It is exam season once again at University and stress levels are as high as ever. While some students are aiming as high as possible, many others are happy to do the minimum amount of work to just scrape through.
Studying can be an arduous, gargantuan task, so it is justified to ask ourselves and the University what we are really getting out of this, and what are the real benefits of all this memorising.
The University has done a wonderful job of keeping up the tradition of the national education system by assessing its students under very strict examination conditions. This kind of assessment might be appropriate while learning how to spell in primary school, but is it really the best way to prepare society’s future professionals in the last tier of the educational ladder?
Most exams still rely very much on the use of memory rather than gauging a complete understanding of the subject. Students are only challenged by their aptitude to cram notes taken during lectures, or passed down from previous generations of students.
The importance given to research-based learning is minimal, and one wonders how much information students can possibly remember and take with them to the workplace after they graduate.
What are the real benefits of all this memorising?
The Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology has taken a different approach and mainly bases its assessments on practical assignments, coursework and even work placements. This gives students the opportunity to delve deeper into the relevant subject.
Through job placements, students are able to get a taste of the practical side of the line of work they are pursuing. This not only encourages them to complete the course, but also helps them recognise their weak points. It can even help them to determine whether the line of work fulfills them.
Through an assignment and research-based assessment, students are given a more holistic understanding of the subject, and are equipped with this knowledge for life. Assignments are not based on the mentality that all you need to do is remember everything until the exam, but rather on superseding what you already know.
Many claim that an assignment-based system should not become the main form of assessment because it is seen as an easy way out. This is a fallacy as even the most basic assignments can take weeks of research.
The effectiveness and benefits of an assignment and research-based system will be felt in the long term. It will also help better shape society because, at the end of the day, graduates will not only be more informed on their subject but also have a deeper understanding of their profession.
It is unfortunate that the examination system has become the standard practice throughout our school curriculum. Our education policy must shift to better represent an ever more dynamic workforce, and equip students to reach higher ground.
Renata Muscat is third-year law student and a writer for Insite Malta.