For most people, the word "exam" is something very disturbing and intimidating. Thinking about him, everyone imagines a terrible examiner, tickets and an unknown task hidden in him. This uncertainty scares many people. But passing the exam is not as scary as many imagine. This is just a procedure for testing knowledge in a particular subject or area. So that this word does not cause negative emotions, let's try to figure out what this process is and how to properly prepare for it without psychological experiences.
What is an exam
So, analyzing the word itself, it is worth saying that it came from the Latin word examen, which means test. That is, in other words, the exam is a test of your skills and abilities. Over the years, no better way has been found to test human knowledge. After all, with the help of such a procedure, you can check anything: memory, logic, and ingenuity. Of course withevery year humanity improves and comes up with new ways of testing, but the principle remains the same. The main purpose of the procedure itself is to determine the quality and quantity of knowledge in a particular area. For this, different types of exams have been developed.
Types of exams
Whether it's a Russian language exam or a math exam, there are variations in the testing procedure for each subject. The most common are:
- exam using tickets;
- interview;
- seminar;
- written work;
- testing;
- computer check.
When talking about exams, most often we imagine an educational institution. And this is true, because it is there that periodic checks and knowledge control are most often carried out. Although not only. For example, when obtaining a driver's license, the driver must also pass an exam, and this is also a test of his knowledge of the rules of the road. Or, in modern organizations, it is now very fashionable to test their employees from time to time in order to stimulate them to acquire new knowledge. But we will still turn our attention to educational institutions, as places where exams are held most often.
The ticketed exam is one of the most common types. It's a kind of lottery. You can pull out a difficult ticket, or you can, on the contrary, get a few easy questions. The procedure itself is that the examiner must draw one of the offered tickets, and after some preparation, answer all his questions.
The interview does not involve random selection of topics, but a more thorough review of everything that has been studied throughout the course. The examiner conducts a conversation with the student and during it asks various questions to which he wants to get the correct answers.
A seminar is not an individual, but a collective process of communication, when the teacher talks with several students at once and during the conversation reveals the degree of development and depth of knowledge of the examinees. Usually this takes place in the form of a round table, where everyone talks and exchanges opinions.
Written work, of course, is written on a special sheet or form. Usually all students sit in the same room, they are given a task and the time for its completion is announced. At the end of the time, everyone turns in their work.
Testing is also a written job, but instead of an open answer to a question, you just need to choose the correct answer from the options provided. Usually written on a ready-made form, where you only need to put a tick next to the correct answer.
Testing can take place not only in writing, but also on computers. Specially designed programs help in our time to conduct such an exam in any subject. For a certain time, the student simply has to answer the questions by making the right choice. The computer itself assigns points.
Benefits
It is logical that depending on the subject, the optimal type and form of the exam is chosen. After all, for example, an exam in the Russian language is more correcthanded over in writing, but history can be completely handed over both in writing and orally. Of course, each exam has its pros and cons. Let's dwell on the advantages of each of them in more detail:
- The ticket exam does not require special preparation from the teacher, and the student knows in advance what questions may be on the tickets. This makes it possible to carefully prepare for it.
- The interview allows the student to show a creative approach to the subject, apply logic, ingenuity, and the teacher helps to test knowledge more extensively.
- A written exam gives a person the opportunity to calmly think about the answer.
- The seminar helps those who know the topic to navigate the process worse, relying on the answers of others, and still participate in the general discussion.
- Testing always involves the ability to guess the correct option, although it is better not to count on this.
- Computer verification facilitates the work of the teacher and eliminates the factor of emotional evaluation of the student in one direction or another. After all, a computer has no favorites.
Flaws
Of course, the exam is not only positive factors. Each of them has its drawbacks.
- By pulling out a ticket, you limit yourself in choosing a topic. You are obliged to adhere only to those topics that are indicated in the ticket. And if you're unlucky, it doesn't matter how well you know other topics.
- Interviewing requires a huge emotional cost from both the teacher and the student.
- Written work does not give you the opportunity to correct your answer,how can this be done orally, having recovered in time.
- The seminar does not always provide an opportunity to reveal the abilities of absolutely all the subjects. There is also a chance that some students will simply get lost in the general discussion, or feel embarrassed to express an opinion.
- The lack of tests is that it is not always able to reveal all the student's skills. Where a more extensive answer is needed, only the dry answer "a" or "b" is chosen. And that doesn't sit well with many teachers. There is also the option to write off.
- The same can be said about computer testing, only without the possibility of cheating, because basically this testing is done individually.
Purpose of the event
Depending on where and why the test is carried out, there are different exam formats. So, at the end of a certain institution, students take a final exam in one or more subjects. If this is an exam after the 11th grade, then they pass a unified state exam, established by the norms of the ministry. When entering an educational institution, you must pass an entrance exam. If we talk about the learning process itself, then when moving from one class to another or from one course to another, transfer exams are taken. Students, for example, take the OGE exam after grade 9.
When exams appeared
Both written and oral exams have been around for a very long time. It is generally accepted that they appeared as a form of control in the 19th century. After the revolution in 1917, the exams were canceled, but afterintroduced, because nothing more effective was found. It was decided to conduct a test after each class plus when entering a university. Since then, the education system has undergone many changes. The reforms changed the types and forms of control. And in 2007, it was decided to conduct a single exam throughout the country.
OGE exam
All students already from the 5th grade know what tests await them throughout their studies at school. The first such test is the 9th grade exams. This is the main state exam, which is mandatory. For some, it is intermediate before moving to grade 10, while others need it to enter secondary specialized institutions such as a technical school or college. This exam is very similar to the one that children will need to take after grade 11, namely the exam.
State exam
The main purpose of the unified exam is to create an equal opportunity for all students to enter higher education institutions. All tasks are designed in the same way, with the same level of difficulty. Scoring is carried out according to a single system. There is no possibility to manipulate the results, since all works are encrypted. The fact that all students know in advance that they have to take this exam makes them take a more responsible approach to their studies and prepare for it.
How to prepare for the exam
You already understood that the exam is not always scary. Responsibly? Yes. But do not bring yourself and the child to a nervous breakdown.the day before the exam. Whether you pass exams in grade 9 or 11, it doesn't matter. Approach this process calmly and responsibly, and you will have no problems.
The examinee must prepare in advance for the test. If necessary, seek the help of specialists, tutors. Periodically checking yourself, analyze the degree of preparedness. And most importantly - mentally tune in to success, try not to be nervous both on the eve and on the exam itself. After all, a nervous state prevents a person from concentrating. And remember, nothing will stop you from doing well in the exam if you really know the subject.
