After spending heaps of time travelling around, I've been thrust back into the reality that I am actually here to study at a university, not just play. After my week in Cairns, I had to spend a week catching up on all of the things I had let fall by the wayside, which was basically all of my work. Everything came together nicely in the end, so it was no big deal, but I have really started to realize how different it is to go to school in Canberra versus Tennessee.
Biggest difference: instructors at the University of Canberra are only allowed to give you marks on three things. THREE. Sure, at home I've had classes where there are three exams and that is all you have, but this is every class. One class I have works it out strategically, grading on class participation, a final research paper and giving an average grade on four small papers written over the course of the semester, making for a decent amount of work stretched over the semester. Other classes don't quite work that way. I have graphic design and web design classes that grade me on only three projects each, making for an awkward amount of time between assignments where there is nothing due for a while. This means I seem to have lots of free time, even though I should be working on looming assignments. Currently, I have only four assignments left before the term is completely over, and they are all due four weeks from now. It is a difficult concept to get used to.
Grading scale:
High Distinction 85% - 100%
Distinction 75% - 84%
Credit 65% - 74%
Pass 50% - 64%
Fail 0% – 49%
Ungraded pass 50% - 100%
The scale looks like it is super easy to pass classes here, but instructors grade much harder- I am usually an 'A' and high 'B' student, but the highest grade I have made on a real assignment here is an 85%. High Distinctions are not given away quite like 'A's are at home, where it is difficult enough to get high grades.
It is a really strange mix of differences... I find myself feeling horrible about making a 75 on a paper I worked really hard on and try to tell myself that it really is a decent grade and to not worry. Then at the same time, I have all of this free time that I could work on assignments and get ahead, but who really wants to write a paper a month before it is due?
But in all honesty, after spending all weekend at birthday parties in Sydney, spending all morning on Facebook and a large chunk of time writing this blog entry, I will probably continue to ignore impending assignments for the rest of the day. No regrets.
Biggest difference: instructors at the University of Canberra are only allowed to give you marks on three things. THREE. Sure, at home I've had classes where there are three exams and that is all you have, but this is every class. One class I have works it out strategically, grading on class participation, a final research paper and giving an average grade on four small papers written over the course of the semester, making for a decent amount of work stretched over the semester. Other classes don't quite work that way. I have graphic design and web design classes that grade me on only three projects each, making for an awkward amount of time between assignments where there is nothing due for a while. This means I seem to have lots of free time, even though I should be working on looming assignments. Currently, I have only four assignments left before the term is completely over, and they are all due four weeks from now. It is a difficult concept to get used to.
Grading scale:
High Distinction 85% - 100%
Distinction 75% - 84%
Credit 65% - 74%
Pass 50% - 64%
Fail 0% – 49%
Ungraded pass 50% - 100%
The scale looks like it is super easy to pass classes here, but instructors grade much harder- I am usually an 'A' and high 'B' student, but the highest grade I have made on a real assignment here is an 85%. High Distinctions are not given away quite like 'A's are at home, where it is difficult enough to get high grades.
It is a really strange mix of differences... I find myself feeling horrible about making a 75 on a paper I worked really hard on and try to tell myself that it really is a decent grade and to not worry. Then at the same time, I have all of this free time that I could work on assignments and get ahead, but who really wants to write a paper a month before it is due?
But in all honesty, after spending all weekend at birthday parties in Sydney, spending all morning on Facebook and a large chunk of time writing this blog entry, I will probably continue to ignore impending assignments for the rest of the day. No regrets.
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