Grad school...
Sorry, just have to get this one in...
I'm in grad school right now. In the beginning, I was really excited. All of this great learning, surrounded by people with similar interests...then it started to fade.
It started when one of my professors, who teachers Motor Learning, gave us the second test of the semester. It was on 7 chapters, and one research paper. The test itself had 28 questions, and focused almost exclusively on one single theory we had learned during that month. Needless to say, the depth of knowledge on that subject that the test demanded was extreme. I got a 70. Versus a 100 on the first test. It seemed strange to me that someone who teaches the principles of learning would construct a test designed to make students do poorly. Very strange.
Then, the following week, my other professor in Research Methods administered a 30 question test (each with five sub-questions) that took an average of about 2.5 hours to complete. This professor reads off of the slides he projects every night (which are also in your class reader, in case you wanted to stay home and read the same information). There is no teaching going on in this class, unless it's in how to read slides. Which I already know how to do. Very confusing.
The final straw was when my psych professor assigned a paper to me to present that dealt with such difficult statistical analysis of psychological data that I had to read it no fewer than 7 times to really understand it. It was my turn to present, but there were only 10 minutes left in class, instead of the 20 I was supposed to be allotted. I figured she'd push it till the next class, but no. My presentation, needless to say, was rushed. Worse still, my motivation was really destroyed by the difficulty I had understanding this paper. Funny thing is, it's a class called Motivation and Performance. Again...are these folks reading their own textbooks?!!!
At this point, I'm just waiting to see what kind of grades I get, and whether or not I'll be allowed to continue with the program (need a B or better in all classes). If not, I won't be too upset. Graduate school is not a place to learn. It is a place to follow the rules. Do as you're told. Don't ask questions. Don't look ignorant, either. They don't want to teach you...you have to figure that out yourself.
Sorry, just have to get this one in...
I'm in grad school right now. In the beginning, I was really excited. All of this great learning, surrounded by people with similar interests...then it started to fade.
It started when one of my professors, who teachers Motor Learning, gave us the second test of the semester. It was on 7 chapters, and one research paper. The test itself had 28 questions, and focused almost exclusively on one single theory we had learned during that month. Needless to say, the depth of knowledge on that subject that the test demanded was extreme. I got a 70. Versus a 100 on the first test. It seemed strange to me that someone who teaches the principles of learning would construct a test designed to make students do poorly. Very strange.
Then, the following week, my other professor in Research Methods administered a 30 question test (each with five sub-questions) that took an average of about 2.5 hours to complete. This professor reads off of the slides he projects every night (which are also in your class reader, in case you wanted to stay home and read the same information). There is no teaching going on in this class, unless it's in how to read slides. Which I already know how to do. Very confusing.
The final straw was when my psych professor assigned a paper to me to present that dealt with such difficult statistical analysis of psychological data that I had to read it no fewer than 7 times to really understand it. It was my turn to present, but there were only 10 minutes left in class, instead of the 20 I was supposed to be allotted. I figured she'd push it till the next class, but no. My presentation, needless to say, was rushed. Worse still, my motivation was really destroyed by the difficulty I had understanding this paper. Funny thing is, it's a class called Motivation and Performance. Again...are these folks reading their own textbooks?!!!
At this point, I'm just waiting to see what kind of grades I get, and whether or not I'll be allowed to continue with the program (need a B or better in all classes). If not, I won't be too upset. Graduate school is not a place to learn. It is a place to follow the rules. Do as you're told. Don't ask questions. Don't look ignorant, either. They don't want to teach you...you have to figure that out yourself.
posted by Josh Leeger at 11:39 AM
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