Then I kept asking myself, why do we do exams? Why do we necessarily do exams? Since it's something I can't question any one, I opted for google~the biggest search engine for that matter. Then here goes the answers, "to provide a controlled environment for independent work and so are often used to verify student's learning," then another one, "Exams are an essential tool that helps students to self-assess their academic abilities...." none of them made sense either.
I personally feel like exams can't fully help lecturers assess if students really understood what they were taught in class. Because come to think of this, How many students start hustling for notes and pdfs during exams to just cram? Countless! and mind you, they remember nothing once the exam is over. Again, how many times have students been caught cheating in exams? So many times. And you still say that exams are for assessment? A sweet lie.
Take it for example how the exams are set. In a unit like this of "Comparative media systems" maybe the questions will be like "describe the media system.in Ethiopia" or "Explain the advantages of surveillance and remote sensing" compulsory questions now. Then here I am, Jacinta. I'm tryna fumble with my two points and maybe I'll explain them wrongly, or I'll lack examples to help me argue out my points.
Then the end of semester comes, results are out. If not a D, then I'm having a supplementary. The lecturer won't give a damn about it, I know I'll be seen as stupid. But is this really fair? How will I explain to everybody that I don't know the media system in Ethiopia, but I can say something about Kenya and Tanzania? To whom will I explain that I was kinda disturbed on that day we were being taught of Surveillance, but I understood all about media and globalization?
I hate how our stupidity is judged by our inability to give 5 points in a question that a lecturer decided just to come up with. Can't we be told to just put down all that we understood in that unit? So someone who got the opportunity to ask Chatgpt and copy pasted is more wiser than me? funny! What if that one question was someone's strength and another person's weakness? After all, people level differently in specific types of intelligence. Lecturers are yet to come up with a better method of assessment, exams can't help. Trust you me.
Honestly, I might perform average in exams, but that doesn't mean I don't know how to use Adobe audition 1.5 for audio editting, I can design using Canva, but did you give me an opportunity to just let you know that I'm capable? It's okay you taught and came up with questions. I answer, I score below average (according to you). Is it me who's wrong or we just had different opinions? Exams ain't been fair. After all we are in campus, we are grown ups. If there's no better way for us to express what we understood, then it's better we be asked to swear that we understood then proceed, even if the process will include lifting the holy book, we will.
You know when I was 19, I came across a rant by Tupac while at 17 discussing the holes that are yet to be filled in the public education system.
In all the words by Tupac Shakur (who earned his stellar reputation as a rap genius) Still had something to say about education.
He says, “School is really important: Reading, writing, arithmetic. But what they tend to do is teach you reading, writing, arithmetic… then teach you reading, writing, arithmetic again. Then again, then again, just making it harder and harder just to keep you busy. And that’s where I think they messed up. There should be a class on drugs. There should be a class on sex education. No, REAL sex education class, not just pictures and illogical terms…There should be a class on scams, there should be a class on religious cults, there should be a class on police brutality, there should be a class on apartheid, there should be a class on racism in America, there should be a class on why people are hungry, but there not, their class is on…gym….Their class is like Algebra. we have yet to go a store and said, “Can I have X Y + 2 and give me my Y change back, thank you.” You know?…Like foreign languages.
I think that they are important, but I don’t think it should be required. Actually, they should be teaching you English, and then teach you how to understand double talk, politician’s double talk. Not teaching you how to understand French and Spanish and GERMAN. When am I going to Germany? I can’t afford to pay my rent in America! How am I going to Germany"?
It very made sense then, but it's starting to.
Anyway, you guys prepare for the coming exams.
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