Page 138 - Šolsko polje, XXIX, 2018, no. 1-2: The Language of Neoliberal Education, ed. Mitja Sardoč
P. 138
šolsko polje, letnik xxix, številka 1–2
Perceptions that Students’ ‘Senses’ can be Collectively
Enhanced
Instead of treating ‘a sense’ of something as personal and diverse, it is in-
ferred in the next set of examples that students’ senses are collective, rath-
er than individual:
(13) We will seek to design and establish an attractive and sustainable en-
vironment that enhances students’ sense of belonging and pride in
the university
(23) Well-resourced, inclusive learning environments will support our
educational provision and enhance student life
(25) The university will improve transition experiences to enhance stu-
dents’ sense of belonging to our university community
(39) Developing shared spaces to enhance the sense of community, en-
courage group learning, and support people from across academic
disciplines to come together
In this set of examples, notice firstly, in (13) how it is an ‘environ-
ment’ (and not people) that enacts the process of ‘enhances’. In (23) it is
the ‘well-resourced, inclusive learning environments’ (not people) that
will ‘support our educational provision and enhance student life’. Then it
is assumed that students as a collective group will have a ‘sense of belong-
ing and pride in the university’ in which they study. It is indicated that it
is this students’ sense that is being enhanced. This is repeated in (25) when
‘the university’ (not staff) is credited with improving transition experienc-
es. This is then expected ‘to enhance’ students’ sense of belonging to a uni-
versity community. In (39) it is ‘shared spaces’ (not people) that are expect-
ed ‘to enhance’ rather a lot of things: ‘the sense of community, encourage
group learning, and support people from across academic disciplines to
come together’. If ‘shared spaces’ can really achieve all of these things then
it is a wonder that we keep staff on the payroll at all!
Surely what a student ‘senses’ cannot be assumed, and certainly not
placed collectively with what other students may ‘sense’. In the example
below an article describes a hotel as a ‘teenager’ and discusses the ‘sense of
grandeur’ guests will experience:
While it’s a mere teenager as a hotel, the long history of the building pro-
vides it with a genuine sense of grandeur (Northamptonshire Telegraph,
2012).
There are similarities to be found in line (20) mentioned earlier. Not a sense
of grandeur perhaps, but certainly the idea that ‘a sense’ of something that
a human would ‘experience’ can be included in a social construct called
136
Perceptions that Students’ ‘Senses’ can be Collectively
Enhanced
Instead of treating ‘a sense’ of something as personal and diverse, it is in-
ferred in the next set of examples that students’ senses are collective, rath-
er than individual:
(13) We will seek to design and establish an attractive and sustainable en-
vironment that enhances students’ sense of belonging and pride in
the university
(23) Well-resourced, inclusive learning environments will support our
educational provision and enhance student life
(25) The university will improve transition experiences to enhance stu-
dents’ sense of belonging to our university community
(39) Developing shared spaces to enhance the sense of community, en-
courage group learning, and support people from across academic
disciplines to come together
In this set of examples, notice firstly, in (13) how it is an ‘environ-
ment’ (and not people) that enacts the process of ‘enhances’. In (23) it is
the ‘well-resourced, inclusive learning environments’ (not people) that
will ‘support our educational provision and enhance student life’. Then it
is assumed that students as a collective group will have a ‘sense of belong-
ing and pride in the university’ in which they study. It is indicated that it
is this students’ sense that is being enhanced. This is repeated in (25) when
‘the university’ (not staff) is credited with improving transition experienc-
es. This is then expected ‘to enhance’ students’ sense of belonging to a uni-
versity community. In (39) it is ‘shared spaces’ (not people) that are expect-
ed ‘to enhance’ rather a lot of things: ‘the sense of community, encourage
group learning, and support people from across academic disciplines to
come together’. If ‘shared spaces’ can really achieve all of these things then
it is a wonder that we keep staff on the payroll at all!
Surely what a student ‘senses’ cannot be assumed, and certainly not
placed collectively with what other students may ‘sense’. In the example
below an article describes a hotel as a ‘teenager’ and discusses the ‘sense of
grandeur’ guests will experience:
While it’s a mere teenager as a hotel, the long history of the building pro-
vides it with a genuine sense of grandeur (Northamptonshire Telegraph,
2012).
There are similarities to be found in line (20) mentioned earlier. Not a sense
of grandeur perhaps, but certainly the idea that ‘a sense’ of something that
a human would ‘experience’ can be included in a social construct called
136
