During my elementary days in not so distant past, the aims of a particular lesson were not adequately discussed or even mentioned before it was taught. In which case, I did not know what to do with the materials presented on us. Of course we knew that at the end of the unit, a quiz or long test is at hand. If the time of remembering was revealed, it was the only time that I began to review/ re-read what was taken up in class. More often than not, I was satisfied with the result of my assessment. However, I felt disappointed when the teacher got his/her gotcha moment when most of us did not get most of the correct answers during surprised quizzes. The bad thing was, the lesson was never repeated or further discussed even if no one understood them fully as determined by the test.
Because of the above experience during my primary education, I became fully wary of my teachers’ assessment approach when I entered high school. I began to be more attentive during class discussion and lectures. I saw to it that I reviewed the materials and did all my assignments regularly. It was this attitude that I maintained my position in class until I graduated. In essence, I aligned my approach to study not because it was my choice but because it was expected of me. In fact, the assessment directed my learning in some ways.
Some researchers maintained that the traditional objective type testing such as multiple choice and true-false, produce surface learning because it prepares student to be rote learners. Students often get only the tip of the iceberg when they engage their learning with this type of assessment. Opponents of traditional testing argues that understanding or recalling some facts and concepts is shallow learning because this kind of learning is only the base or at the bottom of Bloom’s taxonomy.
Well, I am not that shallow. Although it may seem that what multiple choice and true-false exams determine is how students remember or recall facts and concepts but in reality, these kinds of tests also involve in-depth learning because choosing the correct answer involve not only recalling but also understanding and analysis especially if the question is full of ambiguous words and trickery. It is worth noting that the present licensure examinations in the Philippines and elsewhere involve multiple choice tests. If it is not an effective and reliable indicator of learning in most professions, why does the Philippine Regulation Commission (PRC) continue utilizing this kind of assessment?
Assessment directs students learning and plays an important role in their approaches to study. During my senior year in high school, the most dreaded test of all was the National College Entrance Examination or NCEE. The NCEE determines whether or not a high school graduate can enter a four or five-year program in the college or university. The NCEE is the gate way to students’ dream of becoming a professional. Although passing it is the most important test that students undertake, teachers in our high school did not bother to teach to the test. Whether it was a policy or not, senior students were left to study by themselves and teachers did not teach us on what in the test. The teachers only advised us to buy a copy of a reviewer to be familiar with the mechanics of the test. I can remember that the teachers did not do any formal review for this assessment although the life of students depended on passing it.
It is really very uncomfortable to know that while undertaking a course or study, the teacher is there to measure how much you learn or retain from the materials he/she discussed or provided. Either test, product or performance, assessment limits the means by which students approach their learning. You sometimes feel that you are surrounded by materials that you may not use in real life or you should only need to know a portion of it. Tests usually create anxiety to some students as if the whole world will judge them based on number or letter grades. The results often rank or classify a person and distinguish others from the rest - there is a summa cum laude, magna cum laude, cum laude and the other graduates. With this, learning becomes competitive as if only few deserve to be high achievers.
I felt some pressure while studying at the University of the Philippines because of its reputation as the premier center of learning of learning in the entire country. Thinking that all Iskolar ng Bayan are bright students that get high grades, I often felt disappointed when mine were average. I felt that I might not be maintaining UP standards. Lately of course that I realized that my misconceptions about UP were often wrong. However, it is expected that UP graduates are different from any other students, no matter what it is on your Transcript of Record. It is a reputation that is maintained by many corporations and leaders. Well, I say amen to this one.
The results of assessment also brought joy to my being especially when I deserved what I labored. I felt elated when I passed a very difficult examination or get the highest grade in one project. The praise and congratulatory remarks from parents, relatives, and friends when you finally received your diploma or certificate of recognition erased all the hardships, anxieties, stress and other bad effects of assessments on your learning and being. At the end of the day, I realized that it is really “No gain, No pain!” I am not that shallow, then.
Reference
Morgan, C, Dunn, L, Parry, S & O'Reilly, M 2004, The student assessment handbook : new directions in traditional and online assessment , Routledge Falmer, London. ISBN: 0749438835
Images from
1) http://oncampus.macleans.ca/education/wp-content/uploads/writing-exam.jpg
2) http://www.funnyfly.com/images/exam.jpg
3) http://ircamera.as.arizona.edu/NatSci102/NatSci102/images/exams.jpg
4) http://www.lawphil.net/images/logo/prclogo.gif
5) http://larrycuban.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/test_cartoon.jpg
6) http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Sablay.jpg
