Why exams and studying for them is important
Examinations are one of our modern rituals, like sending the young ones out into the mountains without food for a few days.
OPINION: I was terrible at sitting school examinations
I hated everything about them. I hated the lottery of trying to guess the questions, I hated memorising stuff, I hated having to write furiously until my hand ached, and worst of all, I hated that awful feeling of blind panic, sitting in that deathly quiet school hall when I had no idea what the answer was, and the clock was ticking, and everyone else was doing better than I was.
Examinations are one of our modern rituals, like sending the young ones out into the mountains without food for a few days. They are nevertheless important and where students have the opportunity, they should be encouraged to take up the challenge, for at least four reasons:
First, students cannot get a course endorsed with merit or excellence unless an examination for part of the course is passed with a merit or excellence grade. In a competitive market a merit or excellence in almost every subject is much better than a simple pass.
Second, some universities may well expect students to pass particular assessment standards which are assessed using NZQA exams, and if these expectations are not met, it can create a big problem.
Third, exams assess important skills- the ability to work and think under pressure and to retain information. Students need to practice and demonstrate these skills if at all possible.
Finally, since NZQA exams are common across the country, unlike school based assessments, they provide useful independent national comparisons for prospective employer and tertiary institutions.
By far the best way of preparing for examination is to work through previous examinations. Students should contact their teachers, or visit the NZQA web site to source past papers for the last two to three years.
When I was Deputy Chief Executive of NZQA with responsibility for NCEA one of the principles we established was that examinations should not be about ‘‘tricking’’ candidates or asking obscure questions. The content of an examination should not, in other words, be a surprise to any student who has been taught well and who has revised adequately.
Admittedly, examiners sometimes get it wrong and come up with a silly question, but mostly they get it right. So the message is clear: revision is critically important.
Revision needs to be active not passive - students need to organise their notes, check their textbooks/ workbooks and most of all, understand and comprehend, rather than simply memorise.
Writing concise summaries from notes on prompt cards is a much better approach. By doing this a student has to process the information in the brain, and change it from one form to another, and this is what helps it stick. Trying to explain an idea or concept to someone (a willing parent is a good option, or a fellow student) also works well for the same reason.
Active revision like this should be done in concentrated bursts of 45 minutes. I would not be doing more than 3-4 hours revision per day but this will depend on the number of standards being examined. Staying up for half the night to revise is a mistake. Remember the obvious: sleep, good food and exercise all contribute to an active and alert mind.
It is worth establishing a proper revision timetable, especially for the period during which students are on leave from school prior to and during the exam period. The timetable should allow time for relaxation and socialising, within reason.
The period of school leave prior to the NZQA exams is increasingly used by schools to offer extra tutorials and help sessions. Some schools will call back specific students who they feel need additional support to achieve their objectives. Parents should check out what is on offer, and if it is not what you want, phone and ask for help. Most teachers will be happy to respond.
Parents and students should review previous exam and test performance, particularly in the practice NZQA examinations which most schools run. What went and what did not? This will help in providing focus for the revision programme.
Finally, when students are actually in the examination room they should remember to read the question properly and underline key words. They should also check their answers, watch the clock and above all keep calm and breath deeply, remembering all the time that they are just part of a modern ritual.