Introduction

As the world approaches a new year, students of various tertiary institutions in Ghana are bracing themselves for the End-of-Semester Examinations. The Islamic University College – Ghana (IUCG) conducts the evaluative exercise from Monday December 8 to Saturday December 20, 2014. If there is anything most fearsome in college/university education generally, it is examination. This unfortunate, self-inflicting, mental torture among students is due to misconceptions about examination. There is, therefore, the need to remind ourselves of relevant facts about examinations in all academic jurisdictions.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of this discussion colleague learners/readers should be able to enhance their understanding of:

• Examination
• Invigilation
• Tension

Examination

Examination is simply a means of testing the level of students’ understanding, the efficacy of lecturer’s methodology, the appropriateness of the learning material, and the suitability of the learning environment. On the face value, the student and the lecturer are the principal characters in examination. But in reality, examination goes beyond mere testing the efforts of students and lecturers. It covers securitizing the inputs and outputs of all those involved in the learning process – the policy maker, the educational provider, the academic administrator, the student counselor, the fee payer. That is why all these players are interested in the success of candidates.

However, for time and space constraints, the student and the teacher are the subjects of focus in this write-up. To the student, examination provides a platform for identifying areas of weaknesses and for improvement. To the teacher, it constitutes an objective basis for determining whether he or she has taught a specific section of the material properly.  A word of caution her: examination is important in life, since it helps us to know what we can do and what we want. But examination is not life itself because it cannot do for us what we want. Knowing our ability is one thing, and the application of that knowledge is another. This is exemplified by the factual statement of Bill Gates: “I failed my exams in some subjects and my friend passed. Now he is an Engineer at Microsoft and I am its owner.” This implies that in the learning process emphasis should be on the acquisition of knowledge and competency and not on memorization of facts and passing examination.

Cognitive Development

It is significant to emphasize that examination is not warfare; it is a friendly activity aimed at certifying the intellectual development of learners. For that matter, examination, especially at the college level, is mostly conducted within the context of the Cognitive Domain of educational activities. The Cognitive Domain involves knowledge and the development of intellectual abilities and skills (Bloom, 1956). It includes the recall or recognition of specific facts, procedural patterns, and concepts that are essential in the development of intellectual abilities and skills. Six major categories of cognitive processes are involved in the Cognitive Domain. These are KNOWLEDGE, COMPREHENSION, APPLICATION, ANALYSIS, SYNTHESIS, AND EVALUATION. The categories can be thought of as degrees of difficulties. This means that the first one must normally be mastered before the next one can take place. The other domains – as propounded by Benjamin Bloom in what is known as Bloom Taxonomy of learning – are Affective and Psychomotor. 

Technically, examination questions are asked to test learners’ abilities in the six categories of the Cognitive Domain. For instance questions such as DEFINE A PHRASE. MENTION THREE TYPES OF MEDIA. NAME TWO SECTS IN CHRISTIANITY. WHAT IS A LEAD? LIST TWO TYPES OF MORPHEMES. LIST THE ‘5Ws’ AND THE ‘H’ IN NEWS WRITING are to test students’ abilities of recalling information, which falls within the category of Knowledge. Comprehension is understanding what has been taught and presenting it in your own words. A question on comprehension could be: EXPLAIN THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A FREE MORPHEME AND A BOUND MORPHEME. Key words used to test comprehension include Summarize, Illustrate, Paraphrase, and Estimate.

Once you demonstrate a level of comprehension, you are expected to apply what has been comprehended. Therefore, a question on application could be: USING THE ‘5Ws’ AND THE ‘H’, CONSTRUCT A LEAD OF A STORY ABOUT THE RECENT IUCG MATRICULATION. Compute, Construct, Demonstrate, Relate, and Show are some of the key words used in questions on comprehension.

Analysis is breaking down a material or concept into different components to understand its organizational structure and how to apply it better. So in examination, students’ analytical abilities are tested by questions whose key words include: Distinguish, Identify, and Analyze. Some examples are: DISTINGUISH PHRASES FROM CLAUSES IN THIS PASSAGE. ANALYZE THE FACTORS OF IRRESPONSIBLE JOURNALISM IN GHANA. IDENTIFY THE SOURCES OF HYPOCRISY AND INTELLECTUAL JEALOUSY ON THE CAMPUS OF INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF GULMA.

Breaking down the material or concept into different parts is not enough. You are equally expected to bring the parts together in a manner that would generate a new meaning of your own. That is synthesis. Some of the key words of questioning in this category are: Tell, Write, Explain, and Relate. An example is: EXPLAIN THE EFFECTS OF THE CURRENT ENERGY CRISIS IN GHANA ON PRODUCTION, DEMAND AND SUPPLY.

Evaluation, as the name suggests, is making judgment about the value of what has been taught.  Compare, Contrast, Criticize, Critique, and Describe are among the key words used in asking questions to test learners’ abilities of evaluation. An example is: CRITIQUE THE LIBERTARIAN AND AUTHORITARIAN THEORIES OF MASS COMMUNICATION.

Knowledge seeking is intellectual sharing, but sharing is not permissible during examination. Even in academic environments where open-book examination is a norm, discussion with or copying from a colleague during examination is still disallowed. This calls for invigilation in almost all college examinations.

Invigilation

Invigilation is the task of providing vigilance and supervision to ensure that an examination is conducted in line with the values of honesty, integrity, and diplomacy. To carry out this task, invigilators are appointed to enforce the rules and regulations of the examination. This is to ensure that candidates avoid cheating and other forms of dishonesty. Invigilation is not a source of power to abuse but an honor of duty to discharge. Moreover, since examination centers are not war zones, invigilators should not enter there as combatants. They should rather appear there as diplomats of knowledge.

The diplomatic and peaceful atmosphere for the success of examination could be guaranteed by mutual respect between invigilators and candidates. But much is expected from the invigilators. For instance, in all situations, invigilators have no right to bark at, insult, and sack a candidate from the examination hall. Let the invigilators know that these misbehaviors could, in the face of law, amount to psychological assault, which is actionable in court. All they can do is to write reports on alleged malpractices and even give the alleged offenders the opportunity to write their statements for further investigation and possible action by the Disciplinary Committee or the Board of Examiners. These practices are in line with the National Accreditation Board (NAB) policy on good governance and respect for students’ rights.

Invigilation is so important that experts have expressed varied views on it. “The key to invigilating is actually to do it – not just to see oneself as sitting in a large room reading or, as many people do, marking other exam papers,” says Susan Bassnett, Pro Vice-chancellor and professor in Warwick University’s Centre for Translation and Comparative Cultural Studies. Carol Winning, Examinations Manager at Leeds University, recommends being aware of the institution’s examination regulations before the examination, and identifying the location of the toilets, evacuation and exit routes, as important considerations in invigilation.

In the words of Dawn Stephens, Central Examinations Manager at the University of the West of England, invigilators must try to create a calm and welcoming environment. “Our aim is to make students feel relaxed and able to ask any questions that may be necessary,” she emphasizes. Jude Carroll, Educational Development Consultant at Oxford Centre for Staff and Learning Development, observes that experienced invigilators spot more things than new ones do, a situation, which shows that there are tricks of the trade to be learnt.

According to Anni Wood, Vice-president of Education at Bath University Students’ Union: “Being relaxed and giving information in a friendly way is something students appreciate. Some invigilators are formal almost to the point of being militant.” When invigilation is conducted in an intimidatory manner especially by sycophantic characters with a mission to please their paymasters at all times, it could be a source of increased tension in examination.

Tension

Tension is a normal response to examination, viva, and other forms of academic evaluation. It is influenced by a number of factors ranging from inadequate preparation to perfectionist mentality.

Two major forms of tension – anticipated tension and situational tension – have been identified by experts. The anticipated tension refers to the apprehension before the examination, while the situational tension is the one encountered during the examination. Fortunately, various techniques have been devised to deal with examination tension. To understand these techniques well, we need to categorize the period of examination into pre-examination, during examination, and post- examination.

Pre-examination

According to experts, management of examination tension starts before the examination itself. Below are some recommended techniques of managing tension at the pre-examination stage:

Adequate time for revision

Candidates should avoid what is known in local parlance as “last-minute appor”, during which they struggle to read almost everything about a course in a few hours or days to the examination. Adequate time for revision boosts confidence level and reduces pre-examination stress as it ensures well preparation.

Developing a timetable

Adequate time for revision calls for developing a comprehensible timetable for studies. This way, candidates track and monitor progress. Time allowed for fun and relaxation is also necessary to avoid boredom.

Taking a short break

It is advisable to take a short break when the mind loses concentration. But care must be taken to avoid spending the short break on an enticing and time consuming platform such as E-mail or Facebook. These platforms can divert attention to the extent that a few minutes can easily turn into hours unconsciously.

Moderate exercise

Moderate exercise boosts energy, clears mind, and reduces feelings of stress. It further helps to keep feeling calm and balanced, and to improve concentration levels.

During examination

Some candidates erroneously think that it is impossible to manage tension during examination. On the contrary, experts have devised the following techniques of managing situational tension in examination:

Avoidance of panic

It is natural to feel nervous in the course of examination, but getting excessively nervous is counterproductive as you will not be able to think clearly. An effective way to eliminate feelings of stress and panic is to close your eyes and take several, long, slow, deep breaths. Breathing in this way calms the nervous system.

Other techniques are as follows:

Survey what is in front of you

• Read the instructions carefully.
• Quickly survey every page of the examination paper.
• Identify what is expected of you.
• Re-read the instructions a second time (are you really being asked to answer either one or three of the questions?)

Prioritize what needs to be done

• When surveying the examination paper, underline all questions you know you can answer.
• Divide your time according to the importance of the questions.
• Answer the easiest questions first to guarantee marks in the least period of time.

Pace yourself

• Do not rush through the examination.
• Regularly check time left for the rest of the questions.
• Give yourself time for proper proofreading.

 

Post-examination

After the examination, many candidates are confronted by worrying thoughts about their performance. Some even spend endless time criticizing themselves for thinking that they went wrong in portions of the examination. Often, such post-examination, self-assessment and criticism constitute another form of tension. Experts have suggested the following techniques of managing the post-examination tension:

Self-congratulation

Congratulate yourself on questions you rightly answered, learn from challenging areas you could have done better, and then move on.

 

Self-reward for hardwork

It is also ideal, after the examination, to do something that makes you feel special: a relaxing walk, coffee/tea with a friend, an exercise, a dinner at a favorite restaurant. For Marzuq Azindoo, a cup of tea is enough, but for most IUCG students, Accra Mall, Tawala, Imperial Pekings, and other outstanding restaurants and recreational centers in the city are certainly the best choices. Hahahahahaaaaa!

Conclusion

In the light of the above discussion, it has become clear that examination should be a source of friendship not enmity between invigilators and candidates. Let us then consider the following pieces of advice to maintain the integrity of examination and for that matter the quality of our certificates:

Avoidance of leakage

Candidates and lecturers/examiners should, as much as possible, avoid leakages; for leakages stifle the sense of critical thinking, breed corruption among students, and make them conformists – a situation which defeats the purpose of college/university education.

Avoidance of sex-for-marks

Sex-for-marks is a serious moral misconduct among students and lecturers in many tertiary institutions in Ghana, though it is difficult to submit a legal proof. A classic example is the recent sex scandal involving a student and a number of lecturers at African University College of Communication (AUCC). In this scandal, the daring female student engages in hot sex-for-marks with the male lecturers in a number of videos.  The student was alleged to have recorded the sexual escapades to prove a point of sex-for-marks at the expense of marks-for-hardwork. As adults, lecturers and students have the right to enter into relationships leading to marriages. However, it is intellectually dishonest and socially irresponsible for a lecturer to use examination as a source of sexual opportunism. It is equally abominable for a student to sexually harass a lecturer in the name of passing an examination.

Avoidance of name calling

Candidates must refrain from calling strict invigilators uncomplimentary names. For instance, it is common to hear students calling uncompromising invigilators names such as Osama Bin Laden, Mugabe, and Adolf Hitler. If a hardworking invigilator is addressed as Hitler, he, as human, is more likely to respond with Hitlerite tactics of sabotage and victimization. This situation will certainly be destructive to the peaceful atmosphere needed for a successful conduct of examination.

Avoidance of invigilator nuisance

 Consumed by the zeal to perform and impress, some invigilators sometimes constitute nuisance to innocent candidates. This nuisance may arise when the invigilator wants to discipline an alleged misbehaved candidate. It is common, as an illustration, for an invigilator to ask candidate B who misbehaves to exchange a seat with candidate C who does not misbehave. Mostly, the third party – candidate C – would complain for being “punished” for no offence, as he or she is more likely to be distracted by the movement from one seat to another. Clearly, it is unacceptable in law, ethics, and morality to punish a third party because of an alleged offence of a second party. Such a practice can damage the cordiality between candidates and invigilators and mar the success of the examination. It must, therefore, be discouraged in examination halls.

Dear candidate, remember that in the tensed situation of examination the Lord is in control. Have faith in Him, do your best, never be a perfectionist, and success is yours. All the best of luck!

 

Bibliography

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Biggs, J.B., & Collis, K. (1982). Evaluating the quality of learning: the SOLO taxonomy. New York, Academic Press.

Bloom B.S. (1956). Taxonomy of educational objectives, handbook I: the cognitive domain. New York: David McKay Co Inc.

Clark, R., & Chopeta, L. (2004). Graphics for learning : proven guidelines for planning, designing, and evaluating visuals in training materials . Jossey-Bass/Pfeiffer.

Clark, R.C., & Mayer, R.E. (2007). E-learning and the science of instruction. San Francisco: Pfeiffer.

Dave, R.H. (1970). Psychomotor levels in developing and writing behavioral objectives, pp.20-21. R.J. Armstrong, ed. Tucson, Arizona: Educational Innovators Press.

Harrow, A. (1972) A taxonomy of psychomotor domain: a guide for developing behavioral objectives. New York: David McKay.

Krathwohl, D.R., Bloom, B.S., & Masia, B.B. (1973). Taxonomy of educational objectives, the Classification of educational Goals. handbook II: affective domain. New York: David McKay Co., Inc.

Simpson E.J. (1972). The classification of educational objectives in the psychomotor domain. Washington, DC: Gryphon House.

 

By Abubakar Mohammed Marzuq Azindoo, Lecturer/Coordinator, Weekend School, Islamic University College – Ghana

Email: azindoo200@gmail.com Tell: 0244755402