1st October 2010 9:00
By Harriet Boulding
As the tutor of a number of students it has become apparent to me that many students share the same concerns regarding exams. Aside from the usual stress of revision and exam nerves, the way in which the papers are marked has become an increasing concern, and one which students feel they cannot adequately address. The increasing stress on meeting assessment objectives is one way in which schools have tried to tackle this, urging students to learn what the markers are looking for and ensure that they meet all the objectives in their answers.
However, far from making it easier for students, this practice is causing a great deal of angst amongst students who feel it is impossible to write a sophisticated answer to a question whilst ensuring that they have met every objective adequately. During my tutoring sessions I have also found that schools who do emphasise the assessment objectives often do not explain how one might incorporate them into an answer, leaving students confused and worried.
This problem was highlighted for me when tutoring English in particular, as students often complain that they have to wrench sentences in which meet assessment objectives at the expense of a coherent piece. Further, their wider understanding of the texts they are studying is often compromised by the desire to meet these objectives, and it is not uncommon to see students addressing these whilst failing to answer the question at hand.
There are many students who are extremely bright who fail to achieve top grades simply because they have missed an assessment objective, and there are now students who achieve top grades at A level who would nevertheless not flourish at a top university. Now, students and teachers do understand that the points such as awareness of language and culture encapsulated in the assessment objectives can, of course, be very useful. However, they should not be the be all and end all when it comes to exam grades which will define students’ choice of university.