Last week, Angelina attended a Trinity College examination. Grades are not important, but it proves difficult not to be curious about what happened inside the room.
“What did the lady ask you?” I could not wait to ask.
“Well,” Angelina replied lightly, “she asked me a lot of questions. I cannot remember them now.”
Oh, one more mystery that would never be solved.
One day later, it was my postgraduate student’s turn. This time, I had to stay in the examination room. Inevitably, I heard questions that I could answer easily. It was trying to watch your own student hesitate and give obviously unconfident replies while you could not do anything. I could see why Ruud Gullit stepped in the football pitch as the player-manager of Chelsea FC, although that was not all too successful.
Maybe it is not unkind to keep parents out of examination rooms after all.
The mystery is history.
24 Jun 2010
17 Jun 2010
Biscuits
After serving as a guest examiner, S had to organize an examination at his own school. To avoid leaking examination questions, candidates were required to report early and stay in a room so that they would not meet others who had completed their examination. Every year, candidates complained about the arrangement. The most common complaint was the school did not provide them with food and beverages.
S still remembered vividly what ST taught him last year. At the same examination, a girl said she was hungry and going to faint. S followed ST to see her.
“What is the matter?” the Discipline Master asked.
The girl looked at him, hesitated for a few seconds, and stammered, “N…Nothing.”
ST turned and brought S out of the room. He was content. What a piece of cake.
This year, another girl said she was hungry and had stomachache. S was sent to handle the matter. He did not really like it but thought it could not be too difficult. He stepped in the room and asked sternly, “What is the matter?”
The rest is history. Suffice it to say, S was caught by the Discipline Master and a few others for smuggling biscuits back to the waiting room.
S still remembered vividly what ST taught him last year. At the same examination, a girl said she was hungry and going to faint. S followed ST to see her.
“What is the matter?” the Discipline Master asked.
The girl looked at him, hesitated for a few seconds, and stammered, “N…Nothing.”
ST turned and brought S out of the room. He was content. What a piece of cake.
This year, another girl said she was hungry and had stomachache. S was sent to handle the matter. He did not really like it but thought it could not be too difficult. He stepped in the room and asked sternly, “What is the matter?”
The rest is history. Suffice it to say, S was caught by the Discipline Master and a few others for smuggling biscuits back to the waiting room.
10 Jun 2010
Core
JW further complained, “How would teachers be motivated to teach? The university does not reward good teaching at all.”
“Good teachers are actually punished,” I echoed. “Not directly, of course. However, when a teacher puts much emphasis on education, he will have less time for research.”
On the surface, universities must state they consider teaching important. In reality, teaching performance can hardly be measured and does not help the ranking of universities. Thus, the decision to promote an academic lies almost solely on measurable success in research output, such as the number of articles published, impact factor, citations, h-index and research grants. Some universities also attempt to assess an academic’s international reputation. How do they do that? Again, they can only use measurable parameters such as the number of times a teacher is invited to another country to give talks. As such, teachers who stay with their local students all the time are considered losers who lack international reputation.
These points are nothing new and have been elaborated by our friend Szeto many times before. Instead, the discussion brought my thoughts back to the topic of core value.
A few years ago, JW introduced the book Built to Last to me. Jim Collins and Jerry Porras described one of the consistent characteristics of successful companies was the preservation of core values. It appears that the content of core values is irrelevant. So far as a company sincerely upholds its core value, the staff can be motivated and the institution will have the drive to progress.
What interests me is the way they define core values: “Core values are the organization’s essential and enduring tenets, not to be compromised for financial gain or short-term expediency.” As Jesus said, even a tax collector loves his friends. But how many can uphold their core values when the very act results in severe punishment?
While I think I know what my core value is, I must say that I have never been really tested. I will just have to see.
“Good teachers are actually punished,” I echoed. “Not directly, of course. However, when a teacher puts much emphasis on education, he will have less time for research.”
On the surface, universities must state they consider teaching important. In reality, teaching performance can hardly be measured and does not help the ranking of universities. Thus, the decision to promote an academic lies almost solely on measurable success in research output, such as the number of articles published, impact factor, citations, h-index and research grants. Some universities also attempt to assess an academic’s international reputation. How do they do that? Again, they can only use measurable parameters such as the number of times a teacher is invited to another country to give talks. As such, teachers who stay with their local students all the time are considered losers who lack international reputation.
These points are nothing new and have been elaborated by our friend Szeto many times before. Instead, the discussion brought my thoughts back to the topic of core value.
A few years ago, JW introduced the book Built to Last to me. Jim Collins and Jerry Porras described one of the consistent characteristics of successful companies was the preservation of core values. It appears that the content of core values is irrelevant. So far as a company sincerely upholds its core value, the staff can be motivated and the institution will have the drive to progress.
What interests me is the way they define core values: “Core values are the organization’s essential and enduring tenets, not to be compromised for financial gain or short-term expediency.” As Jesus said, even a tax collector loves his friends. But how many can uphold their core values when the very act results in severe punishment?
While I think I know what my core value is, I must say that I have never been really tested. I will just have to see.
3 Jun 2010
Acute
“Do you realize that the first time most of our graduates manage an emergency admission is when they become medical officers?” JW asked me last week.
I felt that was a scary idea. But after thinking for a few seconds, I had to agree.
“And therefore I shall resume on-call teaching round next year,” JW concluded happily.
When we were medical students, attending on-call rounds was bread and butter. We had to see every case emergently admitted to the hospital that day. When the professor came, we presented the cases and discussed the acute management. We never talked about hypothetical treatments such as “we would prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics”. Instead, we were facing real patients. We said exactly the antibiotics we should choose because of the type of infection, the background medical history, and perhaps even drug allergy. This was a learning opportunity that could hardly be provided elsewhere. For example, if you just wait one more day and see the patient after he is stabilized, the situation is already totally different. And I certainly do not mind what you prescribe to manikins.
Like many good things, the on-call teaching round disappeared out of the blue. The change probably occurred during my junior training years and I could not recall what happened. JW also did not appear to know the details but just said physicians were becoming lazy.
No, it can’t be. Think about the superstars. They are anything but lazy.
I felt that was a scary idea. But after thinking for a few seconds, I had to agree.
“And therefore I shall resume on-call teaching round next year,” JW concluded happily.
When we were medical students, attending on-call rounds was bread and butter. We had to see every case emergently admitted to the hospital that day. When the professor came, we presented the cases and discussed the acute management. We never talked about hypothetical treatments such as “we would prescribe broad-spectrum antibiotics”. Instead, we were facing real patients. We said exactly the antibiotics we should choose because of the type of infection, the background medical history, and perhaps even drug allergy. This was a learning opportunity that could hardly be provided elsewhere. For example, if you just wait one more day and see the patient after he is stabilized, the situation is already totally different. And I certainly do not mind what you prescribe to manikins.
Like many good things, the on-call teaching round disappeared out of the blue. The change probably occurred during my junior training years and I could not recall what happened. JW also did not appear to know the details but just said physicians were becoming lazy.
No, it can’t be. Think about the superstars. They are anything but lazy.
27 May 2010
Great Expectations
By this time of the year, year 3 students have usually finished their exams and would assist in biomedical research as part of the training. This year, our original topic was to study the incidence of a disease and factors associated with its development. As we completed the project, it was evident that the number of patients developing the disease was smaller than expected. In effect, it would be difficult to identify the associated factors as planned.
After presenting the results, the boy in my group was obviously disappointed and felt they failed. I disagreed. First, this was a student project that lasted several weeks only. Inevitably, the data would be premature and could not be compared to international publications that represented years of hard work. Second, this is what research is about. Why do we still have to do a project if all the results must be as expected? In fact, I was glad that we had unexpected results. What better learning opportunity could one ask for?
In the end, we decided to report the unexpected results and work on a softer endpoint that the sample size could support. Honesty and problem-solving skills are the fundamental requirements in research. If the students have learned this, this module is successful.
After presenting the results, the boy in my group was obviously disappointed and felt they failed. I disagreed. First, this was a student project that lasted several weeks only. Inevitably, the data would be premature and could not be compared to international publications that represented years of hard work. Second, this is what research is about. Why do we still have to do a project if all the results must be as expected? In fact, I was glad that we had unexpected results. What better learning opportunity could one ask for?
In the end, we decided to report the unexpected results and work on a softer endpoint that the sample size could support. Honesty and problem-solving skills are the fundamental requirements in research. If the students have learned this, this module is successful.
20 May 2010
Test
S was invited to be an examiner of a vocational education school. He was honored.
The examination was simple. The students were instructed to examine a wheel of a car. They were expected to perform Test A, Test B and Test C.
The examination was fool-proof. The headmaster excitedly explained that the students had already undergone a rehearsal of the examination the week before. Besides, to ensure they would not say something silly, the students were informed that the wheel at the examination must be normal. They only needed to report Test A, Test B and Test C were negative. As a note of caution, the headmaster also advised the examiners to remind the students should they miss any tests.
S glanced at the marking sheet and was taken aback. There was one mark allocated to each of the following five steps: Entering the room, Test A, Test B, Test C, and leaving the room.
“Are we not supposed to mark the skills of performing Test A, Test B and Test C?” asked S.
“No,” the headmaster answered, “please just give full marks if a student has performed all three tests. But remember, some students may be nervous and forget one of the tests. In that case, give them a gentle reminder.”
“How then can we assess their skills? It is impossible not to get full marks.”
“This is not the purpose of this examination,” the headmaster replied. S felt he suddenly understood the purpose and decided not to ask anymore.
The examination was extremely smooth and efficient. Students confidently reported that Test A, Test B and Test C were negative, some even before finishing the tests. S was bored and tried to entertain himself by asking the students what could be wrong if only Test C was positive. Though none of them could answer, S understood they were not trained to read positive results and did not want to violate the marking instructions. He gave all of them five marks anyway.
Soon, the last student came in. S gave him one mark for entering the room and instructed him to start. To his surprise, he performed Test A and Test C swiftly and stopped.
“Have you completed the examination?” S dutifully reminded him.
“Yes,” the boy answered, “Test A and Test C were negative.”
“Would you like to perform Test B?” S asked explicitly. It really did not matter. He had given full marks to all students that day anyway.
“No, for this type of wheel, Test A and Test B always give the same results.”
S was sad. Although he could name a special situation in which Test A and Test B would have different results, the boy knew what he was doing but might end up at the bottom of the class.
In the end, S was determined. “You are right. Please just perform Test B for the sake of checking your skills.”
The examination was simple. The students were instructed to examine a wheel of a car. They were expected to perform Test A, Test B and Test C.
The examination was fool-proof. The headmaster excitedly explained that the students had already undergone a rehearsal of the examination the week before. Besides, to ensure they would not say something silly, the students were informed that the wheel at the examination must be normal. They only needed to report Test A, Test B and Test C were negative. As a note of caution, the headmaster also advised the examiners to remind the students should they miss any tests.
S glanced at the marking sheet and was taken aback. There was one mark allocated to each of the following five steps: Entering the room, Test A, Test B, Test C, and leaving the room.
“Are we not supposed to mark the skills of performing Test A, Test B and Test C?” asked S.
“No,” the headmaster answered, “please just give full marks if a student has performed all three tests. But remember, some students may be nervous and forget one of the tests. In that case, give them a gentle reminder.”
“How then can we assess their skills? It is impossible not to get full marks.”
“This is not the purpose of this examination,” the headmaster replied. S felt he suddenly understood the purpose and decided not to ask anymore.
The examination was extremely smooth and efficient. Students confidently reported that Test A, Test B and Test C were negative, some even before finishing the tests. S was bored and tried to entertain himself by asking the students what could be wrong if only Test C was positive. Though none of them could answer, S understood they were not trained to read positive results and did not want to violate the marking instructions. He gave all of them five marks anyway.
Soon, the last student came in. S gave him one mark for entering the room and instructed him to start. To his surprise, he performed Test A and Test C swiftly and stopped.
“Have you completed the examination?” S dutifully reminded him.
“Yes,” the boy answered, “Test A and Test C were negative.”
“Would you like to perform Test B?” S asked explicitly. It really did not matter. He had given full marks to all students that day anyway.
“No, for this type of wheel, Test A and Test B always give the same results.”
S was sad. Although he could name a special situation in which Test A and Test B would have different results, the boy knew what he was doing but might end up at the bottom of the class.
In the end, S was determined. “You are right. Please just perform Test B for the sake of checking your skills.”
13 May 2010
Joy
Last month, Angela and I were trapped in Vienna because of the Icelandic volcano eruption the subsequent airport closure. One Tuesday, most museums were closed. In the end, we visited the Secession.
As soon as we entered the Secession Building, we realized that it was under renovation. The only work on display was the Beethoven Frieze by Gustav Klimt. The painting was created in 1902 for the celebration of Beethoven at the 14th Vienna Secessionist Exhibition. Though we have heard the Symphony No. 9 for countless times, reflecting on the work through a painting was a new and interesting experience.
Without doubt, the most famous part of the Symphony is the adoption of Friedrich Schiller’s An die Freude (Ode to Joy) in the fourth movement. But let’s first follow the painting on the three walls of the building. On the first wall were Floating Genii which were female figures representing the longing for happiness. Next came a kneeling couple, Suffering Humanity, who urged a Knight to fight for happiness.
On the second wall were the Hostile Forces against happiness, including Sickness, Madness, Death, Lasciviousness, Wantonness, Intemperance and Nagging Care.
On the final wall the pursuit for happiness found fulfillment in Arts and Poetry. The Frieze ended with an angel chorus and a kissing couple. This was in agreement with the Finale of the Symphony.
“Be embraced, you millions!
This kiss for the whole world!
Brothers, beyond the star-canopy
Must a loving Father dwell.
Be embraced,
This kiss for the whole world!
Joy, beautiful spark of divinity,
Daughter of Elysium,
Joy, beautiful spark of divinity.”
The Symphony and the Frieze are certainly powerful. On the other hand, fighting for happiness is the hard way. I am glad I can just choose to be joyful.
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