I spent the weekend rushing two assignments back to back. I have not done this in a long time. The last time I did this was when I was still a full-time student, when I was younger and more energetic and I could go around without sleeping and still be full of energy the next day. I used to have to submit three assignments on the same day.
Now age is catching up. I can no longer go without my sleep and still function the next day. I have much less energy in doing things. So rushing two assignments back to back is no easy feat for me now. But at least they are done! Now all is left are some quizzes and two more minor assignments, and then it will be the examinations!
I kind of like this system where the assignments or continuous assessments take up half the weightage, and then the other half is the examination. I believe this is adapted from the American system where whatever you do in class - tutorials, papers, quizzes, take up a certain percentage, so if you do them well, you still have a chance to pass the examination.
Whereas for the British system, everything is on the examination. Whatever work you do for the semester does not count as the examination takes up the whole weightage. So if you fail the examination, you fail the whole subject.
Perhaps that is why I never did well in law school. During my time, it was still the semestral system - examination-based. Everyone knows nothing matters throughout the year unless you pass your examination. So there were people who conveniently disappeared for the whole semester and only appeared during the examination.
I find this system only for the highly intelligent. I am never one that can manage this as I am never an examination-smart person. If all the weightage is on the examination alone, what if I did not do well? What if I failed that paper? In those days, failing one subject means you repeat the whole year and not just that subject.
But when I left and went on to do my education degree, it was better because at that point in time, the system revamped. It became the modular system where you take certain number of modules per semester and you need to fulfil a certain number of modules to pass. Within one module, there would be projects, assignments, tests, quizzes and all these would take up certain percentage of the final grade, with the examination taking up the remaining percentage.
Which means if you have been doing alright for the module, more or less you know your examination is guaranteed a pass after weighing the total percentage. Furthermore, if you happen to fail a particular module, you only need to repeat the module the next time round, instead of the whole year or semester. Plus with the modular system, you can choose to accelerate your learning by taking on more modules per semester.
Hence I am all for the modular system because that seems more flexible and not so rigid. Students also learn more in the quizzes, tests, assignments, projects, etc, and will be able to handle examination questions better.
Luckily the institution I am taking my part-time studies in, is also based on the modular system. So I just need to focus and catch up more on my examination, and hopefully I can pass and go on to the next semester without any glitch! But if I have a choice, I much rather take on all coursework - more projects and assignments, and not take any examinations altogether!
Now age is catching up. I can no longer go without my sleep and still function the next day. I have much less energy in doing things. So rushing two assignments back to back is no easy feat for me now. But at least they are done! Now all is left are some quizzes and two more minor assignments, and then it will be the examinations!
I kind of like this system where the assignments or continuous assessments take up half the weightage, and then the other half is the examination. I believe this is adapted from the American system where whatever you do in class - tutorials, papers, quizzes, take up a certain percentage, so if you do them well, you still have a chance to pass the examination.
Whereas for the British system, everything is on the examination. Whatever work you do for the semester does not count as the examination takes up the whole weightage. So if you fail the examination, you fail the whole subject.
Perhaps that is why I never did well in law school. During my time, it was still the semestral system - examination-based. Everyone knows nothing matters throughout the year unless you pass your examination. So there were people who conveniently disappeared for the whole semester and only appeared during the examination.
I find this system only for the highly intelligent. I am never one that can manage this as I am never an examination-smart person. If all the weightage is on the examination alone, what if I did not do well? What if I failed that paper? In those days, failing one subject means you repeat the whole year and not just that subject.
But when I left and went on to do my education degree, it was better because at that point in time, the system revamped. It became the modular system where you take certain number of modules per semester and you need to fulfil a certain number of modules to pass. Within one module, there would be projects, assignments, tests, quizzes and all these would take up certain percentage of the final grade, with the examination taking up the remaining percentage.
Which means if you have been doing alright for the module, more or less you know your examination is guaranteed a pass after weighing the total percentage. Furthermore, if you happen to fail a particular module, you only need to repeat the module the next time round, instead of the whole year or semester. Plus with the modular system, you can choose to accelerate your learning by taking on more modules per semester.
Hence I am all for the modular system because that seems more flexible and not so rigid. Students also learn more in the quizzes, tests, assignments, projects, etc, and will be able to handle examination questions better.
Luckily the institution I am taking my part-time studies in, is also based on the modular system. So I just need to focus and catch up more on my examination, and hopefully I can pass and go on to the next semester without any glitch! But if I have a choice, I much rather take on all coursework - more projects and assignments, and not take any examinations altogether!
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