Monday, November 24, 2008
Exams
The semester is over (so FAST!!) and now the exams are here. Not that I had that many exams, merely two finals in this week and that is it already. Today was the first and it was quite sh*** already. I am not sure whether it was really so difficult, but it didn't go all to smooth.
Which brought me back to think what would be my current CAP if the exam does not turn out to be an A. For those who don't know what CAP is, it is basically a weighted average score of a student's grades. And because our graduate school expects its scholars to top of the crop, we must maintain a CAP of at least 3.8 which is about B+ and above. For that reason, one might be tempted to sign up for a few easy modules (anything in management will do, I guess) to increase the CAP score. And in fact, students sometimes take up modules that are supposed to be easy to increase their scores. Only what happens if a lot of people decide to make the same move and end up int he same class? As the scores are moderated, the standard of the class should automatically rise and it should get harder to score A.
But now is not enough time to make a detailed study in student's behavior, the next exam is on Wednesday. Hopefully that one will be more successful and I can increase my CAP to > 3.8 again ;)
Which brought me back to think what would be my current CAP if the exam does not turn out to be an A. For those who don't know what CAP is, it is basically a weighted average score of a student's grades. And because our graduate school expects its scholars to top of the crop, we must maintain a CAP of at least 3.8 which is about B+ and above. For that reason, one might be tempted to sign up for a few easy modules (anything in management will do, I guess) to increase the CAP score. And in fact, students sometimes take up modules that are supposed to be easy to increase their scores. Only what happens if a lot of people decide to make the same move and end up int he same class? As the scores are moderated, the standard of the class should automatically rise and it should get harder to score A.
But now is not enough time to make a detailed study in student's behavior, the next exam is on Wednesday. Hopefully that one will be more successful and I can increase my CAP to > 3.8 again ;)
Labels: NUS
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Application reached!!
My NGS application reached NUS! Such a relieve. Just called the place to inquire. The stupid Post website still tells me my letter was send from Frankfurt and nothing more. Phew.....
Everybody hold thumbs for my application to be successful.
Everybody hold thumbs for my application to be successful.
Labels: Graduate School, NGS, NUS
Do non-graded assignments improve teamwork?
This week when I was looking for a study place in university (unsuccessfully), I realized a difference between the study room here and the study room in NUS, except that the one in Singapore is cleaner and air-coned.
Here students were all gathering in small groups, discussing and solving their assignments (Uebungsblaetter) together. A typical scene in the NUS study room would show people sitting in front of their books and laptops alone.
First and foremost, NUS study room is a quiet area, where you are not supposed to discuss, but I realized that there is another more significant reason why students solve their assignments in groups or not.
We have one assignment per week for almost every class. The assignments are a help to practice and understand. They are graded, but don't contribute to the final grade. Usually you just have to get a certain percentage of the total points to be admitted to the exam at the end of the semester.
So by collaborating and doing the assignments, students only benefit from each other. They don't compete among each other.
In NUS the assignments usually contribute to your final score and are more a test, that is supposed to be done individually, of course. So students do their assignments alone, and even if they would (sometimes you are allowed) to solve the problems together, the motivation is less as you don't benefit from the solution as much as if you had solved yourself (see my posts concerning relative grading).
Here students were all gathering in small groups, discussing and solving their assignments (Uebungsblaetter) together. A typical scene in the NUS study room would show people sitting in front of their books and laptops alone.
First and foremost, NUS study room is a quiet area, where you are not supposed to discuss, but I realized that there is another more significant reason why students solve their assignments in groups or not.
We have one assignment per week for almost every class. The assignments are a help to practice and understand. They are graded, but don't contribute to the final grade. Usually you just have to get a certain percentage of the total points to be admitted to the exam at the end of the semester.
So by collaborating and doing the assignments, students only benefit from each other. They don't compete among each other.
In NUS the assignments usually contribute to your final score and are more a test, that is supposed to be done individually, of course. So students do their assignments alone, and even if they would (sometimes you are allowed) to solve the problems together, the motivation is less as you don't benefit from the solution as much as if you had solved yourself (see my posts concerning relative grading).
Labels: KIT, NUS, University
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Do you have a Graduate School?
I will apply! My (prospective) PhD Supervisor in NUS suggested that I would apply for another PhD program in NUS, just in case my first application is not successful.
This sounds like a reasonable plan, only that the deadline for the application is Thursday, this Thursday, that is TOMORROW!! And I only got my professors email on Monday. Considering the amount of time that I spent on my first application, this seems pretty daunting, as I need the same documents again, eg. two letters of recommendation, transcript, etc.
The good news is, you can apply online. So I submitted my online application this morning and will send the remaining documents in late.
I am in a Graduate School application mood now, I should just make a few more copies of everything and apply to every Graduate School in Singapore :)
PS: of course I need a BANK DRAFT for my application again......... (to be continued)
This sounds like a reasonable plan, only that the deadline for the application is Thursday, this Thursday, that is TOMORROW!! And I only got my professors email on Monday. Considering the amount of time that I spent on my first application, this seems pretty daunting, as I need the same documents again, eg. two letters of recommendation, transcript, etc.
The good news is, you can apply online. So I submitted my online application this morning and will send the remaining documents in late.
I am in a Graduate School application mood now, I should just make a few more copies of everything and apply to every Graduate School in Singapore :)
PS: of course I need a BANK DRAFT for my application again......... (to be continued)
Labels: Graduate School, NUS, University
Wednesday, November 07, 2007
Why should I hurry?
Another follow up on my Grad School application.
Now that I have been rushing to get all necessary supporting documents, certified copies of transcripts, certificates, awards, TOEFL and even the Letters of Recommendation on time, NGS has just switched the application mode to "open all year"!!
Now that I have been rushing to get all necessary supporting documents, certified copies of transcripts, certificates, awards, TOEFL and even the Letters of Recommendation on time, NGS has just switched the application mode to "open all year"!!
Labels: Graduate School, NGS, NUS
All the way to Singapore.......
My application letter status:
The mission was launched on 06.11.2007 in international logistics center for the Frankfurt onward to Singapore.
(tranlation by google with minor errors ;)
Original text:
Die Sendung wurde am 06.11.2007 im internationalen Logistikzentrum Frankfurt zur Weiterbeförderung nach Singapur übergeben.
The mission was launched on 06.11.2007 in international logistics center for the Frankfurt onward to Singapore.
(tranlation by google with minor errors ;)
Original text:
Die Sendung wurde am 06.11.2007 im internationalen Logistikzentrum Frankfurt zur Weiterbeförderung nach Singapur übergeben.
Labels: Graduate School, NUS
Monday, November 05, 2007
Knocking on the Doors of NUS Graduate School
Today I sent my application for my PhD in Singapore. I figured out that "Double D" is not quite enough, so now I want to upgrade to "Triple D" :) I applied to the NUS Graduate School for Integrative Sciences and Engineering.
Doing a PhD in Singapore is quite different from doing a PhD at a German university. The Singapore way is basically the same as in the US, you are a still a student (PhD student but still student), still take courses during the first year, sit for exams, etc. while you are doing your research.
Then after about one year you have to pass a Qualifying exam, if you fail that you can only receive a Master, but no PhD any longer.
In Germany you would usually start working as part of the staff of a Professor. You would NOT be considered a student anymore, but a "Mitarbeiter", do the normal work at the institute, maybe do some teaching, and write your dissertation.
Of course you cannot forget that in Germany you would already have a Diploma or Master while in Singapore it would usually be a Bachelor only.
The next 4-5 days I will impatiently sitting in front of the computer and check the letter status on http://www.deutschepost.de every few hours. (I had some bad experience with the Deutsche Post recently) till I can be sure it reached Singapore safely.
Everyone send good vibes for my application!
Doing a PhD in Singapore is quite different from doing a PhD at a German university. The Singapore way is basically the same as in the US, you are a still a student (PhD student but still student), still take courses during the first year, sit for exams, etc. while you are doing your research.
Then after about one year you have to pass a Qualifying exam, if you fail that you can only receive a Master, but no PhD any longer.
In Germany you would usually start working as part of the staff of a Professor. You would NOT be considered a student anymore, but a "Mitarbeiter", do the normal work at the institute, maybe do some teaching, and write your dissertation.
Of course you cannot forget that in Germany you would already have a Diploma or Master while in Singapore it would usually be a Bachelor only.
The next 4-5 days I will impatiently sitting in front of the computer and check the letter status on http://www.deutschepost.de every few hours. (I had some bad experience with the Deutsche Post recently) till I can be sure it reached Singapore safely.
Everyone send good vibes for my application!
Labels: Graduate School, NUS, PhD
