Post 4
2-25-16
Education
One of the most easily identifiable differences I have
encountered in Lancaster is the difference in education. I am constantly
referencing how things are done here versus back home, simply trying to grasp
my bearings. Changing university’s for a semester abroad was a challenge,
especially early on in the semester. It was almost like starting college all
over again. That first weekend I was having flashbacks to freshman year, but I
felt considerably different having grown so much since then. The first few
weeks were a challenge, as I was somewhere completely new. I got lost a few
times searching for my classes and my professor’s office and sometimes even the
restroom in a building I had never navigated before. From getting the finances
figured to locating the laundry room, it really felt like starting all over
again. It really put into perspective just how much I have adjusted to the
college lifestyle.
The biggest difference in the British system of higher
education is the fact that they study at University for only three years
instead of four. This has done nothing to really affect my studies here though.
The challenges I faced were coming into a yearlong course midway through the
year to a classroom already familiar with its peers and professor. Gathering
the context of discussions and trying to keep up were only minor setbacks to
the start of my semester here, and I was able to easily transition into the
course material with the help of classmates and my professors.
Lancaster is a rather large university, especially in
comparison to Allegheny. Compared to some schools in the states, and even here
in the UK, however, it is considered quite small. Like larger universities in
America, it operates under a lecture/seminar system. This means there is a
large lecture provided for each class that is followed up by a small group
seminar. The largest lecture I’m enrolled in here has over one hundred people,
and it takes place in a large lecture hall. The follow up seminar is a few days
later, and it discusses in detail the lecture. Lectures are not a place for
students to question their professor and discuss the material. This is saved
for the seminars, where you are encouraged to discuss the lectures and readings
assigned for the week. Professors give the lectures, while students lead the
seminars. That is to say, the seminar leaders are still in school to become a
professor. All of my seminar leaders are considerably young, just several years
older than myself. They remember very well what it was like to be a student at
our age, and so there is a connection made there that adds to the atmosphere of
the learning environment.
Enrolled in a school that uses this system has taken some
getting used to, as it is very different from Allegheny’s liberal arts
structure. At Allegheny, your semester is filled with papers, projects and
tests that help keep you on track with the course and offer visible progress
with grades. Here it is a bit different, in that your progress is measured at
the end of the semester with your exams. There are a few papers and small
projects scattered throughout, but the emphasis is on the exams. This is what I
think I’m struggling with most here. I am constantly worrying that I’m not
doing enough work to be sure I will pass my exams. It is hard to measure a
semester’s worth of knowledge and retain it all for a culminating exam. There
is also seemingly more pressure to do well, as the majority of your success in
the course depends on your exam scores.
Overall I’m making my way smoothly in terms of education
here, though I will be glad to return to Allegheny and the wonderful
departments in education there.
First of all, I totally relate with feeling like a freshman again. My first week here there was an orientation for the international and new students, and it was slightly ridiculous how corny it was. Also, not knowing simple things, like how to print out a paper or which office you need to go to for a specific issue can be frustrating. But best of luck with adjusting to a new class that is already mid-way through their year! I can't even imagine how difficult that must be. Also, the emphasis on final exams, more so than other tests or papers, is also terrifying for me. How can that be a good measurement of what you've been learning all semester?
ReplyDeleteLike Lora,I definitely sympathize with you in that I feel like a freshman again. I have gotten my bearings for the most part now, but my first week or two was a struggle just to figure out what courses I was taking and in what buildings on campus I had to find my way to each morning. I am studying in France, so it was also interesting to see what university is like in another European country that I would have thought would be similar to the U.S. but actually ended up being very different. Finals are such a stressful time in the U.S., so I wonder how English students deal with them. I'm used to them being a factor in a final grade, but not the entirety of it. Does this make them more stressful for English students, I wonder, or perhaps they are just better at studying for exams and not putting things off until the last minute like I know many American students are so fond of doing.
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