The class schedule is different than I am used to. I touched on this in a previous blog, but I’m going to come back to it for a second. All of my classes here in Denmark only occur once a week for two hours. And all of these classes are lectures of at least 60 people. These lectures are set up very similar to my normal classes, the difference comes with the extra “tutorials” we take. One of my classes was set up like this: we had lecture, for five weeks, and now we have been put into groups and we present and oppose case studies. The teacher no longer comes to the class, there is a Ph.D student who critiques our presentations. I found this strange because I am used to the teacher being in every class especially when there are presentations. But I guess this is pretty normal for classes here.
Denmark is a country that prides itself on equality, and no one likes be seen as too much of a higher authority than others. Because of this the professors do not like being called “Professor”. They prefer to just have the title “teacher” and many of them introduce themselves by their first name, and are completely fine with students addressing them like that. I am a little hesitant when I address a teacher because I have always been taught to call them Professor or Mr. or Mrs. out of respect for them. Here in Denmark they do not think of it as disrespectful, they see it as a way for students to feel more equal to them.
As a result of the feeling of equality between professors and students there are many interruptions in class. Students feel they can speak out whenever they want in class. While this seems to be encouraged in the Danish education system, I can’t help but think it is kind of disrespectful. It is not a constant stream of people just talking out, and many do raise their hands before just saying something, however they will shoot their hand up in the middle of the teacher speaking and not let them finish before interrupting. I think it is good to have conversations in the class and with the teacher, but I don’t understand why the teacher should stop mid thought to hear a comment that could just as easily be said after. I don’t think this is meant to be seen as disrespectful, it is just how they were brought up and what they were taught to do, just another example of cultural differences.
As final exams are sneaking up on me I am starting to realize how much is riding on them. For every class here my whole grade is depending on one final exam. I am used to having some tests or homework assignments throughout the semester. These assignments kept me on track and allowed me to see if I was really understanding what I was learning. Now with everything depending on the final I am starting to freak out a little. However the exams are also very different here. All of my exams are essays, one is a “home assignment” so I will have a week to write the essay and turn it in. I have two three hour exams and one six hour exam, all of which I have to present for. I am still not entirely sure what to expect for the exams, but from what I understand we will be give a case to read and questions about the case we need to answer. We are also allowed our books, notes, and the internet in these exams. That makes me feel better, but I have been told that the average grade in these exams is the same as a low B or high C back home. So I can’t help but wonder why the grades are low when you literally have everything to help you. That is why I have started studying a month in advance, at least to be familiar with all the concepts and theories and to know where each topic is in the book for quick referencing when it comes to the exam.
With all that being said, this next month here in Aarhus will be spent at the library studying. I can’t really complain, the public library here called DOKK 1 is beautiful. This is the view you can have while studying.
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| Foggy view of the harbor from the library |
I can’t talk about Danish Education without at least mentioning the fact that Danes are paid to go to school. Yes, that is right, not only is there no tuition fee, the government pays the students. Students receive about $900 a month which is intended to pay for housing and other necessities. They can receive this money for a maximum of six years, and if they drop out or fail they do not have to pay the money back. The only requirement in order to receive this money is that they do not live with their parents. The government provides this money because they want the students to focus only on learning, and not have to worry about balancing a job and school. This is why Danish students are able to study at least 40 hours a week as well as attend classes. Also because of this no one graduates with student debt. It’s a pretty good deal if you ask me!
On another note, fall in Aarhus is beautiful!
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| Fall colors in the Botanical Garden |
Read more from Jennifer at https://jenniferbuss.wordpress.com/
To find out more about the Walton college exchange program in Aarhus, visit http://studyabroad.uark.edu/exchange/wcobaarhus/