Should written exams be replaced with other forms of assessment? [ENDS 18/04/2010]
Should written exams be abolished and replaced with other forms of assessment?
ENDS 18/04/2010
For many, the experience of writing examinations at the end of a school year or a specific course such as GCSE or A levels can be quite an emotion drenching and stressful affair.
Recently there has been new evidence that has suggested that the written form of examinations is not the way forward. Arguments that have been put forward include the fact that assessment forms such as coursework are better than examinations, in the sense that they take into account the research and understanding of a specific subject. Others argue that exams help apply knowledge into a specific subject area. Some curriculums have already been tailor made to be based fully on coursework, such as the BTEC curriculum.
Hence, the question up for debate is whether written examinations should indeed be abolished and replaced with other forms of assessment, such as that of coursework?