Saturday, June 27, 2009

More On: Unionists Or Teachers?

Kelly McParland: The world through CUPE's glasses
Posted: June 26, 2009, 1:30 PM by NP Editor

I know squat about peer-assessment. I'd never heard the term until this week, and every time it came up I had to pause a moment and try to remember what it meant.

It's become an issue at the University of Toronto, though, and if you've been following our coverage you know as much as me. For those who haven't, the controversy concerns a proposal to have students mark other students with the help of a software program. It would save costs and, in the opinion of the professor, provide a stimulative effect on the learning process.

CUPE, the union that represents teaching assistants, is dead against it. That’s no surprise: CUPE figures if you can use software and unpaid students, you don’t need the TAs.

You can read both sides of the issue here and here.

Having confessed my ignorance, I have to admit I was fascinated by the logic offered by the CUPE officials to back their position. Here it is in brief:

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