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What is wrong with all examination?

Arran Cameron
During my secondary school years every GCSE subject had a coursework component. In 2007 coursework was dropped from maths making it all examination. In more recent years other subjects have gone all examination.


I strongly uphold the main GCSE subjects (English, maths, science, probably geography, history and RS as well) as all examination with no coursework, as I believe it to be the fairest method overall, although coursework components should continue for creative subjects including art, music, and D&T.


Whenever I state my view I get accused of being another Michael Gove.


I am aware that the Lib-Dems and the Green Party want to re-instate coursework for ALL GCSE subjects. Is this intelligent thought or just a whim of a liberal chattering class without any regard for students themselves or the desires of the silent majority?
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    How do you decide what is "fair".  "Fair" often equates to "most favourable to people who are like me".
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    Simon Barker:

    How do you decide what is "fair".  "Fair" often equates to "most favourable to people who are like me".




    Defined as being most accessible and inclusive for the entire customer base. Remember that not all people who want to take GCSEs are Y11 students at a secondary school.



     

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    Only my opinion, like you, I do not agree with all examinations being replaced with a coursework equivalent.



    I feel that examinations, although stressful for some individuals at the time, is character building and translate to real life circumstances. They help prepare the individual for the life after high school. If the individual progresses to college or university they shall ultimately need to sit examinations. In employment, the individual may be required to work within an agreed timeframe or programme. It's important, that just like in an exam, that the individual delivers in time for that task or project. Do not meet the agreed target date there are usually repercussions i.e. an unhappy client.

     


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    Exams are good for people who tin't get stressed out when presented with an exam paper.  They are also good for people who can cram enough knowledge into their heads the day before to answer just a few more questions correctly.  It doesn't matter if you forget it all again the next week.


    Personally, I tend to do quite well on that sort of test, but some people don't.


    And let's not pretend that exams bear any resemblance to real life work.  These days is I've forgotten something, I can just look it up on the Internet.  I don't have to memorise the haversine formula, just know how to use it correctly.
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    Allan Rowan:



    Only my opinion, like you, I do not agree with all examinations being replaced with a coursework equivalent.



    I feel that examinations, although stressful for some individuals at the time, is character building and translate to real life circumstances. They help prepare the individual for the life after high school. If the individual progresses to college or university they shall ultimately need to sit examinations. In employment, the individual may be required to work within an agreed timeframe or programme. It's important, that just like in an exam, that the individual delivers in time for that task or project. Do not meet the agreed target date there are usually repercussions i.e. an unhappy client.




    Exams are not representative of the real world, but neither were most GCSE coursework assignments.


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    Arran Cameron:


     


    Allan Rowan:



    Only my opinion, like you, I do not agree with all examinations being replaced with a coursework equivalent.



    I feel that examinations, although stressful for some individuals at the time, is character building and translate to real life circumstances. They help prepare the individual for the life after high school. If the individual progresses to college or university they shall ultimately need to sit examinations. In employment, the individual may be required to work within an agreed timeframe or programme. It's important, that just like in an exam, that the individual delivers in time for that task or project. Do not meet the agreed target date there are usually repercussions i.e. an unhappy client.




    Exams are not representative of the real world, but neither were most GCSE coursework assignments.



     



    Just my opinion. May be right or wrong (most likely wrong in most cases) 

     

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    I was in one of the last years to do 'O' levels and thought that the introduction of GCSEs was a good thing because of the inclusion of the coursework within the overall mark. Some of my classmates would get A's and A+'s for their coursework throughout the year but fail miserably in exams because of the added pressure of 'performing' for those 2/3hours of examination time. 


    I think the problem with being assesesed purely on how you perform during that time is the fact that there can be so many other things going on at that particular time and day that can reduce your performance. For example, during one of my O level exams, the person sitting behind me had hayfever and was continually sniffing for 2.5 hours, the invigilator would not get a tissue for them either.... If you've been on a train journey with a 'sniffer' I'm sure you can appreciate how irritating that is.... One of my classmates had just lost her grandmother too so her focus wasn't exactly on exams at the time and that showed in her final results, even though she was a straight A student throughout the previous years. 


    So, personally, I have always thought that it's a good idea to include coursework within the overall appraisal of how a student performs at the end of their time at school.
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    I would agree with Lisa - I actually was in the last year to do O levels. I've always believed that passing an exam means you've learnt how to sit and pass an exam.
  • 0
    There is some anecdotal evidence that boys prefer all examination and girls prefer coursework.
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    Arran Cameron:

    There is some anecdotal evidence that boys prefer all examination and girls prefer coursework.



    I would tend to agree with that Arran.


    One of my Geography A level classmates‍ (male) never did any homework, always marked low in any coursework, wasn't exactly interested in the lessons to the point where you wondered why they were there in the first place, crammed revision into the week before the exam and passed with flying colours...  However, he went on to become an extremely successful illustrator and photographer, not related at all to the above mentioned subject!


    As Julie says I also think sometimes passing an exam just shows that you can pass exams. Don't get me wrong, I do believe there should be some kind of 'test' to show that you truly know and understand the subject (what with opportunities nowadays to 'Google' your homework assignment) but in the case of school age children I also think that their every day coursework should also play a part in their overall assesment of competance. 


    Applying this to the working life, in our yearly appraisals our managers take into account our performance over the entire year and not just the results of some kind of test... wink


    Lisa
     

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