Todd: Hello, Frederick.
Fred: Hi, Todd.
Todd: Frederick, we are talking about school and education and our
topic now is homework. Do you think students in university should have lots of
homework?
Fred: I think your question is very precise. I think students in
university is different than students in high school or junior college. Now in
university, you should be a responsible student. Now what I mean by being a
responsible student is that the teacher doesn't have to tell you what you
should do. You should know what you have to do, and so homework perhaps should
not be something so important to you as a responsible student.
Todd: So, you are saying that students should study on their own.
Fred: They should.
Todd: And not be told what to study?
Fred: They should be told what to study, but they should not be
told how they should study by giving them a framework of homework.
Todd: Alright, so for example if they are studying math they should
be told what principles they need to learn but they shouldn't actually have to
do a handout and turn it in every day.
Fred: No, because they know that at the end of the semester they
will have and exam and if they haven't done what they were supposed to, well, I
don't think they can pass that class.
Todd: As a teacher, I'm not so sure because you are a very
motivated person and I think many students are motivated and disciplined like
you but I have many students I think that just are not motivated and they won't
do it unless I make them do it, like if I make them do it, then they might
generate interest and they might improve but if I I don't make them hand in
homework, if I don't tell them what to do, I don't think they'll study at all. They'll just party and have fun.
Fred: OK, I agree with you. There are certain students that need to
be told what to do. There are people that have a hard time doing things by
themselves. I agree with you, but perhaps this idea of homework, it just kind
of comes out of high school or junior high school where the teacher tells you
what to do, but in university it's different because assignment would be very
important, so perhaps you would give the students and assignement every week
but not homework every day and the assignment would count for a certain
percentage and then that would give the incentive to the students to do it.
If you don't give the students any incentive, then they will not be motivated.
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