“That joke isn’t funny anymore”
Let me write a bit more about exams. I felt that my last post was somewhat incomplete. I fully affirm my view against this kind of exams we are going to start taking tomorrow. I think they don’t measure knowledge, and more important, how to apply knowledge acquired. Exams are perfect to evaluate the folks that know how to take exams and believe me there are some excellent individuals at it. Note that when applying to the MBA I was aware of exams existence, but that doesn’t mean I agree with them.
I am here to test my limits, but not my “taking exams” skills. That one was tested in college. That’s “past times”. I want to test me, learn, and apply knowledge. World History is full of bad students that became genius, but even more often you find brilliant students that are simply incompetent. I think this MBA program has some different purposes and goals if compared with a regular degree, so it doesn’t make much sense to evaluate participants in the same way.
I know that we are only starting now and it is needed to figure out who is able to continue in the program. So I am willing to give the benefit of a doubt and I will try to be successful. The only thing I just don’t want to ear is that exams are the only way to evaluate such a large group of people. If that is the case, then the class should be smaller since the beginning. Easy as that!
Thursday, September 20, 2007 at 12:15
Exams…every students’ anguish! My dear friend, I have just finished reading all your previous posts, so this comment is a brief summary of the feedback I got from your writings.
1) I’m, negatively, surprised with the number of students enrolled. However, it seems to me that there will be some attrition in the coming weeks. And that will be positive.
2) The tight and running schedule reminds me of my time in the US ten years ago. Back then, as a freshman undergraduate student at Indiana University, I felt surprised about how paternalistic the system seemed to be. Minimum attendance, frequent exams and regular case study analysis was something I was not used to coming from Portugal. I think you are experiencing a bit of the same. But trust me, if the sequence is properly defined, it will benefit the learning outcome.
3) I don’t understand why an advanced business course starts with such a strong emphasis on “Commercial Law”!?! It’s senseless – not to say that it’s boring. However, by starting with “Commercial Law” (!?!), you might kill all the enthusiasm left in less enthusiastic program participants. That will lead to student attrition and to a further reduced class – which for those truly interested in learning and interacting is positive.
Well, other than this I have nothing more to say for the time being. Please keep us posted on this wonderful and enriching experience.
Friday, September 28, 2007 at 11:10
CHANGE THE RULES OF THE GAME!
Hello!
I hope the economics exam go well … it wasn’t easy at all!
I’m just finishing my Executive MBA at EGP and I’m making my last conclusions about the year that has just passed. I would like to say to you that:
1 – You will meet some great people, not just colleagues but also teachers. I invite you to take all the opportunities to talk to them about the course but mainly about life! You will hear some great experiences.
2 – The exams will continue but at a slower rate … you will have many group assignments to do that will give much more pleasure (and knowledge) to do that those exams you talk in your posts.
3 – These 11 months will pass so quickly that at the end you will ask yourself: “And now, what will I do with so many free time?” The first weekend without classes you will find yourself at the door of your house ready to go to school because, almost certainty, you will have something to study or some work to do! At least I felt like that.
4 – All of us, the one’s that have the courage to embark in this adventure, doubt, at any moment, about the program and the meaning of being there … I don’t know anyone that regrets!
5 – If you allow me, and to give you some strength to continue your journey, I will transcribe here some words a colleague wrote about the MBA (in Portuguese), I think we would bother: “A grande maioria de nós, para não dizer todos, está impressionada com tudo aquilo que conseguiu aprender até agora. Descobrimos coisas boas e menos boas acerca do nosso país, das nossas empresas e de nós próprios. O que vamos fazer com tudo o que aprendemos? Ainda vamos a meio do caminho e já sinto que pesa sobre nós uma grande responsabilidade – mudar. Não mudar por mudar, mas mudar para melhor, mudar para sermos mais fortes, mais competitivos, mais inovadores.”
The “year” that follows is a tuff one, with many sacrifices, many bad meals, many sleepless nights but over all, a year of many experiences, great emotions and huge new thoughts. Soak up the maximum because it passes flying!
I wish you all the best.
Ana
Tuesday, October 9, 2007 at 19:06
My dear friend tomorrow is the day…
The beginning of a new age or the end of a good experience.
See you