The first exam is arriving…
Next Wednesday we will take the first Executive MBA exam – Law.
I do understand why exams exist, but I am not happy. At this point they try to evaluate if students are able to continue in the program. Also EGP is supposed to sort students for labour market purposes. But this was not why I applied to the MBA – I am here to learn and to know people.
Let me get this straight: I don’t fear exams and I recognize their value by forcing people to study. Also I should make this clear: until now students are acting, rationally, as a team, helping each others out and collecting tons of material. We are studying and organizing as we were in the “old days” of college. And this is why I am not pleased with these last days. I feel like I am in college, pressured by exams, evaluations and not letting me study. I am not being able to STUDY.
Let me give you an example. These last days I put my self together in terms of manage some EGP stuff: my computer, the passwords, the locker, knowing some colleagues, get used to time table, manage my personal schedule and, more important, start reading the texts I feel are important to achieve what I want – to learn. It would be crucial to me to understand the last Statistic class and solve some problems. But since Saturday I am only allowed to study law… and this is frustrating because it is so similar to my college times in which I never learned anything in full because we were ought to present (mediocre) results every week…
At least I am really getting to know some really nice, interesting and smart people!
Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 10:10
I once had a long discussion with professor Chris Knight about exams. I doubt their pedagogic value, to be honest. Yet, they’re there and we’ve got to deal with them.
You’re right, the class as a whole is dealing with it pretty good. I am really enjoying the team spirit recently created. It’s quite amazing how it has developed so quickly. Obviously, it is part of the “culture” of the school, well cherished by its staff. But I am surprised how quickly everyone got into that mood. I guess we’re a group of pretty mature people who are wise enough to realise the importance of building networks and who are eager to take something personal from this experience – something beyond the diploma and the sleepless nights
Anyway, good luck!