Here's a new topic for you to write about.
-Are there too many exams in our school system?
-Can you think of a better alternative to assess (Spanish:evaluar) students?
-Do you know what they do in other countries?
Don't just complain (Spanish:quejarse) about how many exams you have, I also want to read about alternatives if you don't agree with the present system.
I'D LIKE TO SEE MORE PEOPLE CONTRIBUTING...
Hello people! Here comes a new blogger. My name’s Anna and I’m a “suecanish” girl. I hope we have fun and discuss a lot!
ReplyDeleteAbout the topic, I’m only going to give my opinion about the University system. It’s been some time since I attended high school, and things may have changed a lot.
Answering to the first question: Yes, I do think there are too many exams. It is a consequence of the big quantity of subjects per semester included in University study programme. Exams are, in addition, the only method used to assess students, which in my opinion does not really prove student’s knowledge.
Continuous evaluation is, from my point of view, a better way to assess students. It forces students to work everyday and reinforces professor-student communication. Unfortunately it cannot be applied to big groups as they exist in University right now. Students should be put into small groups, requiring more professors and more money, which makes it unachievable for the current system.
Regarding the third question, I can contribute with my experience in a Swedish university. As many other things the Swedish study programme is very different from the Spanish one. Each course is two months length so that only two or three of them are attended at the same time. A course usually consists of few master lessons at the beginning of the period, where the professor explains the theoretical contents. Next, practical sessions are given in the laboratory, where students attend in small groups. Finally an exam regarding both theoretical and practical lessons takes place. The final mark is obtained from the laboratory assignments and exam results. Although this evaluation system may seem quite similar to the Spanish one, the exams content is completely different. Exams there are quite easier than here and most of its questions are about laboratory results instead of theoretical matters.
In conclusion, any other study system may seem better than the Spanish one. Swedes particularly study and work much efficiently than us. If only it weren’t so dark and cold there it would be perfect!
Anna
wow!! thanks for such a good explanation and comparison between Spanish and Swedish system. I hope that you haven't put my students off from commenting after such a long post!!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your contribution very much as you should already know...I hope to read from you even if it's only from time to time.
xxx
I know it's quite long but I was really bored, you know, I was at work :D
ReplyDeleteI'll try to contribute in the future with smaller posts :)
Michael said: "I hope that you haven't put my students off from commenting after such a long post!!"
ReplyDeleteShe has.
Mònica.
That's too much of a sad excuse for you Monica... I hope you can come up with something better to get you out of writing...
ReplyDeleteIf what you want is a better excuse, I'm doing the compulsory composition right now. I just wanted to tell Harry Potter some Valencian wonders in order to persuade him to come here on holidays, but I'm working so hard at it that my composition will look more like a research than like a letter... Anyway I'll try to drop a few lines in this assignment when I finish my letter to Harry.
ReplyDelete