of the questions today (as in is table format or essay format required).
    But there was no one to ask as no lecturer from my course attended. Im worried I did quite badly on this and was wondering if this is an issue I should raise now.

    you should have asked the invigilator to contact the examiner with your query


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Technology & Internet Moderators Posts: 22,678 CMod ✭✭✭✭Sad Professor


    I'm always impressed when I see lecturers at exams. With some subjects it's not really necessary, but with others there's always the possibility of a mistake or a convoluted question that needs clarification. It's their paper, the least they can do is show their face and make sure there aren't any major issues.


  • Registered Users Posts: 6,659 ✭✭✭unknown13


    eilo1 wrote: »
    Does anyone know if your lecturer has to come to see if your okay with the exam paper?

    I do my exams with the other special kids ;) in UCD rather than in the RDS because of my dyslexia. I was a bit stumped with how to answer one of the questions today (as in is table format or essay format required).
    But there was no one to ask as no lecturer from my course attended. Im worried I did quite badly on this and was wondering if this is an issue I should raise now.

    I find that very insulting. I do my exams in the Newman building and there is nothing "special" about it. The end of the day we do the very same paper as the people in the RDS.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭eilo1


    unknown13 wrote: »
    I find that very insulting. I do my exams in the Newman building and there is nothing "special" about it. The end of the day we do the very same paper as the people in the RDS.

    aw come on it was a light hearted comment on myself! I have diabetes, dyslexia, psoriasis and a sick sense of humour. ;)


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  • Moderators, Education Moderators, Motoring & Transport Moderators Posts: 7,395 Mod ✭✭✭✭**Timbuk2**


    Every exam I've been at (RDS) the lecturer appears for the first few minutes of the exam.

    I remember the principles of microeconomics exam at Christmas, it was MCQ. There was some sort of answer that was a huge sentence and ended with increase, and the next answer was the same huge sentence but ended in decrease (typical enough for economics).

    The guy who was announcing called it out as a mistake, saying the two answers were the same and to ignore option (e). The lecturer came running up to the front, said something to him, and the announcer came back on and said that "Ignore my previous correction. The question is perfectly fine".

    The lecturer actually stayed there for the whole exam in that case, but usually they are there for the first 15 minutes and then disappear.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 874 ✭✭✭eilo1


    I changed my mind and just sent her a really nice little email explaining that I got in a bit of a heap today and would it be possible to have someone pop into me to make sure everything is okay for the rest of my exams.

    To be fair if anyone is going to have trouble understanding the paper its going to be the dyslexic!:pac:


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,362 ✭✭✭Pandoras Twist


    You can ask the invigilator your question and they ring your lecturer. They're given their numbers in case of queries


  • Registered Users Posts: 156 ✭✭kkumk


    This issue was raised during the Christmas exams with a man in a similar situation to yours, and as far as I can remember there does have to be somebody in the room able to answer your queries, however I don't think this necessarily has to be the module co-ordinator or lecturer. I'm not sure which exam you were doing, but for my ones there's a load of names on the front paper including two of my lecturers (but usually 3 or 4 others), I assumed that those were the people that you can ask questions to and that between all of them they would be spread around the various exam halls?
    Not totally sure though! But as I said, at Christmas when the issue was raised it was going to be brought to the Assessment Board as the guy who was sitting the exam messed up the question because he couldn't understand it, however he was then informed that there was someone in the room who he could have asked(he just didn't bother because he didn't see the lecturer) so it was then dismissed.


  • Registered Users Posts: 3,572 ✭✭✭WeeBushy


    Just on the point about the names of the front of the exam paper; the names are of the Lecturer(s), Course Co-ordinator, Head of School and Extern Examiner.


  • Registered Users Posts: 411 ✭✭LUPE


    unknown13 wrote: »
    I find that very insulting. I do my exams in the Newman building and there is nothing "special" about it. The end of the day we do the very same paper as the people in the RDS.

    You get loads of extra help though so not really the same is it?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 8,880 ✭✭✭Raphael


    No, it pretty much is. Unless you think people using a pen do a different paper to people using a pencil.


  • Registered Users Posts: 411 ✭✭LUPE


    Raphael wrote: »
    No, it pretty much is. Unless you think people using a pen do a different paper to people using a pencil.

    What has that got to do with anything? :confused:


  • Hosted Moderators Posts: 7,486 ✭✭✭Red Alert


    I think the least they should do is go along - in fact they're actually obliged to. It's in the exam regulations that the examiner should be there 15 minutes before the start of the exam to check the paper.

    I'm lecturing this semester and the exam in my subject is on Friday - I'm keeping the whole day free just in case there are any "last minute" questions, and I'll probably stay in the RDS for a while to see how they're getting on with it.


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