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learning by Johnny Johnson
There is no need to be a drop out
THE WITHDRAWAL symptons displayed by correspondence course students evidenced by George Wiltnot's article last week, are understandable but unnecessary according to at least one correspondence school.
While it is desirable that a student excercises a certain amount of self discipline so that he does a set amount of work each week, this is not always possible. Indeed, the International Correspondence School emphasized to me this week that the whole idea of their courses is that the student is able to work at his own pace.
Each student's file is reviewed regularly and if it appears that he is flagging then encouragement is given. But this entails encouragement without pressure for, providing the course is followed in its logical sequence, the time which is taken by the student to complete it is relevant only to the time he wishes to take the examination. The student chooses when he wants to take the examination and the school advises him whether or not they consider he is up to examination standard.
If a student has dropped behind the schedule which he originally set himself, there is no reason why it should not be varied and the examination postponed until the next time round or even the time after that.
It seems regrettable that the fees paid for the course should be wasted. To sacrifice the fee and the future simply because one is unable to adhere to a timetable which might have been too ambitious in the first place seems illogical.
ICS, therefore, offers this advice to its students. "Work steadily at your own pace even if intervals of activity are interspersed with what might be enforced activity. Take the course in its sequence and seek advice from the school about progress and preparedness for the examination."
The critical fact is the school does not impose a time limit on when its course must be completed. Nor need the student do so.
This does not mean that the suggestion last week that the professional bodies and the correspondence schools should co-operate is not a good one.
In so many areas in the country it is difficult, if not impossible, for the aspiring transport manager to become qualified. In these circumstances it is incumbent on the professional bodies to take a greater interest in potential members who are seeking membership the hard way by examination.
On the other hand, it might be helpful to students if the correspondence schools were to arrange to put students residing in the same area in touch with each other. This could lead to mutual aid and encouragement.