Many people believe that formal ‘pen and paper’ examinations are not the best method of assessing educational achievement. Discuss this view and give your own opinion.

Sample 1:

Examinations are one of the most common methods of measuring learning in education systems throughout the world. At virtually every stage of the learning process, exams are used to verify that the learner is ready to move on to the next stage. However, many people believe that the role of examinations should be reconsidered.

There are clearly certain advantages to exams. They help to ensure fairness by imposing the same conditions on all exam candidates. They are also relatively versatile; different types of exam questions, for example, multiple-choice questions and essay tasks, can test different sorts of reasoning ability. However, exams also have clear drawbacks. Test-wise candidates can often perform well on exams without having good underlying knowledge or skills. On the other hand, some test-takers perform poorly in exams simply because of anxiety. Some teachers and learners focus only on those aspects of the curriculum that are likely to be tested, thus narrowing the educational experience for all.

A number of measures should be taken to address these concerns. Wherever possible, exams should match the content and activities of the learning environment. Exam tasks should be varied to give fair opportunities to candidates with different types of skills. Other types of assessment should also be considered; assignment writing, for example, to assess independent learning and research skills, or group projects, to measure teamwork ability.

Exams clearly have a role to play in ensuring proper, objective assessment of achievement. However, exams need to be carefully designed and supplemented with other forms of assessment if they are to be a truly useful component of the educational system.

Sample 2:

The traditional method of evaluating academic progress is through formal examinations conducted in a written format. However, there has been a growing belief that this strategy does not accurately assess student knowledge and understanding.

One argument against this conventional method is that it places too much emphasis on memorization and recall of information rather than on critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Students are often required to retain a large amount of material for exams. This can lead to a surface-level understanding of the subject matter rather than a deeper comprehension.

Another issue with formal examinations is that they can be highly stressful and anxiety-inducing for students. As a result, even if a student understands the subject matter thoroughly, he or she may perform poorly on the exam. Additionally, some students may struggle with test-taking skills or have test anxiety, which can negatively impact their performance on exams.

The use of alternative assessment methods, such as project-based learning and performance assessments, has gained popularity in recent years. These approaches allow students to demonstrate their scientific concepts and skills in a more authentic and practical way. Students may be asked to apply their knowledge and insights to solving a real-world problem, such as designing a sustainable energy system for a community.

In conclusion, my view is that while formal examinations have their drawbacks, they can still be an effective tool for assessing educational achievement. However, they should be supplemented with other forms of measurement in order to provide a more comprehensive picture of a student’s achievement. Furthermore, students should receive adequate preparation and support to reduce the tension associated with the testing system.