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Article: Are exams rubbish?

Are exams rubbish? Our tame teacher tentatively tries to tackle this topic...

You can read about it here.

Do you think exams are the best way to assess intelligence, readiness for moving up to further or higher education, and how good you’ll be at your job? Or do you think they’re outdated and inaccurate? If you do want to change them - what practical alternatives are there that retain fairness? Share your thoughts below…

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My massive issue with exams is that in the real world, there aren't going to be many events where you aren't able to look something up in a book, or on Google... if you can't remember an equation, you would google it... And this is true for so many things...

My other issue, is that some can be very learny, in that, you don't necessarily have to understand the content, just know it, and have an idea of what the exam is going to ask, so that you can apply it...

For example, in my 1st year Economics exam, there was a question which I didn't understand why I was doing what I was doing, but I knew the process of completing the question correctly. That's not going to help me in any way, but I'll still get the marks for it...

I think coursework is somewhat flawed, depending on the help teachers/lecturers are willing to give. My lecturer doesn't give that much help with coursework, whereas I've heard of some who will tell you if you're doing the wrong thing...

I think there's got to be a balance between the two, as they both do things the other doesn't, and so I wouldn't necessarily get rid of them both.

I'm not really sure what practical other ways there are to assess, but what I have found, through chatting informally with a lecturer, is that they can get a good sense of your knowledge through a general chat around the subject (not all subjects this would work for...). For example, with Economics, it's quite easy to have a conversation revolving around the theory of it, and being able to see whether they know about the different parts of it... I guess presentations as well to an extent... Obviously this doesn't work with all subjects, like, I wouldn't know how this could be done with maths subjects...
Strict time limits (especially when inconsistently applied across subjects) in exams make little sense to me. :beard:
Good question. My Grandad (nearly 90) who got fantastic job in engineering - left school at 13 (that I don't agree with!) and was great at his job. All this education, uni, colleges, whatever else; while I understand for some industries - what does it actually achieve in most? I now run a web design business, I would rather employ someone with real life experience from Asda rather than someone who might have the brains but has not been in the real world.
It's a huge memory game. I don't do that great in exams because there's too much information to remember, yes there is a learning element to it but when you have a bad memory like me it's difficult.
I hate exams sooo much end off
Reply 6
Avatar for Hugs31
Hugs31
16
I see it purely as a test of how well you can memorize things, and not a true test of your understanding of the subject. I had a statistics exam which I remembered a lot for but it wasn't because I knew how to do it I just remembered the right answers for similar questions (from past papers).
Exams are mostly a memory game for me.
You should get graded based on your learning in class through:
Doing homework
Listening to the teacher
Not overly talking
Not been distruptive

All this shows that you are working to the best of your ability.
(edited 7 years ago)
I actually remember alot but the problem is thats not what exams are about anymore actually testing the subject knowledge. Its just doing everything you can to please the exam boards.
I hate the fact that exams have got harder and harder to pass, so when you practice so hard & you reach a level where you know everything and can tackle all familiar questions (familiar wording or layout) but when it comes to sitting the exam which is now like nothing you have seen before - getting the grade you deserve is very unlikely as you are too busy calming yourself down and trying not to panic than answering the question quickly enough to finish the paper but slow enough to not make stupid mistakes.

Another thing, I just had an economics exam where it's extract/topic was football - I know NOTHING about football, I even forgot the word 'match' during the panic and called it a 'show' at one stage, why did a considerable chunk of the paper contain something that will be of great understanding for some and of confusion for others - something which has nothing to do about economics! basically I would have got a better mark in my exam if I watched the Euros 2016 than revise a full year of economics day and night (yes, I am not happy about these past exams)
Exam boards need a major rehaul IMO.
Reply 12
Avatar for Scitty
Scitty
16
My favourite quote that can be applied to exams is that if you tested all the animals by having them climb a tree, the fish would think itself stupid.

It's so easy for exams to go wrong. Over this exam period alone I've had a huge falling out with my family, my teacher died, and I've had 2 family members and a friend go into ICU. I've been very shaken up by exams – and all that would only be worth 5% if I supplied death certificates etc?

I worked damn hard this year. Few papers were anything like that previous years and some of them were barely related to the syllabus at all, and you'd have an advantage if you took another subject instead alongside it. It's disheartening to have spent MONTHS working my butt off towards the exams, which the rest of my life depend on, only for 90% of what I did to be worth nothing on the day.

If I could get to where I wanted with a BTEC, I'd have done that for sure. Hah. :|
Original post by Scitty
My favourite quote that can be applied to exams is that if you tested all the animals by having them climb a tree, the fish would think itself stupid.

It's so easy for exams to go wrong. Over this exam period alone I've had a huge falling out with my family, my teacher died, and I've had 2 family members and a friend go into ICU. I've been very shaken up by exams – and all that would only be worth 5% if I supplied death certificates etc?

I worked damn hard this year. Few papers were anything like that previous years and some of them were barely related to the syllabus at all, and you'd have an advantage if you took another subject instead alongside it. It's disheartening to have spent MONTHS working my butt off towards the exams, which the rest of my life depend on, only for 90% of what I did to be worth nothing on the day.

If I could get to where I wanted with a BTEC, I'd have done that for sure. Hah. :|


This, basically. And the way the education system is going (almost no resits allowed), I don't envy those currently going through it.
The problem with them is that you have to learn all the content. There are no questions which are general knowledge, which could show the importance of you knowing them. Also, there are some useless contents that you have to learn which you don't need to know about and you can't apply in the real world.
Original post by Scitty
My favourite quote that can be applied to exams is that if you tested all the animals by having them climb a tree, the fish would think itself stupid.

It's so easy for exams to go wrong. Over this exam period alone I've had a huge falling out with my family, my teacher died, and I've had 2 family members and a friend go into ICU. I've been very shaken up by exams – and all that would only be worth 5% if I supplied death certificates etc?

I worked damn hard this year. Few papers were anything like that previous years and some of them were barely related to the syllabus at all, and you'd have an advantage if you took another subject instead alongside it. It's disheartening to have spent MONTHS working my butt off towards the exams, which the rest of my life depend on, only for 90% of what I did to be worth nothing on the day.

If I could get to where I wanted with a BTEC, I'd have done that for sure. Hah. :|


Sorry man, but thats whats going to happen with exams, there trying to make it harder, to make you think more not just rember facts
The only reason you guys say it is a memory test is because you, in turn make it a memory test, instead of learning the exam technique and applying your skills and knowledge in exams,you just decide to remember the answer, or the process of how to do it( obviously this doesn't include basic knowledge questions)
I agree with this quite a bit but what about maths? Even if you cram the formulas, 90% of them will be on the formula book which just leaves this it down to mathematical confidence? IMO that's what makes it seem much more difficult than it is.
It depends on the person being assessed. You have people who find it easy to memorise information or learn exam techniques and remember it for the exam and then you get people like me who revise but as soon as I get into that exam hall, my mind goes blank and I can't think of anything to write. Too much stress and having time limits sucks, I don't think I've ever finished an exam paper (that's essay-based). Exams are bad for people like me, or maybe people like me are bad for exams. Either way, I hate them. :frown:
Reply 19
Avatar for xylas
xylas
21
Original post by theBranicAc
The only reason you guys say it is a memory test is because you, in turn make it a memory test, instead of learning the exam technique and applying your skills and knowledge in exams,you just decide to remember the answer, or the process of how to do it( obviously this doesn't include basic knowledge questions)


Exactly! I hate it when people tell themselves they are not an 'exams-person'. Noone is! You just have to adapt, and memory might not work for everyone. I managed to get the best grades without relying on memory so I know it can be done.

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