Universities in most countries around the world tend to formally examine their students at the end of every semester. Formal exams are carried out in order to measure learning progress and determine the particular academic level of their students. Despite the widespread usage of formal examinations, there are many other ways to examine students including essay writing and interviews to name but a few.
Measuring progress and determining the particular level of a student through formal examination is important for many stakeholders. Most importantly, the student wants to be evaluated in order to know how well he or she is progressing. In addition, universities and schools like to know how effective their teaching practices are. I have been both a student and a teacher and on both occasions I appreciated knowing whether or not I was progressing or whether my students were progressing. It is for these reasons that formal examinations are still widely used in schools and universities today.
Formal examinations are not the only way to measure student performance; there are a variety of ways to measure outcomes that are not 'formal' per se. Instead of writing exams, students could have an end of semester interview where they share their knowledge. Or they may want to do something more creative and make something of their knowledge in the form of art or invention. On of the best assessments that I had at university involved me creating a portfolio of writing. This was less formal but still an excellent way for me and my professor to evaluate my level of understanding.
All around the world, students take formal examinations every semester. Schools and universities must endeavor to monitor the progress of their students and formal examination is one of the way of doing this. In spite of ubiquity of formal assessment, there are other much more varied and sometimes creative ways to examine students.
Universities
in most countries around the world tend to
formally
examine their
students
at the
end
of every semester.
Formal
exams
are carried
out in order to measure learning progress and determine the particular academic level of their
students
. Despite the widespread usage of
formal
examinations
, there are
many
other
ways
to examine
students
including essay writing and interviews to name
but
a few.
Measuring progress and determining the particular level of a
student
through
formal
examination
is
important
for
many
stakeholders. Most
importantly
, the
student
wants to
be evaluated
in order to know how well he or she is progressing.
In addition
,
universities
and schools like to know how effective their teaching practices are. I have been both a
student
and a teacher and on both occasions I appreciated knowing
whether or not
I was progressing or whether my
students
were progressing. It is for these reasons that
formal
examinations
are
still
widely
used
in schools and
universities
today
.
Formal
examinations
are not the
only
way
to measure
student
performance; there are a variety of
ways
to measure outcomes that are not 'formal' per se.
Instead
of writing exams,
students
could have an
end
of semester interview where they share their knowledge. Or they may want to do something more creative and
make
something of their knowledge in the form of art or invention.
On
of the best assessments that I had at
university
involved me creating a portfolio of writing. This was less
formal
but
still
an excellent
way
for me and my professor to evaluate my level of understanding.
All around the world,
students
take
formal
examinations
every semester. Schools and
universities
must
endeavor to monitor the progress of their
students
and
formal
examination
is one of the
way
of doing this.
In spite of
ubiquity of
formal
assessment, there are other much more varied and
sometimes
creative
ways
to examine
students
.