Should exams be reformed?

21

I don't think every subject particularly lends it's self to an exam.

Stem courses obviously do but I do feel there should be a practical element as well as theory.

Subjects like History or English "essay subjects" probably should be fully course work I have friend who did a history degree at Salford and it was 100% course work based.

Artistic courses really should be portfolio based I mean if your artistically gifted your portfolio should demonstrate that wouldn't it.

Performing arts is another one it's in the name so why not asses it by performance.

And the exams are so hyped up why not run them a little like in class tests you go into your class room instead of some massive hall your teacher is there your with your class mates just like you have 100's of times before it would be so much less stressful. I'm not saying do away with exams entirely but have less of them because for a lot of courses it just doesn't make sense.

Reply 1

DerDracologe

Study Forum Helper

20

Lots of people think this but it doesn’t look like a reform this size is on the cards feasibly

Reply 2

artful_lounger

Clearing and Applications Advisor, Universities Forum Helper

22

Original post

by jonathanemptage

I don't think every subject particularly lends it's self to an exam.

Stem courses obviously do but I do feel there should be a practical element as well as theory.

Subjects like History or English "essay subjects" probably should be fully course work I have friend who did a history degree at Salford and it was 100% course work based.

Artistic courses really should be portfolio based I mean if your artistically gifted your portfolio should demonstrate that wouldn't it.

Performing arts is another one it's in the name so why not asses it by performance.

And the exams are so hyped up why not run them a little like in class tests you go into your class room instead of some massive hall your teacher is there your with your class mates just like you have 100's of times before it would be so much less stressful. I'm not saying do away with exams entirely but have less of them because for a lot of courses it just doesn't make sense.

I definitely agree - for my IB Visual Arts final "exam", it was actually putting up a small exhibition of our work and then doing a talk about it with the examiner (along with submitting stuff from our sketchbooks to send off). This seemed to make much more sense than at GCSE (and I gather, A-level) where they just locked you in a room over 2 days to create a single piece in one extended sitting.

I definitely agree humanities and many social science areas lend themselves to assessment by submitted papers/essays, which also is more aligned with what academics in the field actually do anyway. Unfortunately even at degree level this is eroding - my department now no longer offers coursework only modules and all modules have some examinable element (either a written exam or an oral/viva) due to AI abuse concerns. Which is unfortunate...

The continually compounding focus on exams in the UK school syllabus I think has been to its detriment over the years since now students seem almost completely uninterested in actually learning and more in just knowing how to take an exam. Even when I was in school it felt like we had more coursework elements to provide some semblance of balance and there was less of a highly charged all or nothing feeling around exams except for the most neurotic and/or academically focused students.

It does also seem to be a peculiarity of the UK school and university system too, certainly relative to other countries...?

Reply 3

Talkative Toad

22

^^^ What he said in the 1st sentence of the 3rd paragraph. I had something else typed out but not sure if I’ll post it.

The issue is that we’re also obsessed about trying to turn everything you learn about in school into some kind of (highly important) qualification, especially if you want to learn about the subject post KS3.

Some subjects ought to be mandatory (or de facto mandatory) at GCSE level but are currently not (Geography). Meanwhile there are others that are often de facto mandatory in many schools to the point where you need to sit the GCSE exam when they shouldn’t be (English Literature in its current form, RS and MFL in general).

Despite the fact that I haven’t studied Geography since Year 8 and that I don’t really worry about climate change, it should be common sense that Geography, given the current climate ought to be a mandatory GCSE subject with the current syllabus regularly updated to include/reflect climate change. The only issue is that there probably aren’t enough Geography Teachers.

Reply 4

UoL Students

Official Rep

16

Original post

by jonathanemptage

I don't think every subject particularly lends it's self to an exam.
Stem courses obviously do but I do feel there should be a practical element as well as theory.
Subjects like History or English "essay subjects" probably should be fully course work I have friend who did a history degree at Salford and it was 100% course work based.
Artistic courses really should be portfolio based I mean if your artistically gifted your portfolio should demonstrate that wouldn't it.
Performing arts is another one it's in the name so why not asses it by performance.
And the exams are so hyped up why not run them a little like in class tests you go into your class room instead of some massive hall your teacher is there your with your class mates just like you have 100's of times before it would be so much less stressful. I'm not saying do away with exams entirely but have less of them because for a lot of courses it just doesn't make sense.

Hello @jonathanemptage

This is a really good point you make and I can only agree. I would argue that GCSEs and A Levels should reflect university assessments much more by using a more diverse range of assessment methods, which would mean students would be tested on their academic skills and knowledge rather than just their memory. I would say that traditional exams have their place but as you say they should not be overly relied on. Reform is very much needed but it does not look like this reform will come anytime soon sadly.

Charlie
Law LLB Student

Should exams be reformed?

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