In an era where modern workplaces demand creativity and emotional intelligence, the conventional exam desk remains paradoxically the gatekeeper of human potential. Some people hold the belief that examination is only appropriate for people excelling at taking exams. While examination has some certain limitations, I completely disagree with the notion that it only serves a handful of students; simultaneously, it should combine with other methods for a thorough assessment.
Admittedly, one of the obvious reasons why examinations should be for every student is their fairness and objectivity. To be more specific, students will do the same tests and stay in the same classrooms, which can avoid teacher bias and evaluate them from the starting line. This can help measure students’ knowledge accurately. For instance, a high school for the gifted in Quang Tri uses examinations to assess students in each semester. Through this standardized testing approach, all students are evaluated under the same conditions, ensuring their final grades reflect their true performance rather than any personal preferences of the teachers. Another justification is that taking exams can reinforce soft skills needed for their afterward life. The ability to complete tests punctually under the pressure of time and other elements, together with time management and strict concentration is one of the paramount skills for their practical work. As a result, students can get used to harsh workplaces with a number of deadlines and the requirement to keep performance throughout quicklier.
Exam-based assessments, however, to some extent do not actually provide a thorough and comprehensive result in judging the real ability and knowledge of a student. In other words, students can attain high grades in a single test not since they command all of the knowledge that the test involves but because they simply cram for an exam. This can have a two-side effects. On the one hand, there are students studying intensively, for example,on the night before a low-stake test because they are preoccupied with other work and cannot take time to go over the knowledge about it. This can happen some time and students may revise the previous test when they have spare time; Hence, at least those students can gain a small or larger amount of knowledge which depends on each individual capacity. On the other hand, If students keep remembering a large amount of information to deal with a test without doing any revision, It’s true that they probably get a high score in one or two evaluation assignments but in the long run those high grades will not align with profound knowledge acquisition and understanding. Also, when the teachers look at those marks, they may consider that he or she is a gifted student and they will pay little attention to them, which can gradually exert a negative influence on that student’s knowledge.
In this way, Alternative assessments should be taken in order to evaluate student’s competency and capacity better and more universally. Schools can do this through portfolios. It means that mentors can assign students home exercises and small projects throughout the semester to judge their performance. This can avoid flawed judgement in examination because completing a test successfully requires several factors such as knowledge application and mentality. Moreover, oral exams are another approach that educational institutions should try. Many students learn knowledge from books and numerous online sources but they hardly have a foundation or peers who are well-informed enough to check their learning. For example, applying this viva into teaching curriculum in certain disciplines such as language, science and medication to test their practical application and reflexes. As a consequence, teachers can evaluate their students’ understanding in practical situations.
In conclusion, although examination plays an indispensable part in assessing one students’ competency for their fairness and objectivity and basic skills enhancement, It is true that this is not the mere method to measure a student. Instead, people in education had better also integrate continuous coursework and practical exams ,together with examinations into their curriculum in order to help a student improve holistically and wholesomely.