http://www.registrar.pitt.edu/Images/final%20exam.jpg
In my experience, although I know this may not be true for everyone at every college, most people do not start studying for their finals until they absolutely have to. The amount of time varies from exam to exam, with some tests demanding more than a week and others needing only a couple hours of studying beforehand, but for the most part people cram for their finals, hoping to get a good grade on them. In theory, it should not take a person too long to study for a final because they should be learning and engaging in each class that they're taking, absorbing all the information that they can. If they keep absorbing and keep reviewing, the actual studying for the exam shouldn't be too long.
However, I don't think this is how most actual students treat the classes they're taking. Many students disengage in their classes as much as they can and do the bare minimum to do well, unless it is a class they're very interested in. Then, when it comes time to take a test, people cram and cram and try to learn all the things they were already supposed to know.
What does this mean for Menand's theories of education?
In his first theory, those with the best grades in college are the most intelligent. People can be sorted by their grades. But are people's grades, which in college are largely based on a few large tests, an accurate representation of intelligence? In many cases of students studying for exams, memorization is a key factor in deciding whether they will get a good score. The better one is at memorizing, or the better one is at fabricating answers to essay questions for example, the better grade they will probably receive.
In the second theory, it's not about intelligence but about learning and being well-rounded. This theory definitely does not go along well with the way many students take finals, as they are not truly learning the material but storing it in their minds for a few days to use on the final and then discarding it. The material is not helping them become a more worldly person or a person with more character because they're not retaining most of the information. They are using it to get a good grade on a test, not to get another perspective on the world.
This is also a problem with the third theory, because if people are in vocational schools to learn specific things, but then only think it is important to learn them for the final to get a passing grade, then they again are not retaining the information they're supposed to be learning, and not preparing themselves enough for their actual field of work.
Basically, in these three theories about why college is important, the way many students approach finals undermines the importance of what these theories have to offer. None of them take into account how some students do not take the time to actually learn the material that is going on in their classes but at the last moment memorize all the information they can hold. If they did, they might have different things to say about why college is important.
I know I am generalizing a lot about students in this post, and that there are many students who try their hardest to get all they can out of their classes both for the grade and for their own well-being, but in my experience there are also quite a few students who do not do this. Thinking about this brings up the question of if college is important to students in a different way than it is thought about in Menand's three theories of education.
How do you think most students approach their final exams?
I think your generalizations are accurate for a large number of students. Personally, I’ve never minded final exams because I just need to review things I already learned for the previous tests. Plus, the previous exams give me a hint on what types of questions to expect, so I really know what to study for. But for typical exams that test on new material, I do my best to spread my studying out over a few days, especially if I know I have some learning/memorizing to do. I always try to pay attention during class so I have to review less on my own. I figure if I’m going to show up to lecture, I mine as well make it worth my time. Also, I find studying MUCH easier when I actually understand the material. So naturally, I comply with theory 2, even if I’m only learning it to get a good grade. The key fact is I am learning it, not just memorizing it.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your post, Martha, because I agree with you on how most students study. Many students study for finals with obviously the main purpose of getting an A on an exam. But, this obsession with getting an A drives many students to just focus on memorizing as many facts as possible, completely disengaging themselves of the possibility of taking in the information for the greater purpose of intellectual knowledge. If students were to actually study the material with the intent of fostering their intellect, then Theory 2 would prevail, and Menand, a proponent of Theory 2, which states that college should be about an intellectual and well-rounded education, not just for a purpose of getting a good job, would be proud. I really liked your post because it brought to real-life (our current situation as students) an application of something we read in class, the main purpose of these blogs. Great post!
ReplyDeleteI agree with your idea that many people cram for exams because they did not progressively learn the information along the way. This has happened to me many times. For me personally though, it was not about doing the bare minimum for each class throughout the semester, but balancing the numerous classes I have to keep a level grade spread. Most college students are taking a minimum of 4 classes each semester that are all demanding in their own sense. This becomes increasingly difficult to manage on a weekly basis especially as the classes become more specialized. The point I am trying to make is that, are the Universities making it conducive to retaining information based on the current structure that we are in. If classes were reduced per semester and extended over a longer period of time do you think the exam study cycle will change? I see your point that there are procrastinators out there, but I feel that for those individuals who truly want to study and prepare every step of the way it is difficult to do so because of the massive amount of information given each week of the semester. I believe through this restructuring Menand’s first and second theory will be molded into one where they will shoot for a good grade but understand and retain the knowledge also. Without this restructuring I do see your point that there may be alternative means for college as oppose to Menand’s theories. I liked your timing on this blog also.
ReplyDeleteMartha,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed reading your blog post. I approach final exams the exact way you are describing in your post. In fact, I am sitting here now cramming for a Caribbean cultures exam. I somewhat agree with what you have to say about the way students approach final exams as it pertains to Menand. I think by cramming and only going for the grade, students are following a theory 1 methodology. It is in there best interest to get the best GPA because GPA, and only GPA matters. It doesn't really matter whether students have learned the material or not, because in the end, the only measuring tool is GPA. I think this is probably how most students feel about exams, and that is probably why it is impossible to find a seat in the library this week. A student that abides by theory 2 principals is putting themselves at a disadvantage professionally, by only "learning" the material even if they do not get the best grade.
Martha, I find your generalizations about students throughout the semester and during final exams to be extremely accurate. If anything, the fact that we see so many students spending countless hours studying and cramming during exam week is a testament to the lack of meaning that we get from our classes. Because of the way that many classes are structured, as you said, there are often a few main important tests that are a main determinant of the grade that students are receiving for a course. Knowing that our current educational system values quantitative indicators, such as GPA, to determine intelligence, it encourages so many students to cram for these exams, and does not force them to care about anything about the course other than those main tests as they are the primary factor in grading. As a result, the students do not retain most of the information from these cramming sessions, and often leave courses without knowing much about the subject.
ReplyDeleteJust like everyone else above, I agree with this post completely. I thought this was such a clever way to look at Menand's theories. I thought it was interesting how you looked at theory two, with the idea of well roundedness going to waste when exams are taken, since the information is not retained. This made me think about why I chose to go into the LSA program at michigan, instead of trying to apply for something more specific, like business school, etc. I chose to attend LSA because I wanted to learn. I wanted to be able to explore many different academic disciplines, and eventually figure out my path in life. But now that I'm in crunch time for finals, I have realized that I am spending so much time trying to get good grades on my exams, that it is actually degrading from the abundance of material that I have learned by being here. On the other hand, when I have to write a paper (which seems to require less memorization and more thinking) I tend to retain the information a lot better. I wonder if examinations are really a good solution to determining a grade in these college courses, or if they are just causing stress and completely taking away from the concept of succeeding by being well rounded. I'd like to see what would happen if final exams were taken away.
ReplyDeleteGood job with this! I agree in that most students cram for their final exams, but I think a truly good student incorporates a variety of all three of Menand's theories. However,a student's intelligence and academic transcript rely mostly on the desire to learn itself. It's easy to say everyone crams for their finals (because it's true), but at the same time, students who actually want to learn and increase their intelligence will generally have kept up with their studies to the point where cramming is only a means to thoroughly double-check their progress. A student who studies for the sake of learning naturally will make good grades, which in consequence will leave them well-rounded. Even with vocational schools, a student who genuinely desires knowledge will do well in their line of work. It all comes back to the student's innate tendency to learn rather than their socially enforced cognitive conditions.
ReplyDeleteYes, I find this to be true too. I think it's the idea that the reward of doing well in school, (1st or 3rd theory here) is just too far down the road and there are so many short-term pleasurable things like partying which is more palatable, so you don't study until it's too late.. In the end, being interested is not enough in my opinion, cause at some point you will feel like quitting. Self discipline is required.
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