Schools without exams
By Porcospino
@Porcospino (31365)
Denmark
March 17, 2012 4:04am CST
In my country there are many courses that you can take during the summer holidays. You live at the school for one or two weeks and you study the topic that you have chosen. It could be almost anything: Art and crafts, computers, sports, psychology, languages, history, healthy lifestyles etc. There are no exams and no grades and you never get a diploma when you finish the course. People who take those courses do it because they want to learn something about a topic that they are interested in, and because they would like to meet some new people and find new friends who are interested in the same topics.
My ex-boyfriend and I never agreed about those courses. He thought that it was a complete waste of time and money to learn something if there was no exam and no diploma, because he wouldn't be able to use the courses in his education or in his job. I don't agree with that that. I have taken that kind of courses several times, and I have enjoyed them every time. I have learned interesting things and met new people from around the country. I would do it again if I could afford it. I don't think that it is waste a time to learn things that are not directly connected to my education or my job.
What do you think? Would you take a course without an exam? Would you take a course that wasn't related to your education or your job "just" to learn something about a topic that you are interested in? Why/why not?
4 people like this
19 responses
@MissPiggy (1748)
• Indonesia
17 Mar 12
I WOULD!!!!! :D There is no "useless" in learning new things! And when we can afford it, knowledge is never a waste of time or money. And one thing that I really love from the kind of courses you have mentioned is that there is NO EXAMS!!! Lol. Come on, learning things without exams? Who wouldn't want it?? I don't care of not getting any diploma, even not many people with diploma know a lot of things! :P As long as I can get new knowledge and meeting new people from around the country. It's priceless!!
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
I can hear that we really agree about this topic. I don't find those courses useless at all, and I think it is always good to learn new things. I think that is a different experience to study without grades or exams. I don't have to worry about failing an exam and getting a bad grade, and the atmosphere at the school is different from the atmosphere at other schools, because the students are motivated by their interest in the subject. They don't study just because they have to pass an exam, but just because they want to.
We live at the school that is another great thing about those courses, because it enables us to take a course in another part of the country without thinking about transportation (commuting) or accomodation. It always interesting to meet the other students and I have found friends from many different parts of the country that way 
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
Yes, it is more fun to meet in person. I love the internet and I spend a lot time online, but face-to-face meetings are different. I wish I could afford one of those courses this summer, but I don't think that I have a enough money. Hopefully I will be able to participate next summer instead. The courses are more expensive than other courses, because food and accomodation are included in the price, but I like the idea of living at the school because it gives me the chance to get to know the other students better. We meet in the evenings after class and talk, play games etc.
@MissPiggy (1748)
• Indonesia
18 Mar 12
And you're successfully making me jealous. Lol. I mean, yes I have friends from other countries now, but I only sit in front of the laptop and type. It's so less fun than meeting those friends in person, right? :(
Yes, we really agree about this one. ;) And I think the real exam is when we apply this new knowledge into our lives. That is even more challenging than only facing a paper exam. No numbers can grade our knowledge. Experience is the best teacher, right? So when we learn something because we want to it will be more useful then if we learn because we have to pass the exam.
1 person likes this
@bhanusb (5709)
• India
19 Mar 12
Hi procospino,
I'm interested to take any course after getting a job. First we have to ensure our job. It is necessary for our livelihood. After job is ensured we may take extra knowledge. Yes it is interesting and enjoyable to get new friends. The extra courses give us the opportunity to get new friends. Moreover there is no limit of knowledge. We should utilize our idle time to acquire more knowledge.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
That is a good point. A job is the first priority, we all need money for rent, food and all those things, so we should take care of that first of all. Many of the people in my country who take those courses without exams do it in the their holidays when they don't have to work. It is different from going on vacation in another country, but I think that it is nice way to spend part of the summer. We can get new knowledge and we can find new friends at the same time. I don't think that I can afford to take one of those courses this year, but I am interested in participating next year instead.
@celticeagle (189874)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Mar 12
I am glad that couples don't have to agree on everything. I think that keep your mind working during your down time is a good thing. And you get to learn something as well. If you enjoy why not? And if he doesn't then he can do something else. Live and let live I say.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189874)
• Boise, Idaho
21 Mar 12
It is good that they have them available.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
It is nice to do things together, but sometimes we have different wishes and then it is better to do different things. My ex-boyfriend and I never took one of those courses together. I asked him a couple of times, but he was never interested in taking a course without a exam, so I went alone. I think that it is always interesting to learn something new and I enjoyed all of those courses.
1 person likes this
@myfb2009 (8296)
• Malaysia
22 Mar 12
Hi Porco, i ever been through that type of short course where we just gone there for gaining knowledge of our favorite subject. Indeed, i don't have to gone through any exam, to gain the knowledge. So far, i only gone through 2 short courses, which are one for sewing and another one for cooking knowledge. Although i don't receive any certificate for attending those two courses but i felt satisfied. Even i don't feel they are wasting my time at all. It is because i had gained a lot of knowledge for my favorite two pastime subjects. In fact, i don't mind to join those two courses, although they are not related to my job.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
23 Mar 12
I think it is great that you have taken courses where you have gained new knowledge about your favourite pastime subjects and that you feel satisfied after taking those courses. I once thought thought about taking a beginner's course in sewing, because I am not good at sewing, I usually stick to knitting. When I have the money to pay for it I like to participate in courses that aren't related to my job. I think it is interesting to learn more about the subjects that I am interested in. I have taken courses about psychology and another course about art and culture. I don't think that I will be able to take any courses this year, but maybe next year.
@r3jcorp (1382)
• Philippines
23 Mar 12
Those kind of short courses are not intended for employment purposes but for personal reason or for opening of new business. I would love to be in that classes if I have extra money and extra time too. I may enroll in arts and crafts or cooking class would be a better idea. I could learn something that my family would enjoy and soon be my next business venture.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
26 Mar 12
An art and crafts course sounds interesting. I have thought about taking that kind of course, too. I already paint, make cards, decorate boxes and many other things, but I still think that it could be interesting to learn more about those things, and maybe I could learn something that I can use use in my own gallery. I think that my family would benefit from a cooking class as well, but I don't have the money to pay for any courses this year, so it will have to wait. I think that it would be great to learn something that I can use and maybe turn into a business one day 
@sanofer (525)
• India
19 Mar 12
if there is no exams how we will find where we are? so schools should have exams. but it should not torture kids by giving exams continuously. mark system must be replaced with grade systems and kids should feel that happiness of learning. we should encourage kids to handle exams without mental trauma. so exams are the way to identify us where we are.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
I think that exams are neccesary in some situations, so no exams at all would not be a realistic option, but I think it is great that both options exist in my country. We have school with exams and we have school without exams. The schools without exams don't replace the schools with exams, they complement eachother. I agree with you when you say that it exams are a way to evaluate how much we have learned or identify where we are in relation to the goal and the classes with exams are a neccessary part of my education, but the classes without exams are also useful. Even if the knowledge that I get from those classes isn't directly related to my education it might become useful in the future.
@dandan07 (1906)
• China
18 Mar 12
I think exam or diploma are just to prove that you have done something but not enough to show you have the ability to do something well.
I have learned many things online, most of them do not have exam and diploma, but i really learn those knowledge which help me a lot in my daily life and work. While those I learned in my college have already gone back to my teachers, though i have diploma of them.
Diplomas can help you when you go out to find a job, but they can not help you when you do something in your life.
Furthermore, you can get more things than diploma in the classroom.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
That is true, diplomas help us when we look for a job, but the things that we learn without an exam or a diploma can also be useful for us in our daily lives. I don't regret taking any of those courses without diplomas. I don't have a piece of the paper saying what I have learned, but the most important thing is the fact that I have learned something that I can use. I wish that I could take another course without exams in the summer holiday. I have found several courses that I am interested in, but I don't think that I can afford it this year. Fortuneately they are going to offer some of the same courses next year, so I will be able to do it next year instead.
@Simon1223 (903)
• China
18 Mar 12
Yeah, I also take those courses which don't contain exams and diplomas, just due to interest. Nowadays the competitions in the society become fierce, which makes people become utilitarian. Before they start to do something, they always calculate the advantages and disadvantages of it very carefully. But the advantages they calculate is often limited to those short-term and obvious ones. Actually those courses without exams and diplomas could improve the ability of people in the long run, which is unable to foresee at present.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
That is a very good point. I also think that the courses without exams can be useful in the long run, and sometimes we are able to use the things that we have learned in ways that we didn't expect today. I have taken several of those courses without exams, and many of them weren't dirctly related to my job or my education, but I still don't think that those courses are a waste of time. They could become useful in the future. I think that we limit ourselves if we only take courses with immediate advantages, and I think that it is never a waste of time to learn something new.
@fannitia (2167)
• Bulgaria
18 Mar 12
This is just great! There is no such thing in my country and I'm not sure whether people here would be enthusiastic about it. My observations are that most young people who make studies want to have diplomas, make careers. People in your country apparently are eager to learn new things without thinking about the benefits. This is wonderful, I would try it - of course if I had enough time and money.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
19 Mar 12
Some people in my country are like that, too. They want a diploma when they take a course and they only take courses that are related to their career. On the other hand the courses without exams are also popular. Some people from my country take those courses after they finish high school and before they go to university. They enjoy going to a school without exams for a while, because they can focus on learning the things that they are interested in instead of learning things because they have to pass an exam. I have taken many of those courses (in my summer holidays etc) and if they were less expensive I would do it more often. I found some courses that I am interested in this year, but I don't think that I have the money to pay for those courses. Maybe next year
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
19 Mar 12
That is great. Sometimes the courses that we participate in turn out to be useful in ways that we didn't expect. I have taken several courses without exams, they are not directly related to my education or my current job, but that doesn't mean that they won't become useful in the future and I don't consider them a waste of time. I think that it is always good to learn something new, and I would also list the courses without exams on my resume if the topic of the course is relevant.
@thatgirl13 (7294)
• South Korea
19 Mar 12
I really hate exams! We have exams so frequently in our school that I asked the teacher why it was so and her answer really got me thinking. She was like if we don't take exams, maybe 50% of the people won't bother studying on their own so if we have exams, students are compelled to study :D I think it's right. I mean I study hard just to pass my exams lol, guilty!! ahaha!
Anywya yes I would take an extra class or course that wasn't realted to my job or studies. I have been taking dance classes for two months now and i absolutely love it! I have also kinda wanted to take piano classes but I don't know.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
I think that it was true about me and my classmates, too. I don't study at the moment, but when I was still a student, I had to take many exams and I had to study subjects that I didn't find interesting. I studied even when I didn't find the subjects interesting, because I wanted to pass the exams. If our teacher had told us there was no exam I think that many of us wouldn't have studied
I also like to take classes that aren't relatived to my job or my education. Sometimes it is interesting to learn something totally different. Your dance classes sound great. My friends and I also used to take dance classes, it was a long time ago, but I enjoyed those classes a lot. @thelmadacullo112659 (642)
• Philippines
17 Mar 12
There should be an exams................Exams should be a must.......
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
I disagree with that, and I think that we can benefit from courses without an exam. I am interested in knowing more about your opinion about this topic. Why do you think that exams are always neccesary?
I don't think that a world completely without exams is a realistic option, but I think that it is good thing that both kinds of courses exist in my country. We have courses with exams, and I believe that exams are neccesary parts of an education, but we also have courses without exams. Those courses are not directly related to educations, and people who take those courses do it just because they are interested in the subjects. They don't have to take those courses, but they do it out of interest and because they want to learn something new.
@Runite (307)
• United States
17 Mar 12
So is this basically getting information like studying? You don't benefit from it asides for acquiring information for future problems? I would like to take courses without exams but I also want to benefit from them in some way and not let it go to a complete waste. Now if it was free then I would.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
Yes, new knowledge about a topic is the "only" thing that you get from that kind of courses. You don't get grades and you don't get a diploma when you finish the course. Aside from that it is a like a normal class with lectures, class discussions etc. I always take lots of notes when I take one of those courses. I don't need those notes in order to pass an exam, but as I have paid for the course, I want to benefit from the things that I learn and I want to remember the things that I learn
@humaninsane (47)
• China
18 Mar 12
tat's really cool, to learn something tat's of your interest. in my country i never get this chance couz here just everything is for the future and job all tat blabla things .. i never like our education system make just book worms. u r really lucky.. u shuld enjoy these courses and learn a lot new.. couz when u really have interest in something u really can learn a lot out of it.. and i think ur bf must be very serious abt his future .its fine just he is little right too.. but u shuld go 4 these extra learnings.. best of luck
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
21 Mar 12
I think it is very nice to be able to learn things just because we are interested in them and not because we have to pass an exam. I am able to study in a different way when I don't have to worry about grades or exams, and I enjoy the lessons more that way. In my country we also have many courses that are related to jobs and education and we have to pass those courses to get a diploma, but I think it is nice that some courses aren't like that, and that both options exist. Yes, I think that my ex-boyfriend is very serious about his future, and he only wants to spend his time on things that are useful in relation to his job and his education.
@mensab (4200)
• Philippines
17 Mar 12
i agree with you that diplomas and certificates are not necessary to feel fulfilled. i like your disposition about lessons and trainings. the important thing is that we learn new things which we can use for our daily lives or other occasions. now, i am taking up language courses. well, i can use that but i dont need it for my job.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
Which language do you study? I think that languages are always useful. Even when you don't need that language in your job it might become useful in other ways. I love to learn new things. I don't know if I will be able to take any summer courses this year, because I also want to save up money for travelling, but I have already found several courses that I am interested in for instanse a course about history and culture. It includes many field trips and it sounds interesting, but I don't yet if I have the money to pay for that course, so I am not going to sign up yet.
@wolveren (1586)
• Cebu, Philippines
17 Mar 12
I think those course are totally great. It's a side step from life to learn new things even perhaps out of your comfort zone. Stuff like music and art for instance. I would like to take music courses on summer if I could afford them. The whole world holds a lot of information and I think I couldn't even learn them in my lifetime. I'm also thinking of taking Aikido classes. Gee so much to learn and very little money to go around. 
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
I also think that those courses are great. Every year when the new courses are published on internet I read the information about them, and there are always lots of courses that sound very interesting If I had more money I would take several courses every year. I love to learn new things and try things that I haven't tried before, but it is also nice to learn more about the subjects that I am already interested in like art and music. At the moment I am trying to decide if I want to take a course this summer. I have found several courses that I am interested in, but I also want to save up money for travelling, and I might not be able to do both.
If I had more money I would take several courses every year. I love to learn new things and try things that I haven't tried before, but it is also nice to learn more about the subjects that I am already interested in like art and music. At the moment I am trying to decide if I want to take a course this summer. I have found several courses that I am interested in, but I also want to save up money for travelling, and I might not be able to do both.
@rollylolly (2843)
• India
17 Mar 12
If you are ardent in gathering experience and knowledge from such courses I think it is worthwhile . In our country too we have such courses where after completion we get 'participation certificates' . I have done courses on 'film study and media' and 'Gandhian studies'. I enjoyed gaining knowledge and participating in group discussion . Examination is an assessment to understand our level of understanding the subject matter . For juniors it is a must but for adult who are keen on gaining knowledge such assessment tests are not always necessary or desirable . I appreciate such course pattern and don't think it is a waste of knowledge .
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
It is interesting to hear that you also have that kind of courses in your country and that you enjoyed participating in them. I have taken 3 short courses: Two psychology courses and one course about art and history. I have also taken a couple of longer courses without exams. I enjoyed the courses very much and the lessons and the discussions were interesting. The things that I learned were not directly related to my job, but I still enjoyed learning new things and I don't consider those courses a waste of time. I agree with you, assesssment tests for adults aren't always neccesary, and we can also benefit from courses without those tests.
@lifes97 (884)
• United Arab Emirates
17 Mar 12
I will love school if there is no exams, not sure why schools still have this old thing in its systems, schools should be the first plcae that develop so students will lean and enchance their learning, i wish soon there will be no thing named test soon before i finish mine, because there are many things to know if the student understand the course or no, not just exam that you may take it at the wrong time.
1 person likes this
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
I think it is very nice to take those courses without exams, because the fact that we don't have to worry about grades or exams changes the way that we study. At those schools we study just because we are interested in the subjects and we can enjoy the lessons and the discussions in a different way. The teachers at those school like working there, because the atmosphere is different. The students don't come to class because they are afraid of failing the class, they come simple because they are interested in the subject. The students are often more motivated and enthusiatic than students who HAVE to take a certain class in order to pass.
@Porcospino (31365)
• Denmark
17 Mar 12
I also think that it is important to get more knowledge and information. Things that don't have anything to do with our current education or job might still be useful in the future. That is a very good point. That is one of reasons why I believe that it is never a waste to learn new things. Who knows if those things will become useful for us one day and it might happen in ways that I don't expect right now
