vanslogy
Oct 8, 2017
Writing Feedback / Task 2: Exams - the best method of assessing educational achievement, does they? [2]
Many people believe that formal "pen and paper" examinations are not the best method of assessing educational achievement.
Discuss this view and give your own opinion.
Examinations have been the most popular method of evaluating people's knowledge for decades. The belief is that this procedure is the key to measure learning in the education system, while others claim that it should be reconsidered. In my opinion, I totally agree with the latter view.
Obviously, exams measure memory, not learning. First, the main aim of an exam is to assess how much information learners can put down onto the paper in the given time. Thus, students with good memories will perform better than those with bad memories. Second, different types of exam questions do not have any real-world application which is the end goal of learning. Although exam questions are now somehow more realistic, whether examiners are willing to accept any types of students' opinions or not is still uncertain. Instead, they are among reasons why students become more anxious, also, obsessed to be the best in their class. As a result, exams partly limit learners' creativity and ability to break the mold, let alone evaluate one's achievements.
However, it is undeniable that our system of public examinations indeed bring out benefits. In fact, hundreds of good, demanding examinations such as SAT and IELTS open doors to higher study and to fulfilling lives. Despite the above-mentioned advantage, deeper learning including debating, teamwork and research skills in long-term performances rather than exam results in isolation, should be the goal.
In conclusion, besides being broadly designed to assess one's ability properly, exams should also be in combination with other methods to be truly an important role in the education system.
Many people believe that formal "pen and paper" examinations are not the best method of assessing educational achievement.
Discuss this view and give your own opinion.
exams role in the education system
Examinations have been the most popular method of evaluating people's knowledge for decades. The belief is that this procedure is the key to measure learning in the education system, while others claim that it should be reconsidered. In my opinion, I totally agree with the latter view.
Obviously, exams measure memory, not learning. First, the main aim of an exam is to assess how much information learners can put down onto the paper in the given time. Thus, students with good memories will perform better than those with bad memories. Second, different types of exam questions do not have any real-world application which is the end goal of learning. Although exam questions are now somehow more realistic, whether examiners are willing to accept any types of students' opinions or not is still uncertain. Instead, they are among reasons why students become more anxious, also, obsessed to be the best in their class. As a result, exams partly limit learners' creativity and ability to break the mold, let alone evaluate one's achievements.
However, it is undeniable that our system of public examinations indeed bring out benefits. In fact, hundreds of good, demanding examinations such as SAT and IELTS open doors to higher study and to fulfilling lives. Despite the above-mentioned advantage, deeper learning including debating, teamwork and research skills in long-term performances rather than exam results in isolation, should be the goal.
In conclusion, besides being broadly designed to assess one's ability properly, exams should also be in combination with other methods to be truly an important role in the education system.
