Jana: So we have homework, tests, what about attendance? Should we require students to attend classes or? Sometimes people argue at university level it shouldn't be compulsory.

Peter: I think you should attend some classes at least. You're going to university, you're paying for your education so you should attend some classes but it doesn't mean if you're not attending a class that you can still get the information and study by yourself too. That's why I like internet so much because I think people can get so much information from academic institutions via the internet, they don't have to attend a physical class.

Jana: That's right and on the other hand you might attend physically but you're not really paying attention.

Peter:Exactly. You might as well sleep in class sometimes. It doesn't prove that you're learning if you're there. It depends on the person again I think.

Jana: So maybe rather than strictly checking attendance, we should check what the students have learned?

Peter: Yes, and how do you do that?

Jana: That's right. Now we come back to that.

Peter: Testing? I don't know. I think there are other ways of finding out if students have learned things if they, you don't have to call things tests, you can set students tasks to find out if they can do the required task without calling it a test.

Jana: That's right and then it becomes maybe a bit more practical too.

Peter: Yeah, yeah, I think so. I think so.

Jana: Did you do a lot of projects when you were a student?

Peter: Not so many and I think when I studied like education has quite changed in the last twenty years or so and I think people are doing more projects than they used to do when I was a student for the first time but I really like projects because I think it's putting your knowledge to work and finding out how you can apply your knowledge to make it practical and usable so I really like projects. I wish I could give my students more projects.

Jana: Yeah, that's true. Maybe they'll be better than tests.

Peter: I think so too, yeah. It's a better way to find out if people know things if you give them a project that involves what they've studied.

Jana: And in the real life they won't be taking tests any more. They need to be able to apply the knowledge, right?

Peter: Exactly, yeah, exactly. Do you use projects a lot in your class?

Jana: Not as much. As you know, we have quite a strict schedule so that we need to follow but like you I also didn't have a lot of projects in my school when I was growing up but yeah, I think it's definitely something to think about.

Peter: Yeah. Kind of tricky to give a project in language, like making a language project. For example, I remember doing biology projects.

Jana: Right.

Peter: Then you go out and you find information and you do research so you can find stuff but for doing, how do you do that for a language? Do you have any ideas?

Jana: That's a very good question. Yeah, just to use the language, right? That's the main project isn't it?

Peter: Yeah, I guess. See if you can use the language in different ways like for example.

Jana: There is some homework for us to think about.

Peter: I think so too. Yeah, let's think about that.

重点词汇：

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

compulsory

Some people it shouldn't be compulsory.

If something is 'compulsory,' it means that you don't have an option and you must do it. Notice the following:

This class is compulsory for you, but I would recommend taking it anyway, because it is very interesting.

All employees must attend a compulsory meeting on Friday.

via

You can get so much information from academic institutions via the internet.

Here 'via' can be replaced with 'through'. It is used to explain how something is done. Notice the following:

I usually drive to Indiana via Chicago.

We usually talk via Skype instead of over the phone.

task

You can find out if they can do the required task without calling it a test.

A 'task' is a specific project or piece of work. Notice the following:

We do a lot of speaking tasks in class.

Each week we have a number of specific tasks that we have to complete by the end of the week.

apply your knowledge

You can apply your knowledge to make it practical.

When you 'apply your knowledge,' you use something that you learned in a class or books and apply it to the real world. Notice the following:

You go through about three days of training before you get to apply your knowledge.

After you graduate, it can be very exciting to finally apply your knowledge.

strict

We have quite a strict schedule.

A 'strict' schedule is not flexible. It is set and doesn't change from one day to the next. Notice the following:

In order to reach our goal, we will have to have a very strict schedule.

She is very strict as a boss at work, but very fun in her personal life.

tricky

It is kind of tricky to give a project in a language.

Something that is 'tricky' is difficult to do or handle. Notice the following:

It would be kind of tricky to give you directions if you don't know your way around here at all.

He is very tricky to shop for because he has everything.