Do you always shiver with fear or feel like fainting before sitting for an exam as I usually do? Or do you learn your lessons by heart and then walk in the street repeating everything parrot fashion? Well, just chill out for a second, people! A viable solution could be to get rid of examinations and evaluate students through continuous assessment and with project work. But is this a good or a bad idea?
It is wise to say that exams can sometimes be unfair, as their results do not always show clearly what students have studied or actually know. This might be because many people get very nervous when they find themselves in such a stressful situation and are therefore not able to perform successfully.
If we analyse the situation from another perspective, tests are beneficial to some students who are a bit lazy and, when they see an exam coming, are forced to study so as to be able to at least pass the exam.
On balance, it seems to me that continuous assessment is a better option. Teachers should evaluate their students progressively instead of just summing up marks from different tests to obtain an average that does not reflect what the student has learnt. Besides, project work also gives students the choice to work with their classmates, thus making the process of education a valuable and memorable experience.
It is wise to say that exams can sometimes be unfair, as their results do not always show clearly what students have studied or actually know. This might be because many people get very nervous when they find themselves in such a stressful situation and are therefore not able to perform successfully.
If we analyse the situation from another perspective, tests are beneficial to some students who are a bit lazy and, when they see an exam coming, are forced to study so as to be able to at least pass the exam.
On balance, it seems to me that continuous assessment is a better option. Teachers should evaluate their students progressively instead of just summing up marks from different tests to obtain an average that does not reflect what the student has learnt. Besides, project work also gives students the choice to work with their classmates, thus making the process of education a valuable and memorable experience.
What is your opinion? You may disagree with me, but I think that introducing new ways of assessing our students is something we as teachers to be should start considering.
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