The current education system was developed in ancient times, refined and propagated during the colonial era. Currently, there are two types of evaluation systems that are popular among educational institutions: assignment-based and examination-based evaluation systems. The system and approach towards education have been reformed after the recent reforms in the education industry. The United Kingdom, having one of the finest education system in the world, has given preference to the assignment-based evaluation system. In most of its higher education programs, such as the PhD and Masters Degree Programs, assignments are the primary means of progression.
As assignment-based evaluation has become a standard in many fine education systems, the recent reforms in online learning have also considered this. Many prestigious institutes like SNATIKA have chosen this type of assessment system in their programs. Assessment only by assignments or by a mixture of assignments and examinations yields higher marks than assessment only by examinations (Source: John Richardson T.E.). In this article, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of both assignment-based and examination-based evaluation systems.
Advantages of assignment-based evaluation
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An assignment is a written or digitally created piece of academic work. It forces a learner to learn, practice, and demonstrate their progress and achievements in academics. An assignment-based evaluation system considers assignments written by the learners as the measure of learning, as opposed to an examination-based evaluation system. However, many institutes use both systems to varying degrees.
The assignment-based education is a preferred method for senior professionals that are working full-time jobs, have family commitments and have a flair for in-depth education in their industry. In the case of SNATIKA, the immersive syllabus coupled with experience on the part of the learner can make the assignments one of the most intellectually challenging and, at the same time, enjoyable.
Writing assignments is an intellectually challenging task. Especially in advanced programs like PhD and Masters Degree programs, assignments require intensive research on the topics. The proficiency, understanding, and expertise on the subject can greatly vary, depending on the type and length of the assignment. Here are the advantages of this evaluation.
1. Assignment-based evaluation enhances cognitive and analytical capabilities
An assignment needs careful planning. To succeed, a learner needs to connect data from different sources. In doing so, the learner develops logical reasoning and critical thinking. Connecting different pieces of information and putting them together is a mental exercise. Often, it requires the learner to think unconventionally. These abilities are put to the test in educational institutes like SNATIKA, where you are required to write an 12,000-word consultancy project report to earn the UK Masters. Such an intellectual challenge can refine the learner's research and analytical skills and give a range of insights and perspectives into the industry.
2. The learner becomes research-oriented
Writing an assignment needs genuine, scientifically proven, and practical sources for the claims, numbers, and hypotheses mentioned in the assignment. Though the digital world has made information available at the fingertips, it is hard to find genuine news, statistics, or research from the relevant industry. Furthermore, false news and propaganda are on the rise. Fake news has become a major concern for the internal security of most nations (Source: PNAS.org). It takes time and effort to assess the veracity of misinformation, fake news, and claims.
This internet misinformation problem can pose a threat as well as a learning opportunity to assignment writers. Though it takes some time to find genuine sources, with time, learners will develop a flair for identifying the fake from the genuine on the internet. In a world devoid of such a moral compass in the news, this research-oriented, fact-finding skill can be an asset for the learner.
Moreover, the learner will gain in-depth knowledge and understanding of the industry with the assignments. As sources and research become the foundation of assignments, the learner will gain overall mastery of their industry. This attitude will help the learner in future jobs or businesses as it eliminates guesswork, assumptions, and hypotheses.
3. It increases understanding of the subject.
Typically, an assignment needs the complete involvement of the learner to write. This includes all the facilities of the brain like thinking, reasoning, problem-solving, writing, fact-checking, and intuition. Above all, to write something, the learner must have a solid understanding of the topic to the degree of expertise. Copy-pasting or rote rehearsals are simply not an option for writing an original assignment, free from plagiarism. As this forces the learner to completely grasp the subject, their understanding becomes deeper and more robust. Also, assignments help the learner to gain more insights through standing in the shoes of other industry experts, scholars, and researchers.
4. Improves technical writing abilities
Writing an original assignment on any subject stimulates the writer's brain. Without proper structure, flow, or facts, such writing can become tiresome to the reader, who, in this case, is the evaluator. However, due to a deep understanding of the subject, a learner can easily acquire these writing qualities as time progresses. Through trial and error, learners develop and refine their technical writing skills.
Technical writing can be useful in many other areas of the learner's professional life. In this digital age, writing research-based technical articles can change the perspectives of customers, business owners, stockholders, and critics alike. It also enables the learner to articulate their thoughts, ideas, and criticisms in a powerful way to their audience.
5. Promotes originality
Plagiarism is an epidemic. With the exponential popularity of the internet, originality is in short supply. Due to the demand for content and the sheer size of the internet, people resort to copy-pasting content from others. Often, these go unnoticed because of the huge user base. However, it denies the original creator the recognition, money, or popularity that they are entitled to. Saving one's original content from the invasive plagiarists is a daunting task for intellectual property owners and content creators.
Writing an original assignment that had plagiarism limits forces the learner to identify the immorality of copy-pasting. It also teaches the learner to cite their sources and give the original authors the credit and recognition they deserve. In a world where piracy is destroying industries like movies, songs, and photographs, plagiarism-free assignments might cause a revolution.
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Disadvantages of assignment-based evaluation
1. University guidelines
Learners sometimes struggle with understanding the university guidelines on writing assignments. International learners initially find it difficult to understand complex rules, word limits, and the progression process of assignment-based education systems. However, once the learning curve flattens, this can be less bothersome for these learners.
2. Language and accent differences
International learners struggle with keeping up with the language standards, especially the accent of the university. Non-native learners often struggle with expressing their thoughts and ideas in writing. Also, following the complex grammar rules of the language can be a problem.
3. Difficulty with specific skills
If the learner is new to the assignment-based evaluation system, they will struggle with the extra skills that are needed in writing the assignment. They struggle with researching on the internet, where misinformation and clickbait are plentiful. They struggle to connect their learning with reasoning or to express their ideas through words.
4. Plagiarism
For many learners, writing plagiarism-free content can become a major hurdle. Due to poor research and writing skills, plagiarism levels can go higher than the set limitations. Those learners who are new to plagiarism checking find it hard to paraphrase, cite, and edit their academic work.
However, this problem can be easily overcome with modern AI software like Grammarly, Duplichecker, etc. Many such online tools help in paraphrasing and citing the source. Even then, human intervention is necessary to adjust the assignment to the right accent and tone.
5. Time-consuming for educators
Preparing the assignment questions and pointers is a time-consuming task. Also, evaluating the learner's assignments is even more time-consuming. This can add more complexity to educational institutions where the teacher-to-learner ratio is smaller. As a result, teachers will struggle to make ends meet in terms of time limitations.
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The advantages of examination-based evaluation
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1. Self-assessment
Examinations are used to quickly measure learning. Learners can easily determine the quality of their study techniques through exams, tests, and quizzes. These help the learner and the educator to identify and avoid key teaching pitfalls faster than an assignment-based evaluation system.
2. Easy detection of teaching flaws
The examination-based evaluation can detect not only key areas where the learner is failing but also the teacher’s and teaching system's overall performance as well. Similar to the self-assessment by a student, exams can also be used by educators to improve their styles.
3. Personality growth
Competitive environment: Examinations create a competitive environment that reflects similar real-life scenarios. Here, learners are educated to provide results that satisfy some set standards, though they are rigid and outdated. This helps learners thrive in competitive environments.
Memory improvement: Exams increase learners’ memory. It introduces them to a range of memory techniques like rote rehearsals, mnemonics, visualisation, etc. Contrary to popular opinion, these memorization techniques can benefit the brain, thinking, and reasoning of the learner in many ways (Source: Forbes).
Stress management: Examinations induce stress in learners. The need to excel, the possibility of failure and its consequences keep many learners awake at night. However, this can also help in learning and thriving under such pressure.
Such benefits can help the learner develop their competence and performance. This helps with overall personality development.
4. Scholarships and employment opportunities
Finally, examinations and their grades, ranks, or marks can get you scholarships if you are planning to continue your education and job opportunities if you are job hunting. Even today, higher ranks and marks are the sole measure of human intelligence in many countries and companies. This benefits the learner in landing better entry-level jobs.
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Disadvantages of examination based evaluation
1. Examinations have become a formality.
There is always the risk in the examination-based education system that the learner only learns the syllabus to pass and obtain the degree or certification. As a result, the learner focuses only on some key areas of the syllabus and uses memorization instead of understanding the subject to pass the exam. This defeats the purpose of education. As education is viewed as solely a formality to get a job or a seat in a prestigious institution, education loses its meaning. After passing out, most learners won’t even remember what they have learnt. Education that does not develop the learner's knowledge and thinking is only a waste of time and effort.
2. Examinations cause stress.
In many cases, examinations cause anxiety in learners. As exams typically test the learner's knowledge of the whole syllabus on a single day, it causes learning overload or revision overload, which results in stress. This is especially a problem for learners struggling with procrastination and poor time management skills.
In many countries, like India, suicide due to failure in exams is a major drawback of examination-based evaluation. Because of this, over 4,000 students lost their lives by suicide between 2017 and 2019 (Source: The Hindustan Times). This happens due to the social stigma against those who have failed examinations. Unhealthy competition between institutions, and unreasonable expectations of self, family, and society are some of the reasons why many learners lose their precious lives to suicide.
3. Unhealthy rivalry
Examinations are a primary source of the status quo for many prestigious institutions. To secure top ranks, these institutions admit only competitive individuals, which side-lines other learners who are as much in need of quality education as others. This applies to teaching staff as well. Overall, examinations can cause immense stress for both learners and staff, for better or worse. Competition between such institutes leaves a negative effect on their students about the idea of education.
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The SNATIKA pedagogy
SNATIKA combines both these evaluation methods in its pedagogy. The primary evaluation method for learning is assignment-based evaluation. The same is used to evaluate the progress of SNATIKA learners in all the programs. However, SNATIKA uses quizzes for each unit to help learners assess their progress. A quiz in each unit tests the learners' knowledge and helps in identifying the gaps immediately. However, this is only for personal assessment rather than for university assessment. As a result, learners gain robust learning experiences without leaving out the advantages of either of these two evaluation methods.
Conclusion
Both assignment-based evaluation and examination-based evaluation have their merits and demerits. To be successful, learners and educators need to play the learning game to the strengths of both types of systems.
While the assignment-based evaluation develops critical academic and life skills and deepens the thinking capacity of a learner, the examination-based evaluation creates a competitive environment and a drive to perform better in education. However, both systems will fail in the absence of a true learning spirit on the part of the learner. Learning solely for grades, marks, or qualifications defeats the purpose of education. Care must be taken to truly employ both systems to independently develop the thinking capacity, skills, and knowledge of the learner.
While both systems have their own pros and cons, a mixed system carefully wrought according to the needs of learners can be the ideal system for learning. With decades of education experience, our founders at SNATIKA have developed a smart pedagogy that uses both systems to make your crucial higher educational qualification pursuit an enjoyable learning experience for senior learners. Visit SNATIKA and explore our range of prestigious international programs in the higher education category.
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