Homework, tests and exams are an integral part of our current forms of schooling systems. They act as references which educators can use to gauge a student's ability. Contrary to this, I believe tests and exams should be reformed, as it causes an unfavourable competitive environment, are memory based only, encouraging "cramming" or extensive studying over a period of time as well as a number of other reasons. Homework, on the other hand, is not completely a bad thing.
Firstly homework is not particularly a negative thing. Homework acts as a way to, firstly, allow educators to see how their teaching is being received and if there is any need to adjust their teaching method. …show more content…
Tests and exams are a waste of time, and anachronistic in today’s society. The main reason exams are waste of time is the fact that large majority of them are memory based only. It is impossible to test every aspect of a subject within the short exam time. It is impossible to set the questions at the same difficulty every year as well. It is possible to not properly assess people's grasp of the subject. Also since the exams are done in a way that students have to prepare for one big exam, this encourages students to cram. This behaviour is a common occurrence, many students will study with excessive intensity over a short period of time, filling their heads with information very quickly (hence the term cram.) As the human memory is divided into short term and long term memory, cramming makes students keep information in short term memory making it simply useless after a time. It is possible to study the tested subjects for the exam then forget everything and yet score high marks. Tests and examinations need to be designed to foster long-term …show more content…
They help the teacher to know what material the students have not mastered and need to study further and if they need to adjust their teaching methods. The examination system has its own benefits. It is a self-test to see where how well one performs, to assess their strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of an exam has always been a test to let us, human beings, to know our limits and our standards. It too is a very efficient way to gauge students' ability and decide which students need more