IS EXAMS THE BEST FORM OF ASSESSMENT? WHY?

By Swaraaj Bhattacharya

I just got my report card at the end of the year and I have not done well in my Semester Exams. I need my Dad’s signature on it. I take it to my Dad. He looks at the grades through his glasses. I can see the eyes getting bigger and the temper rising. I wished I could just become invisible at the moment. And there came out the anger “Why did you do so badly in Math? I am shocked. I thought it was your most favorite subject.” I felt like a duffer. I wanted to explain but my lips were sealed. I just took in all the mental bashing. It did no good to my confidence. I wondered when all this tormenting will end. Well, there is no way out until I complete my education.

So is appearing for exams the best way to judge me if I am good or not good?? No, I don’t think it is the best way to judge my intelligence because;

No. 1 I have limited time to answer my questions and I can sense my blood pressure rising and with sweat on my forehead it is not the most relaxed environment for my brain to function normally. What I could answer in I hour, I couldn’t do in 45 minutes.

Secondly, do you think it’s necessary for one to memorize every word of the book and spill it out in the exam? In today’s world with internet at our disposal one can have enough information about every field within a few minutes? So I believe that rather than stressing out preparing for an exam one should utilize that time on better understanding of the subject and working towards creativity.

In conclusion I would say that judging a student’s abilities by conducting exams is NOT always the best method of assessment. Apart from exams students should be judged on a daily basis looking at his/her creativity, effort, and understanding of subject.

Thank you

Are Tests a good form of Assessment

By Aneesh Roy

Today I am going to talk about the positive aspects of tests.  Let’s see “What is a Test?” Tests assess our knowledge and skills in various subject areas.  We all impatiently wait for our test grades. 

Standard pencil and paper tests have many advantages.  They are a reliable way of testing a large number of students in their abilities to understand and retain concepts.   Tests are increasingly becoming computerized, which is making them an even more efficient method of assessment.   Testing students in the traditional way reduces costs, and provides quick and accurate scores.  Can you imagine a better way of testing the millions of students in Texas without standardized way like the TAKS!  Although my brother frets and fumes about it, TAKS is the most effective way of testing students at a grade level.

Tests that are standardized present a pass/fail result. These results are fair and unbiased.  They grade all students, rich or poor, good or bad equally.  Tests that pass judgment on a student’s knowledge and subject area content are free of the graders opinion and only check the accuracy of answers.  This makes results reliable and a true assessment of every student’s ability.

Do you know what tests make you do?  A test is a task of 20 or more questions that you have to finish in a certain amount of time.  This is similar to holding a job when you are an adult.  In that case your boss assigns you a task to be completed within a deadline.  Student who are prepared in school to write tests, are actually getting ready to be successful at a real job.  Opponents of tests should remember that a workplace is a series of tests starting with the job interview.

I will conclude by saying that tests are an important part of life and not many things can be substituted to perform their function.  If you are good then tests shouldn’t bother you, because you will ace them all.

Tests are not the best form of Assessment

By Adreesh Roy

      One of the many faults in standardized testing is pressure.  Pressure is the anxiety you feel before an important event in your life.  This is what affects a first time test-takers and others who haven’t mastered the skill to control the nervousness that comes with them.  Test anxiety leads to competitiveness.  This creates an environment in which getting a good score becomes so important that young students resort to cheating and other immoral activities. Students that succumb to the pressure and anxiety of tests face repetitive failure. This gives the student a negative outlook and an apathy towards education in general, saying, “why bother?”  This caused an alarming drop out rate when pressure takes the form of psychological illness, students suffer from depression, which has led to suicides, obesity and other general health problems.  Testing children as early as 5 or 6 and thus exposing them to the ills of test anxiety should force us to question the value that assessments bring.

    

     To pass most tests, all the material must be memorized and reproduced.  But tell me this; do you see a person working on a pen and paper test in his or her office? I didn’t think so.  In the real world, tests do not exist.  Projects are basically the assessments in the work world. It shows both creativity and knowledge all in one end product.  I strongly feel that standardized tests should be replaced with projects that require creativity and collaboration on the part of individuals.

     The iPod is a perfect example of the creativity of the human mind and the synergy that results when humans work together.  The project was conceived in India.  2 people made software for storing music digitally in a format never known before.  We consider this the “initial product team.” The multi- national company Apple discovers this is while scouting for promising new products into which it would like to expand.  “The Managing Team” in America consisting of product developers, marketers and savvy business people now design and make the actual iPod as we know it. When the need to mass-produce this piece of innovation arrived the “production team” in China took over.  The invention and popularity of the iPod is a true example of the challenges in today’s workplace.  

    Our tests should prepare us to work in such a multi-cultural workplace where the creativity of individuals and their unique skills are put to test.  In such a world, repetitive and cookie-cutter assessments hold no significance.