Students in control
I agree with Enrique...let the students have the powe...In a controled enviroment (of course)
How do you define power and how do you control the environment?
I think this is a bad idea. Students being called customers in my opinion is a bad idea. The first time a student does poorly on a test they will fall back on well I am the customer and I am always right. Students are not customers per say. Yes they are paying for a service but it ultimatly falls to them to do the work. The minute students CONTROL anything often time (experience speaking here) that the organization has painted themselves in a corner. So the instructor is in control NOT the students...if the students were in control why would they be paying for an instructor to teach them in the forst place.
The concept of student as customer is intended to remind us that students have options. They have elected to spend time and money with us, but they can go elsewhere is dissatisfied.
This does not mean that the student is always right nor does it cede control to the student or relieve them of their responsibilities as a student. Think of an unruly fan at a ball game who is thrown out because of unacceptable behavior. The student has agreed to a code of behavior when they sign the enrollment agreement; you have the right ... and obligation ... to uphold those standards.
I feel the students should never be considered "customers". If they are dissatisfied, it's our job to find out why and rectify the issue. I do agree they have elected to spend time and money with us but they elected to do so with the promise of what we have to teach them. They chose us over another facility and it's our job to deliver the education they are seeking. With the students in control, they learn at their own pace and if time runs out and they haven't learned the blame will fall on the facility instructors. This can't happen. The instructors must ALWAYS be in control of the education that is being taught and the fact that the student chose to attend our facility should have no bearing on that.
Interesting and insightful observation, Shawnie. Thank you.
I would submit that it is possible to consider the student as a customer without giving up control of the relationship. I would offer the notion of the enrollment agreement being analogous to a warranty. The vendor is offering assurances about the quality of the product and promises to stand by the product under normal use. However, the warranty is voided if the customer abuses the product - such as not making satisfactory progress.
The idea of student as customer is useful for me to help set a culture that keeps us focused on our central mission of preparing students versus one that becomes too process driven.
While is certainly true that we can consider the students as customers, the conotations of words effect our reaction to those words, and "The customer is always right" is a cliche we have all used to our advantage when necessary, so it's easy to take the "Shop keeper's" attitude when dealing with students.
We had one such instance recently at our school where the students told us they were paying for the degree so they should get to decide if they wanted to attend classes or not.
My response was, you're not paying for the degree, you're paying for the priveledge to earn the degree, and attending classes is part of that priveledge.
