Unknown examination dates

I particularly commend him on this issue, as most students I know would never even imagine that un-knwon test dates are a good thing. They'd be considered "unfair. " In the first round, I will not attempt to rebut my opponent's arguments, but rather set up the positive case for setting known test dates. 1. Students should know their expectations. I remember my first big surprise in my undergrad classes, when my professor highlighted all the information we needed to know throughout the semester for our exam. I asked him about this, because it didn't seem as though this was really challenging the class or getting us to learn. As an education professor, surely he knew better. He responded by explaining that the point of a test is to test what one knows, and the point of the teacher is to teach the relevant material. Now he didn't give us the exact questions or anything like that, but expectations were clear from the start. Failing to know what an assessment will cover and failing to know the time frame expectation for learning are not conducive to effective teaching or learning. 2. Exam structure makes the exam, not knowledge of the expectations. This point plays very well from my previous one. My opponent is under the impression that what constitutes true learning is absent in exams where the day is known. If the exam is pure multiple choice, based on a study guide of exact questions handed out to students, requiring solely rote memorization - I agree. But teachers don't have to make that low-level type of exam. I would argue that the type of exam that can be memorized so easily is actually void of significant meaning whether you know the test date or not. On Bloom's Taxonomy of learning [1], this has to rank pretty low. If, however, a teacher would give an essay exam that requires students to expound on themes discussed throughout the year, using terminology in the appropriate context, students could not simply "Christmas tree" their answers or rely on rote memorization. Regardless of how much you cram terms, a good exam will measure your understanding of them, not your memorization. If understanding is measured, knowing expectations (including the time of the exam) is a good thing. 3. Repetition and review are keys to learning [2]. I took Chemistry once in high school, and once in college. Both times I struggled with the concepts. This year, my school needed me to teach it. Surprisingly, it was pretty easy to pick up in a very short time. This is not only due to my growth, but due to the key of exposure. It is very well known in cognitive psychology that the amount of exposure to something increases one's ability to remember and grasp a concept. That is why students who study more frequently for shorter periods of time, as opposed to cramming, will actually have a more firm grasp and recollection of their work [3]. 4. Test anxiety is real [4]. While no exam method will completely annihilate test anxiety, an unknown exam date certainly exacerbates the problem. When goals and expectations are straightforward, students are able to feel more prepared and train better over time. Reducing worry is vital to ensuring that what is being measured is student understanding, not emotional variance. Summary: In summary, knowing specific goals is vital to appropriately teaching students. This does not preclude significant, higher level learning, as the learning does not come from being surprised, but rather from appropriate assessment. During the year and the final review session, teachers and students will have the opportunity to be exposed more frequently to information, as this is what will effect learning. Cramming would have no part in such a system, since it would prove to be a highly ineffective strategy. And as an added benefit to having a known test date, teachers will be supporting students who would otherwise show false performance results due to test anxiety. I look forward to hearing my opponent's rebuttals. This should prove to be a very interesting discussion. [1] . http://www.learningandteaching.info... [2] . http://psycnet.apa.org... [3] . http://www.soundfeelings.com... [4] . http://academicanxiety.org...