Which isn't nearly as fun as watching the detectives: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sed8IjdXdGk
I am in the back of a classroom as I write this, proctoring my last final examination for the fall term. Behind me, out the window is a lovely view of the San Bernardino Mountains, clear, crisp, and inviting. I can sense the fear and concern with the students, convinced, despite my countless tellings, that the exam is terribly difficult, and nearly impossible.
This leads me to consider the purpose of the classic examination. In that it usually serve to replicate knowledge rather than test analytical skill, it has some purpose, but the analysis must then be of a low order. One student suggested a group oral exam, and I countered with an offer for individual oral examinations. This, they explained, would have been even more terrifying than the prospect of the written exam. Yet, the oral exam is closer to the experience of "examination" out in the "real world."
Something to consider for next year, perhaps.
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