1st week here...classes and such!

Here is my class schedule:

Monday:
Earth's Dynamic Systems (EDS) Lecture 11am-12pm
Foundation Studies in Health and P.E. (PUBH) Lecture 3pm-4pm

Tuesday:
Special Education (EDUC) Lecture 9am-11am
EDS Lecture 11am-12pm

Wednesday:
EDS Lecture 11am-12pm
EDS Film Screening 1pm-2pm
PUBH Tutorial 3pm-5pm
Aboriginal Studies (ABOR) Lecture 6pm-7pm

Thursday:
EDUC Tutorial 8am-9am
ABOR Tutorial 11am-1pm
EDS Lab 2pm-5pm

Friday:
NO CLASS!

So far, I really like all of my classes. I like my PUBH class the most, as I am learning about how to get children more involved in athletics in primary schools. Also, during our tutorials I get to play in the gym and learn all these new games! =) We also have a dance and gymnastics unit! I also really enjoy my special education course. As I want to get my Masters in Special Education after I graduate, I am getting a head start and learning a bunch of really helpful and interesting ideas and concepts. Also, my Aboriginal studies class is really interesting. I am learning about how the Aboriginals first learned to live in Australia, about how their education system works, and about their unique religion and beliefs. In my EDS class, I am learning about the solar system and how the Earth works. =) I learned that everyone is a star...aka we are all made of stardust!
As you can see on my schedule, I have lectures and tutorials (or a lab for my EDS class) for each class. During my lectures, which consist of anywhere between 75 and 200 people, we learn the basics. The instructor puts up a powerpoint and goes over all of the information that we need to know for the week. During the tutorials, the classes are more like the classes I take at IWU. They have about 20-30 people in each one, and we have class discussions that go over the information that we learn in our lectures more in depth. A huge difference from the US, is that we don't have any homework here. We have to read a lot, but the teachers do not check to see if we have read. We are more independent learners, and only have a few big assignments and an exam at the end of the semester. This is good for studying abroad, as it gives me more time during the week to explore campus and also more time on the weekends to travel. However, I don't think I would like it for regular school, because if you do bad on one of the assignments you will not get a good grade in the class (there is less leeway to mess up).

I'm off to Sydney this weekend, so look forward to my adventures there next week! =) I am going with 10 other people, and its Mardi Gras weekend/ the Gay/Lesbian Parade, so it should be an interesting and fun time!