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Moderator
Total Posts: 1033
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http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,1870,58380,00.html?
quote:
GET rid of exams, an academic proposed yesterday, adding that doing so is one way to encourage more creativity and create an education system more suited to a knowledge-based economy.
Professor Chong Chi Tat, the National University of Singapore's (NUS) deputy vice-chancellor, made the radical suggestion at the Singapore Student Symposium at the Regional Language Centre in Orange Grove Road.
He was responding to a question on how the education system here can change to encourage innovation and creativity.
He said this during the hour-long question-and-answer session with 300 students from Singapore and overseas universities at the annual conference.
'I know I'm going to get into trouble when I say this,' said Prof Chong.
Universities and schools should try out other unique ways of getting students to learn, he added.
Earlier, he had spoken on Education In The 21st Century.
His belief is rooted in his experience as an undergraduate at Iowa State University, in the US, from which he graduated with a degree in mathematics in 1969.
He said: 'I took a maths course where it was just me and two professors. Instead of being taught, I had to deliver a three-hour lecture every week to these experts.
'I'll never forget the experience. In fact, it was what made me go into mathematics research.'
He holds a doctorate in the subject from Yale University.
Other educationists contacted by The Straits Times also hold the view that examinations can make way for alternative ways of assessing students' capability.
But, they added, some form of testing is crucial.
Singapore Management University (SMU) provost Tan Chin Tiong noted: 'Some form of assessment is always needed to gauge if students have obtained a certain level of competency.'
But does the absence of exams guarantee creativity?
Perhaps not, said Miss Theodora Tan, principal of CHIJ (Toa Payoh) Secondary.
She said: 'Take Japan, they are famous for their exams, but yet they are extremely creative and innovative. So we must question that assumption.'
Nanyang Technological University deputy president Er Meng Hwa said that exams are here to stay, but added that they are not barriers to creativity.
He said: 'Exam questions can be designed to stretch students, forcing them to go beyond just recalling information.'
However, students are all for skipping exams. Second-year SMU student Michael Chen, 20, who is reading business management, said: 'Some subjects are really interesting, but with exams, all you do is study and forget. I learn more doing research projects, or on attachments where I have to be more hands-on.'
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Ultra Senior Member
Total Posts: 8890
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quote:
Originally posted by annika:
http://straitstimes.asia1.com.sg/singapore/story/0,1870,58380,00.html?
 darn it, how come they got to make these suggestions up for evaluation only after ah gong has graduated? 
but i tend to agree with Micheal(who was interviewed), one tend to learn more when they have hands on during projects, rather than just regurgitating facts. but then again, questions in exams today are not as straight forward as yester-years no more 
'pia' till ah gong 'bin cee cee' 
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Moderator
Total Posts: 1033
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quote:
Originally posted by ahgong:
darn it, how come they got to make these suggestions up for evaluation only after ah gong has graduated?
but i tend to agree with Micheal(who was interviewed), one tend to learn more when they have hands on during projects, rather than just regurgitating facts. but then again, questions in exams today are not as straight forward as yester-years no more
'pia' till ah gong 'bin cee cee'
I personally feel that they shouldn't get rid of exams, after all, just the torturous process of studying and going for exams is in itself a 'rite of passage' (rather than what the exams are testing themselves) - if a person can't take the stress, how does he expect to survive in the real working world?
I tend to agree more with the UK/US method of study - exams and coursework, say 50-50 weightage each. Best of both worlds.
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Very Senior Member
Total Posts: 807
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quote:
Originally posted by annika:
Nanyang Technological University deputy president Er Meng Hwa said that exams are here to stay, but added that they are not barriers to creativity.
He said: 'Exam questions can be designed to stretch students, forcing them to go beyond just recalling information.'
Glad that this person knows that MOST exams are basically memorize and spit back at the examiner...
happening rite here in my course. most of the time.
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Very Senior Member
Total Posts: 822
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I was at the symposium....Tell you that was really the best suggestion in the whole 2 days event.(I'm not from the U... my poly send me to the event)
Everyone 'cheered' for this 'amazing' thought
Anwyayz i think some form of exam should still be included to access students however i think they should also explore other possibilties of accessing students and making them learn and apply. Rather than 'learn' and forget.
Thus i still prefer poly than JC...
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