Impromptu Test; The tricky tool used to keep students on their toes.

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There is good theoretical and practical reasons for making people sit for an exam after studying a particular course of study. This is because it appears that someone can sit through a course for a whole 3 months and still not get the gist of what the course is about. Also, many people wouldn't take their academics seriously if there was no sort of examination at the end of each course of study.

For the sake of these variables and a bunch of others, it would only be fair for students to be examined momentarily and graded based on their performance in their examination. However, there is always a question that needs to be asked right about examinations;

Do you believe that examination is a true test of knowledge?

I look forward to getting your thoughts about that. Share that in the comment section. Meanwhile, I will be sharing my experience with impromptu exams/tests and what it felt like to be in that situation.

For someone that has already spent 14 years in the academic world, I have a whole lot of experience with impromptu tests and I recognize the essence of those sorts of tests. It is usually unplanned and unprepared for, so there are some teachers and lecturers who recognize it as a genuine way to know those that are truly paying attention to what's going on in classes.

Very often, students prefer to be pre-informed about a test so they can be more prepared for it. However, we all know that there will always come a day in which a particular lecturer will decide to wow us with an impromptu test. Haha. I hate to admit it, but they have all sorts of tricks for doing that. And it works all the time.

In my Uni, making 75% attendance is a prerequisite for any student to be able to sit for the Exam in any course. Some courses were more interesting than others so, people enjoyed being in those classes. For the ones that are 'boring', some students prefer to miss those classes and ask their friends to help them with attendance.

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One particular lecturer we met in my penultimate year got to discover after the first 3 weeks that the number of names on the attendance sheet is usually more than the actual number of people that attends his class. I'm sure so many other lectures notice such about the attendance to their class, but no one took it as seriously as this particular lecturer. He wasn't ready to have any of that. So, he decided to be using impromptu tests to know those that truly attend his classes.

There are days when he will walk into the lecture hall and the first thing he will do is to hold an impromptu test before starting the lecture. On such days, anyone that comes late to the class would be in the same predicament as someone that didn't come at all. Both parties will be marked as absentees.

Many didn't fancy the style adopted by this lecturer, but nobody wants to be in the bad book of any Lecturer. Not in Nigeria. They will mess you up. Haha.

After doing this for a couple of classes, everyone started taking his lectures seriously because you don't know the trick he will come up with in each lecture. As you can see, he used impromptu tests as a tool to do something that can be considered positive.

However, I've also come across lecturers who use impromptu tests as a diabolical tool to do 'the unspeakable' to students. It's like a bait which they use to trap students and this usually has a walloping effect on some students.

As far as I can tell, Impromptu tests have its up and down in academic settings. But, a good way to walk around it is to always try to learn as much as possible whenever an opportunity presents itself.

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(Edited)

Yes, examination can be a true test of knowledge but is it a test of intelligence? No. Examinations (especially in Nigeria) mostly involves reading what you have in a book and pouring it out into an answer booklet during an exam. Meanwhile, intelligence involves using the knowledge gotten from books or lectures to solve real world problems, and examinations doesn't test for that. But yeah, it can be a true test of knowledge

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This makes sense.... I met a couple of lecturers in Uni who do not encourage creativity or thoughtfulness. When it comes to examination, they always want their students to define terms and concepts in the exact way it was defined in lecture Halls or handout.

Like you said, the ability to use classroom knowledge and solve real life problem is also a factor that has to be considered.

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That's just it, it's not enough to just attribute intelligence to just the ability to pass exams, other factors are to be considered as well

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About the question asked in the post, tests and examinations can be used as gauges for academic performance and can't in some situations because I know students who upload and offload only for exams.

They will do good in exams just because they have crammed and after exams, they have nothing up there.

I think impromptu tests can be used to test students' true capabilities. They aren't prepared and it is perfect to know who is studying or paying attention in class.

Many lecturers even use tests to take attendance, I have experienced that a lot of times and there nothing wrong with that for me.

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Hahah... All those garbage-in garbage-out style of reading are just good enough for Exams. And, it works really well because they use it to do well and get good grades. However, when a question needs critical thinking in relation to real-life problems, the things they cram usually fail them.

I concur with your take on Impromptu tests. The best way to not be negatively affected by any of it is always by being attentive in class and also preparing ahead of each class, if possible.

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Yes, examination is the true test of knowledge, the truth is examination is not limited to writing what you know on a piece of paper alone. It has to do with you showing evidence that what was impacted was grasped by you. Test/examination comes in different ways, and there's no better way to know that our Learners have learnt if we don't examine them.

Maybe what you should have asked should be written examinations. If it's about written examinations, I would say no, it isn't the true test of knowledge because a lot of things can temper with us which can affect our mental health and make us not perform well even if we know a particular thing very well. Also many people cheat and pass written examinations without even knowing the subjects well, there are some who even pass by luck especially in objective test. So written exams has a lot of disadvantages

I have come across many lecturers who used impromptu test as attendence too and it was really not funny..

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That's an interesting take and a very nice observation. It's also an exposure to the whole narrative about Exams. And, it's not limited to written Exams. Even if it is done as an oral exam, there are people who are really knowledgeable about a particular topic, but their poor speaking skill will fail them if an oral exam is conducted.

Generally, academic Exams has it's twists and turns, but it's not very easy to look at someone's performance in (let's) an exam in Agriculture and completely be sure that the person will be good or bad in practicing agriculture, just before they did well or performed poorly in academic grading for Agriculture. Haha.

I like the thoughtfulness attached to your comment. Thanks so much for sharing your thoughts on this.

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Seriously this issue of examination is something else, unfortunately no one is paying attention to it. Some students are suffering.. Sha maybe that's why they introduced practicals in some courses..

It's nice reading your post boss🙇🙇

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Exactly. Some students are suffering because of exams and it gets worse in situations where the lecturer or the supervisor overlooks malractices going on in the exam hall.

People now write exams with phone and this is always a unfair act to those that genuinely prepared for the exam

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You reminded me of one time I was in high school , I had that experience.. the students were full of Malpractice because of gifts during price and speech day, I came newly and I was just so confused , no matter how I put in my best, you see almost everyone beating you and I wonder what the heck is happening.. it really frustrated me but I maintained my standards. God was faithful enough at some point we started topping the class. I am so happy that some students joined me and say no to malpractice before I left the school..

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Taking a stand against malpractice especially at that age is surely not an easy thing to do. However, you did it amazingly.

Well Done, Bro

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Thanks boss.. it all depends on ones foundation...

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The controversy as to whether examinations are the true test of a person's knowledge would always arise. Personally, I don't think it is not. I know people who barely attend lectures but two days to a planned exams, they stick their legs in cold water, read all night and still make good grades; sometimes better grades than those who actually attended these lectures.

I for one am always ready for tests and exams at any point in time because this discipline was imbibed in me by my highschool further maths teacher who began all his classes with "alright, tear a sheet of paper. Write your name and your class..."

Impromptu tests are good to an extent as it helps to keep students on their toes and alert.

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Hahah... The "tear a sheet of paper..." line will never get old in our academic system. Even until my final year in University, Lecturers usually do that especially when they notice that the class seems to be inattentive. And, it works everytime and keeps us on our toes because nobody wants to mess up his/her grade.

Using exam as a test of knowledge will always be a controversial topic which people can argue for or against at all interval. The reality, especially in our country, is that you have to do whatever it takes to get that good result.

However, when the school door closes, a different type of exam slaps people on the face. Haha.

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The reality, especially in our country, is that you have to do whatever it takes to get that good result.

That is literally the M.O of ever student out there. Get good grades and graduate but after that, what happens? Reality happens 😅.

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Hahah... If you walk into Jamb Registration Centres... That's where you will see students pushing the narrative a little too far. Haha

Some choose a course to study because it sounds sophisticated or because their friend chose the same course. It's not a surprise that a lot of people are studying a course which they don't even care about. They just want to get Certificate and turn their wheel 180° in pursuit of a different Money making opportunity. Haha

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Yeah, a test of knowledge if all protocol are formerly and strictly followed, if there's no chance of any sort of mal-practice or such.

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Exactly. The fact that some people write exams by malpractice is already a sign that a lot of things needs to be considered before we all start making a case about using exams as a true test of knowledge

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Thanks for the Curation

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(Edited)

An examination especially written may be a true test of knowledge but it's not all there is to it. Some people are great with writing but some are great with speaking.

As a student and teacher myself, test is what makes me get more engaged/involved.

See? It's because you have question within this article, I'll know where to start pouring in haha

Questions/tests stimulates thinking and explaining skills.

(And that's why ain't fan of Uni, they're monsters! Haha says someone who ain't graduate of Uni🙈)

Ciao!

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Exactly. There are several forms of exams and there are loopholes that can be explored by people to do malpractices in those Exams.

I think Exams, to a great extent, can be a good test of what people know, but malpractices needs to be thrown out of the window for that to happen.

Well Done, Jelly. Hehe

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I'm not satisfied with my comment. Hahaha I feel like I haven't hit the bull's eye hahaha

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Lolzzzzz... You hit the bulls eye very often with your comment. It's engaging and your being genine about the things you type. I think that's a good foundation to lay with your comments

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there are some teachers and lecturers who recognize it as a genuine way to know those that are truly paying attention to what's going on in classes.

I also think that it's a good way to understand the progress of studies of students.
Although I don't like exam but I don't feel bad or afraid in case of facing impromptu test. In fact, i feel it's interesting.

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