18.12.06

The Quiz

So, legend has it that NTU should not be calling their class tests, "quiz" or "continual assessment" because the words themselves do not describe the event taking place.

See, to "quiz" somebody would be to investigate someone's knowledge and the word brings to mind some rapid fire round in Jeopardy. Yet, the only talent you need possess is the optimum angle to crane your neck and shift your beady eyes in order to peer onto the foreign worker student's paper next to you / in front of you / behind you [if you are extremely talented].

A "continual assessment" however would bring about imagery of a consistent work flow with adequate progressive checks and balances along the way to achieve the set goals. Not the case in an institution where even attendance in tutorials has been ejected for the sake of accommodating our rowdy study style [attend nothing but the final exams giving you 3 months of solid holidays].

Yet, some tutors place such great importance in these quizzes and CAs that it is quite weird the way they are so anal about attending them. For example, for a module I already know I failed [results aint even out yet], I had an MC for one of my tests. Granted, an MC gives you immunity, in the normal context of the rules and regulations. However, my anal tutor decides to tell me I now qualify for a "makeup quiz". To make up what? Make up the lack of attendance.

Let me get this straight, I queue for 20 odd minutes behind a phlegm spewing old man and seated beside the most nastiest 3 year old you could ever meet, pay 20 dollars for medication I don't need, just to sit for this test? Now, why the fuck would I have bothered to if I still have to write the goddamn thing? So, I reply my tutor saying I don't think I can make it cos my leg very the pain, due to an unfortunate street soccer incident. With much care and concern, he replied: "Well, I can arrange another one for you on Friday. This is your final chance."

I was seething by now. Which part of I don't think I will pass a test on Ordinary Differential Equations even if I studied for it don't the fuck do you understand? I CHOOSE the easy way out. I pay 20 dollars for immunity not a re-chance to relive the glory days, you fuckin prick!

But truth be told, some tutors make it all worthwhile. They know that the only times they are gonna see some of our faces are during these twice a semester tests and they had better make use of that 1/2 hour to impress upon us that they ARE intelligent beings, not by virtue of their PhDs but by their talent in setting a question paper.

A group of young undergraduates walk into class one time hoping to ace their quiz. Some spent the whole night mugging, some though preferred to morally encourage those who would be pulling all-nighters and hope their support would equate to a 5-letter redemption. [MCQ quiz ma. 5 questions. 5 letters. 5 answers]

So, imagine the look on all these blokes' faces when the question paper turns out to look something like this:

Q1. What is the name of your tutor?
Q2. What is the name of your lecturer?
Q3. On what days and times are the lectures held?
Q4. Related to subject matter
Q5. Related to subject matter

As you might have already realized, for the "visit my tutorial lesson twice a semester" students, an immediate failure was staring them right at their faces. It didn't help that the tutor was Chinese and all the choices listed were Chinese names either.

So what do you do when put in a tough spot like this?

You walk out.

I did. [I failed this quiz in honour of this prof's talent. I respect talent. Enough to sacrifice 6% of my final grade for.]

Chanced upon this in this guy called Sara's post of a professor and his MBA students. Good read, here.

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