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profit from learning

26th November 1971
Page 40
Page 40, 26th November 1971 — profit from learning
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

by David Lowe, MInsTA, AMBIM

Correspondence courses

STUDY by correspondence course is not the easiest way to learn. It demands great effort and strict self-discipline. But for many who wish to improve their education or attain special qualifications there is often no alterna tive. This is particularly so if the subject to be studied is one that does not have sufficient local support to justify colleges running day or evening classes, or if the students live too far from a place where courses are held.

For these reasons correspondence schools fill a special need which applies as much in the case of transport studies as with other subjects. To find out more about these courses I went to see Mr E R. Andrews, the principal of International Correspondence Schools. Intertext House, Stewarts Road, London SW8.

ICS provides courses in preparation for the graduateship and associate membership examinations of the Chartered Institute of Transport and the Industrial Transport Association. As the ITA and the CIT have adopted a common intermediate examination (graduateship), the syllabus and course of studies are the same for both.

In addition to these transport studies. ICS offers many other courses which may be of interest to people working in transport.

For example, courses leading to I CS diplomas and certificates are available on such subjects as General. Industrial, Business and Office Management, Supervision for Foremen. Work Study, Executive Development and Office Administration.

Courses for those with an engineering bias are also available. These include various diploma courses covering Basic Diesel Engines, Internal Combustion and High-speed Diesel Engines. For the more advanced engineer a comprehensive Motor Engineer's diploma course is available; so, too, is a Motor Mechanic's diploma course. City and Guilds subjects are provided for, and other less comprehensive courses will be of interest to those involved in fleet engineering.

Comprehensive details of the courses available in any field with a list of all the individual subjects covered in each are contained in free brochures obtainable from ICS. From these brochures the student can easily see what course suits him best.

The system of study is usually by following either recognized textbooks (included in the cost of the course) with study notes to help with the reading and understanding of the books, or the subject is taught from lesson booklets specially prepared by experts. In both cases the notes are of a high standard, making study a more simple task than struggling through textbooks without guidance. A test paper accompanies each lesson and the student must answer set questions and return them for marking. Experts mark the papers and comment on the student's progress.

When studies are being undertaken in preparation for a professional examination, the student has to make his own examination arrangements but the tuition provided by ICS is complete to the point of examination and includes revision work.

In addition to its normal teaching work ICS has an Advisory Service headed by Mr G. H. Chaffe who is widely experienced in career guidance. Any student seeking advice as to a suitable course or career opportunities can obtain this from Mr Chaffe.

New courses are one of Mr Chaffe's other interests and he told me that the school is planning further transport operational courses leading to ICS diplomas to fill a need among those seeking further job knowledge without sitting professional examinations.

A final point costs. The CIT and ITA intermediate courses cost £43 each; the CIT Associate Membership E42 and the ITA Associate Membership £29. Fees can be paid by instalments without a great deal of formality required. While these costs may seem at first sight to be somewhat high, when consideration is given to the advantages of convenience, savings in travelling costs and the extensive permanent notes which are provided they appear more realistic and worthwhile for the student who has to adopt this method of learning.


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