The Two Sides to Not Having Exams
Nguyen Thu Nguyet
QH10E1
Writing articles (version 1)
03/04/2013
University- No MORE tests, no MORE exams!!!
“Exam eradication” is the most striking news from the university to its students. From now on, instead of taking examinations, students’ performance will be based on continuous assessment and project work. However, everything has its 2 sides and this decision is of no exception.
The news of “No exam” makes students tear their hairs out because examination seems to be a convention which has lasted since the first university established. There are two main reasons for this change. First, “no test” means little pressure for students: their efforts in the whole semester would not be bet on the blink of luckiness in the final test. Therefore, they can learn without the obsession about marking. Second, getting rid of exams would be an economical method to make up for expenses on teaching aids, scholarship or even tuition fee.
However, continuous assessment and project work is not really good in its nature. With such a heavy curriculum, continuous project is another word for continuous tests, which leads to the consequence of stresses for students. The same thing happens to the teachers. They would have to spend lots of time on designing assessment activities and also on marking portfolio, projects, etc. Moreover, portfolio has not proved its effectiveness as expected. The reason is that many students only do the term-long portfolio in the time of 2-3 weeks.
In conclusion, the two schemes all have their own advantages and disadvantages. The point is that which is more beneficial. I think the students should keep their hair on about the news and consider it an experiment to see whether it is better or worse because there will be much differences between theory and the fact.
Word count: 283
QH10E1
Writing articles (version 1)
03/04/2013
University- No MORE tests, no MORE exams!!!
“Exam eradication” is the most striking news from the university to its students. From now on, instead of taking examinations, students’ performance will be based on continuous assessment and project work. However, everything has its 2 sides and this decision is of no exception.
The news of “No exam” makes students tear their hairs out because examination seems to be a convention which has lasted since the first university established. There are two main reasons for this change. First, “no test” means little pressure for students: their efforts in the whole semester would not be bet on the blink of luckiness in the final test. Therefore, they can learn without the obsession about marking. Second, getting rid of exams would be an economical method to make up for expenses on teaching aids, scholarship or even tuition fee.
However, continuous assessment and project work is not really good in its nature. With such a heavy curriculum, continuous project is another word for continuous tests, which leads to the consequence of stresses for students. The same thing happens to the teachers. They would have to spend lots of time on designing assessment activities and also on marking portfolio, projects, etc. Moreover, portfolio has not proved its effectiveness as expected. The reason is that many students only do the term-long portfolio in the time of 2-3 weeks.
In conclusion, the two schemes all have their own advantages and disadvantages. The point is that which is more beneficial. I think the students should keep their hair on about the news and consider it an experiment to see whether it is better or worse because there will be much differences between theory and the fact.
Word count: 283