3 ms·

My parents had oral exams in university. I feel like that actually is a better format that does not rewarding cramming, but is interactive and over quicker. It

by Pet_Ant 11mo ago

My parents had oral exams in university. I feel like that actually is a better format that does not rewarding cramming, but is interactive and over quicker. It means that there is a dynamic that actually allows for grading problem solving over regurgitation.

ravenstine 11mo ago
I agree, though I shudder to imagine how cringey the switchover would be. A significant number of students already had poor diction and linguistic skills when I was in college, and recent evidence shows this situation has likely become worse.
Der_Einzige 11mo ago
Anyone with oral exams was privileged.
- Pet_Ant 11mo ago
  > Anyone with oral exams was privileged. No, they really weren't. These were state school's in 1970's eastern Europe. No tuition, and neither parent was from a privileged background.
- defrost 11mo ago
  Privileged enough to have a place at a university, sure. That didn't universally equate to privilege in a class or wealth sense for a number of countries. eg: https://www.whitlam.org/whitlam-legacy-education https://www.whitlam.org/whitlam-legacy-education was the system I was educated under, when I took orals it was a result of being a scruffy kid that wore no shoes but passed general high school and math talent exams better than all but three others my age in the state. ( For interest, the three that ramked higher than myself that year in Tertiary admissions exams were all educated in expensive private schools in the capital city- I got by on School of the Air, a bunch of books and a few years at a smallish remote high school in far north W.Australia * https://www.aades.edu.au/members/wa https://www.aades.edu.au/members/wa 1970's ham radio running off truck batteries - pre internet for that area, although we did experiment with text over phone line and packet radio. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestel )
RAIN92 11mo ago
It's ironic. In Italy we always had constant oral exams (and still do!) from elementary school all the way to Uni. At least 2 per week in high school. In an effort to standardize European systems many courses are trying to get rid of them because foreign students are particularly weak in an oral defense. Turns out we were right for once :D

by Pet_Ant 11mo ago

ravenstine 11mo ago

I agree, though I shudder to imagine how cringey the switchover would be. A significant number of students already had poor diction and linguistic skills when I was in college, and recent evidence shows this situation has likely become worse.

Der_Einzige 11mo ago

Anyone with oral exams was privileged.

Pet_Ant 11mo ago
> Anyone with oral exams was privileged. No, they really weren't. These were state school's in 1970's eastern Europe. No tuition, and neither parent was from a privileged background.
defrost 11mo ago
Privileged enough to have a place at a university, sure. That didn't universally equate to privilege in a class or wealth sense for a number of countries. eg: https://www.whitlam.org/whitlam-legacy-education https://www.whitlam.org/whitlam-legacy-education was the system I was educated under, when I took orals it was a result of being a scruffy kid that wore no shoes but passed general high school and math talent exams better than all but three others my age in the state. ( For interest, the three that ramked higher than myself that year in Tertiary admissions exams were all educated in expensive private schools in the capital city- I got by on School of the Air, a bunch of books and a few years at a smallish remote high school in far north W.Australia * https://www.aades.edu.au/members/wa https://www.aades.edu.au/members/wa 1970's ham radio running off truck batteries - pre internet for that area, although we did experiment with text over phone line and packet radio. * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestel https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prestel )

RAIN92 11mo ago

It's ironic. In Italy we always had constant oral exams (and still do!) from elementary school all the way to Uni. At least 2 per week in high school. In an effort to standardize European systems many courses are trying to get rid of them because foreign students are particularly weak in an oral defense. Turns out we were right for once :D