There seems to be an increasing trend towards assessing students through exams rather than through continual assessment. What are the advantages and disadvantages of exams as a form of assessment?

In recent years, many institutions have increasingly chosen

exams

as a primary method for assessing

students

' academic performance rather than evaluating their continuous development.

This

essay will explore the benefits and drawbacks of using

exams

as a form of

assessment

. One of the main reasons

exams

are popular in

students

’ academic journeys is that they provide a simple and straightforward way to assess knowledge. Teachers are only responsible for creating questions that align with what they have taught.

This

is usually done without considering the skills

students

have gained, which are often harder to evaluate, or continuously tracking

students

’ learning progress through ongoing

assessment

.

This

allows teachers to allocate more time to other important tasks,

such

as developing better curricula and teaching materials.

However

, grades from

exams

cannot reflect

students

’

overall

capabilities. Many

students

rely on memorization for

exams

, which is ineffective for those without strong memory skills, leading to inaccurate performance results. New Zealand educators,

for instance

, have recognized

this

issue and changed their

assessment

method from

exams

to personalized tests for

students

of all ages. These tests evaluate knowledge in ways

students

feel most comfortable with,

such

as storytelling, answering questions, or having discussions. In conclusion,

although

the convenience of using

exams

as a form of

assessment

has gained attention, it is important to note that not all

students

’ knowledge and performance can be measured

this

way.

Instead

of focusing on exam scores, schools should consider providing personalized tests and feedback that emphasize the learning journey rather than the outcomes.