One UAE university scrapped exams – why?

Exams' effectiveness in preparing students for the challenges they will meet in their professional lives is being questioned. PA

The rapidly changing workplace has rightly led universities to reconsider how they teach and what they teach, but it is equally essential that we look again at how we assess our students.

Examinations, once an essential part of degree programmes, can be a useful mechanism for assessing information retention, but are they an effective way to drive learning and develop the transferable skills required for the workplaces of today and tomorrow?

The limitations of traditional exams are well recognised. Nevertheless, they remain an integral part of many university assessments. At worst, students find themselves caught in a relentless cycle of cramming information into their heads before the exam, only to forget most of it once the test is over. It is as though we are assessing only their ability to commit information to memory.

This type of assessment stands in stark contrast to the flexibility and adaptability required to thrive in the real world. What good is knowledge if you cannot apply it to real-life situations? Exams fail to adequately prepare students for the challenges they will face beyond the classroom walls.

The rise of generative AI and tools like ChatGPT are increasingly making the traditional focus on essays and memorisation less effective. E+

At Zayed University we have scrapped exams entirely because we do not believe they are the best way to drive and encourage learning or prepare graduates to meet the demands of the modern workplace. Instead, we need assessment methods that encourage students to actively participate and engage in their classes throughout the academic year, and that evaluate them on a continuous basis.

By fostering a culture of continuous assessment for learning (rather than assessment of learning at the end of the semester), students can remain focused and invested in their learning journey. Structuring our courses to provide regular assessment before, during and after class encourages students to take responsibility for their own learning and enables tutors to provide regular feedback. This approach promotes continuous improvement rather than relying on a last-minute, end-of-semester cramming session. When students interact intentionally with their course material on an ongoing basis, they are more likely to develop deeper understanding.

Continuous assessment provides a more accurate representation of a student's progress and capabilities. It allows educators to track growth over time, identifying areas that may need additional attention and tailoring instructions accordingly. By integrating real-world cases and practical applications of knowledge into assessments, students can showcase their understanding beyond rote memorisation and demonstrate their ability to apply concepts outside the lecture hall.

By emphasising practical applications and problem solving, we can create assessments that require students to think critically and demonstrate their understanding

The rise of generative AI and tools like ChatGPT are also increasingly making the traditional focus on essays and memorisation less effective. Students now have access to resources that make it easier to plagiarise. The potential of these technologies to revolutionise the workplace can only be imagined. The answer cannot be a wholesale ban on their use. Instead, we must redesign our assessment to make the best possible use these emerging technologies.

By emphasising practical applications and problem solving, we can create assessments that require students to think critically and demonstrate their understanding. This not only mitigates the impact of AI-driven cheating but also prepares students for the challenges they will encounter in their professional lives, where the ability to apply knowledge in practical ways is highly valued.

The new types of assessment we are embracing involve us using an online learning platform in conjunction with well-designed plans to foster student participation. During our classes, students are tested using various interactive tools such as polls and breakout sessions, as well as focused activities like concept mapping and debates. This is coupled with asking students to prepare more presentations, which they must deliver in the classroom and a greater focus on group projects, which encourage teamwork. Additionally, our platform enables the faculty to use analytics to monitor class participation: if a student hasn’t spoken for some time, then our faculty will know exactly who to call upon for the next question.

Another successful approach we are rolling out at Zayed University is the introduction of Partner Challenges. This programme enables students to work closely with industry mentors on well-structured workplace projects that have clearly defined objectives. This is because students have a great deal to learn from non-academic voices also. We have successfully partnered with almost 100 organisations including Accenture, CNBC, Cisco and the Department of Culture and Tourism.

Taken together, these new approaches to assessment enable a more holistic and tailored educational experience that fosters deeper learning.

Martin Luther King Jr said: "The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education." Do we believe that traditional examinations and a focus on periodic assessment are the best way to achieve this?

True education will be instilled only when universities embrace a forward-thinking approach to assessment, acknowledging the skills and competencies vital for success in today's dynamic and interconnected society. This calls for a paradigm shift in our assessment strategies, moving beyond traditional examinations and summative learning, towards a student-centred approach that encourages continuous learning and feedback, while embracing innovative approaches that reflect the demands of the digital age.