CHEMISTRY – Past Papers – FORM SIX
..
..
What is the Purpose of Exams in Education?
We all remember the exam period in schools. The daunting
experience of entering the examination hall, finding your name on the exam desk
and taking a seat with a booklet with blank paper and unknown questions. The
sweaty hand palms and sickness feeling that seems to have made you forget
everything that you have been revising for over the last previous few weeks (or
in my case few days, I have always been a bit last minute). In all those years
of school, college and university I always wondered what the main purpose was
for exams. What would this stress achieve later in our lives? Luckily I am able
to look into all this and finally learn that the stressful weeks truly are
beneficial.
“Exams have an important role in the process of learning and
in the whole educational institution.”
Exams and tests are a great way to assess what the students
have learned with regards to particular subjects. Exams will show what part of
the lesson each student seems to have taken the most interest in and has
remembered.
With every pupil being so individual, exams are also a great
way for teachers to find out more about the students themselves. The test
environment comes with added stress, which allows teachers to work out how
their students argue and how they think individually by their works, which is a
great attribute for them to keep in mind for future class activities.
Strengths and weaknesses can also be assessed through exams.
The teachers will be able to understand where more attention in class may be
needed when teaching the particular subject. A pattern of weaknesses may be
apparent when marking the works. This is where mock tests are a great technique
to use when teaching before the formal examinations. This will give students
and teachers the opportunity to understand where their weaknesses may be, in
time for the preparation of the formal exam. This will give them all the chance
to ensure that they are able to achieve the best of their abilities in class,
thus helping them in the future.
School becomes more demanding as you get older. As you grow
as a person, you also do as a student and the school curriculum becomes more
demanding. Exams allow higher education establishments to assess whether the
students applying are going to be able to deal with the work demand. Although
this idea of “ranking students capability based on grades” seems harsh, it is
an easier way for them to assess the students’ potential, which becomes even
more important with regards to higher education establishments.