Sunday, November 30, 2008

Exam...

D E C E M B E R 1, 2 0 0 8

One of the difficult being a lecturer, is to marking assignments and examination papers. However, in e-world, students will just cut-and-paste. They will just search the web for materials that related to their assignments. Then they will cut-and-paste the article onto their assignments.... Sometimes, they don't even care whether it is relevant or not. As long as it is related.... Furthermore, they may not read or understand the articles.

Some of the students don't want to submit their assignments ot tutorials. They think these assignments and tutorials worth 5% - 10% contribute small amount of marks to their course. I actually have some students who failed the subjects because they did not submit their assignments or tutorials. These assignments or tutorials contribute to a tiny fraction of the mark (5% - 10%).

About exam, I find that students don't read the exam questions carefully. Students tend to answer the questions wrongly. For example, 'How does Internet work?' When students answering this question, will normally write about 'What is Internet?' When students see the word 'Internet', they will write everything about 'Internet' and they don't see the requirement of the question. The former actually ask for the working of the Internet and not what is Internet.

Student also to leave the question blank. Students try to attempt the exam questions and should not leave them blank. Students should try to answer the questions. At least, this is a chance of getting the answer correct.

The biggest problem of all is the use and understanding of English. Sometimes, I have to spend plenty of time, trying to decipher what the students have written on the exam papers. Students tend to 'translate' other languages directly to English We cannot do direct 'translation.' Each language will have differet ways of writing or grammars. Further to this problem, students also tend to use 'messenger chatting' language to answer question. WE SHOULD THINK IN ENGLISH AND WRITE IN ENGLISH.

1 comment:

AmUyO ToMoKo said...

how was our CF and MA assignments? My classmates and I were really eager to know about it...

regarding the phrase "we should think in english and write in english", i personally think that sometimes what we've written, we also didn't realise that it was translated by using other languages...

Anyway, sir, take care and have a happy holidays!!