Scrapping exams permanently is a nice idea, but we have a long way to go

Calum argues that to decide an assessment outcome solely on the performance during “two nightmare-inducing hours in the harshly lit, sweat-infused gym hall” of a final exam is unfair and unrealistic. He details how his good exam technique allowed him to overcome some of the rigour of his exams and generally achieve positive outcomes, more than he could now. He argues well that the factual recall element of some exams make their assessments unlike real-life situations. Very true. I shudder to think of how much less I would have achieved but for late cramming if I had sat my exams a few days before or after their date!

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We all have good and bad days so its no surprise when a teacher’s predicted order of merit for their class often does not exactly match the students’ performance on the day. There exists an appeal system to review coursework and other evidence to support students who perform below expectation on the day. This appeal system is partially successful, but in using an algorithm comparing an individual and in particular their schools performance to a predicted norm, it incurs very valid criticism. I guess these are Calum’s main arguments for not having final exams. Certainly many improvements are long overdue.

However, who could deny the student who exceeds expectation on the day but who might not achieve their grade without this opportunity? Also the next time I seek medical assistance, take a flight or even take a bus to town, I want to be assured that my doctor, pilot and bus driver are suitably qualified. Assured evaluation and accreditation are always going to be essential. Calum entertainingly discredits the final exam but offers little assurance that without it the standard of assessments can be assured.

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I agree with him that the final exam often does not assess what is important for vocations and should not be relied upon as a sole determinant of achievement. I would like them to be made redundant but much work is required before we can cancel them forever. Great changes and developments are required in the assessment processes before final exams can go. Informal diagnostic assessment, possibly a teachers’ greatest asset, needs development. In every interaction between teacher and student, every question, answer and action helps the teacher to assess the understanding of a student, which should in turn be used to help the student’s learning. This assessment is best done on a one-to-one basis, which is difficult during class sessions, and laborious homework or schoolwork correction and review.

Computer interaction might offer the solution. Computer games can interact with the player very quickly as the player moves around, drives, dodges and overcomes obstacles in the game. The game interacts with the player almost instantly. Similar technology needs to be developed to aid the teacher’s interaction with student. Thus online learning could greatly improve the student’s progress and the teacher’s evaluation of the student.

Similarly more summative and grade-related tasks could be examined at a suitable time, which would enhance the accuracy of the record of the student’s learning and abilities. Thus assuring the accuracy of the assessed standard of a student against a range of measures on an ongoing basis, making a final exam unnecessary.

Unfortunately we have a way to go before sweaty gym halls are used exclusively for gym.

Campbell Anderson
Edinburgh