Opinion by AvaWeis

In a world of constant change and innovation, one thing that has never changed is how students’ knowledge is evaluated. Endless tests and quizzes causing students to feel anxious and stressed is how our society measures intelligence. But is this system causing more harm than good?

Studying till 1 a.m., memorizing information and cramming until the last minute are all realities that students face before an exam. Even students who take the time to study weeks in advance often still review and cram before the exam day. But is all of this the best and healthiest way to learn?

I argue that most testing is unhealthy and does not prove students’ full knowledge on a subject. For example, someone who has an English test over a novel can read the entire book and score the same or worse as someone who studied a Quizlet and memorized the answers and quotes. This is not fair and does not show what the student learned about the novel.

On a similar note, many students do not work well with so much pressure on their backs on the day of the test. This added anxiety often causes students to do worse than they normally would on an average assignment. Most students feel immense pressure to do well on every test due to the heavy weight that tests carry in our grades.

Coming from someone who does very well in school, our society has idolized testing validation for too long. Acing a test purely by short term memorization is not more impressive than the girl who really tried to learn the information but just didn’t have the best test day or did not do well with the exam format. 

Not only are many tests stressful, but they also hinder creativity and original thinking. In many subjects, not every question has one answer, and our society has forgotten this idea. Learning to communicate multiple solutions and defend your thoughts is an important part of life in the workforce.

 I do understand that some testing involves problem-solving and logical thinking. Math exams, for example, involve working out problems and finding a correct answer. This type of testing, while it can still be stressful, does a better job of proving knowledge.

My solution to the problems that most exams create is to replace them with interactive projects, writing, labs and activities. This would allow students to show and explain what they know about a specific topic in a less stressful environment with open communication and collaboration. The theology service project that juniors participate in is one example of an educational experience that is less stressful than a test. It also allows students to go out and serve in the Omaha and Marian communities  as well as creatively put together a presentation. 

In the end, not all testing should go away. However, I think that many students find the benefit in classes with a good mixture of activities, labs, projects and tests.