Do you agree with exams as a grading mechanism?
The grading system puts many students under a lot of stress and pressure, causing them anxiety and depression. Only a few succeed, and the system ignores those who need more than just exams to show their capabilities. Antonia Tabone, BSc. (Hons) Nursing, 1st year.
The exam system should be used in specific areas of studies, but not for all courses. Michelle Trapani, Bachelor of Fine Arts (Hons) in Digital Arts, 3rd year.
Is it important to monitor your progress? Yes. Is writing down everything you remember about a topic in an hour the best way to judge the capabilities of next year’s professionals and the way our world can progress? ‘No’ is putting it lightly. Christoph Schwaiger, BSc. (Hons) Applied Biomedical Science, 3rd year.
In what ways do grades and exams affect a student’s education process?
Grades are means of measuring one’s knowledge, where if one succeeds, he/she has a bright future. But those who fail live with a burden for the rest of their life. Antonia Tabone
Exams and grades provide an important indication of one’s progress. Despite the benefits of this process, experience and practice in the field can provide a deeper knowledge and understanding. Michelle Trapani
Seeing students who don’t involve themselves in worthwhile extracurricular activities but focus instead on becoming great human tape recorders, get better grades than you, and might be disheartening at times. Christoph Schwaiger
Are assignments are a good enough replacement for exams?
No, assignments are not enough. There should be a balance between the two. There should be more practical assessments, not just theory, to prepare oneself before entering the workforce. Antonia Tabone
Practice-based assignments on the different digital media aspects are an important asset of our course. This system of grading allows students to amalgamate theory and practice in a single project. Michelle Trapani
Most assignments are just tasks requiring Google searches and rewording to avoid plagiarism, so they just reduce the pressure of an exam. Christoph Schwaiger
(Compiled by Insite – the student media organisation)