Standardization

Warning: whining and moaning ahead.

We've had our first 2 tests of the term, and the third one is coming up on Friday. And as usual, we find things to complain about. The school is in the process of going paperless. So we're using a testing program, ExamSoft. We've had several issues with it, as students. Some people have computer setting reset, backgrounds replaced, iTunes library wiped out. Not to mention the program is so ugly. I know cosmetic changes are low on the priority list, but come on. This program has the look of the stuff I did in 4th grade, when computers were just becoming a big deal.

But my real issue is this: I want to know what I missed. When we did paper tests, you would finish the test wait til the allotted time was up, hand in the answer sheet and then, still with the test paper, they would show you the answers. For all classes, all teachers. Now, each teacher can set the test to give us a  numerical score, let us see what we missed, or let us see the whole test after we finish. But they don't have to, and we don't know until the test is done.

I find it a tad annoying when teachers say "you don't need to know what you missed, you should be able to figure it out." Well yeah, if you give me my score, I can talk to friends and go over questions and discover where I went wrong. The test yesterday? No score, no answers. Not helpful. Makes me a sad panda. I just wish that were standard across classes. If it's going to be a standard "no score, no answers" I can suck it up and deal, but this back and forth confuses and irritates me.

Especially since we have a few students who have some need to take the test on paper and get extra time. I'm fine with that. However, this year (our third term, and the first time they've done this) half the teachers have suddenly said that because of this, tests will only be 15 questions. Because you have to administer the same test to everyone, which is fair, and the special needs students get extra time per question. Sure. But the number was cut down so they wouldn't be late to the next lecture after the test. Because apparently, when we start tests at 1:30 and are told we have half an hour or thirty-five minutes to take a test, the extra 20-25 minutes after the test before the next class isn't enough time. So we get the questions cut down, which makes every mistake hurt that much more.

It just all comes down to "we're paying almost $60 grand a year for this?" sometimes. The testing situation, not to mention the proctors. That's another rant in and of itself, but here's an example: we had one woman scream at us, really scream, because we were passing around a sign-in sheet another proctor gave us. Yeah. Before a final.

Anyway, I will try to write something about what being a vet student is to me, and my future career. But for now, here's a rant about our testing.