BeIR/webis-touche2020 huggingface dataset:
The fact remains the truth because

The fact remains the truth because EXAMINATION IS NOT THE TRUE TEST OF KNOWLEDGE . Its every where , Instances where after exams student forget most if not all they’ve learnt during the session all because they were reading only to pass the exams and nothing more . this is becoming more and more common among those who just want to find an easy way out to study where student cram solutions to past questions just to pass the exam…..And the exams has not help in anyway either since its has always been repetition of past questions or modification of past question. I really don’t know what to call this but in most cases the teacher will always want you to give them what they give , what am saying is that they want you to write it the way they taught you in the class, you know, I really don’t know what this thing called examination is ? . I will give you an instance , back then when I was in school ,….we had the subject in physics which was very wide and we did a lot of examples and class work , due to the complexity of the course we had to read both text books and all necessary materials we could lay our hands on ….during the exams the questions where just examples we did in the class , and you wont believe it many student failed . What am I saying ….this thing called examination which test how best you can cram and how lucky you could be ? ….what I mean by that is , there are instances where you will go to an exams and your area of concentration will not even be part of the exams ,…not that you don’t know it or you’ve not read but the aspect of the course where you are good is not on the exams …..so you see there are a lot to this examination of a thing….i think there should be a better way of testing students knowledge about what they’ve learned and how deep they understand it …..and not just making them cram past questions and answers..
this s a student point of view

the problem with examination for the purpose of proving oursleves or comparing our resulits to others is that exams are not required for such things. take for example someone who is planning to become a doctor or a surgeon. it may be helpfull to exam them and test them to see if they can memorise a medical text book from cover to cover but does this prepare them for the more pratical aspects of being a doctor such as conversing with paitents to name but one. even the aspects which are tested in an exam format (body parts/systems, diseases and injuries) could be made into a more pratical test which invloes more than just writing and memory skills. By making exams the main way of catagorising us we decide that in the real world memory and test taking are more important than the pratical aspects of each profession.
The Right Discipline

Discussions and debates are useless as a measure of your academic performance if you just can't speak confidently in real time. What do you do in cases where your favorite subject isn't the subject you perform best in? it might seem obvious that people will perform best in subjects they are enthusiastic in and try the hardest in because they like it, but my grades were almost universally best in subjects i hated - because i tried my hardest to 'get them over and done with' so i didn't have to think about them any more, which people mistook for efficiency, and i would write completely mechanically and impartially about them, which made me look more disciplined, especially when the subject was maths and it mostly was mechanical. the subjects i liked were the ones i was more relaxed in and quite often would assume beforehand that I would do well in, causing me to make less effort. But how can you determine whether someone has absorbed information or attained knowledge and can eloquently reproduce it under pressure whilst being timed, without him or her being tested?? http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7102&edition=2&ttl=20091016093241
Flawed tests can defeat a good student

I have never been comfortable with a very good grade (an A) or a very bad grade (an F) I may have received as a result of taking a test. Grades on either extreme often leave me wondering if I've learned anything at all. One thing I have learned recently, as a result of failing miserably on a test, is that the test itself can be flawed. A little research reveals that the skills required to develop a fair, meaningful and comprehensive test, regardless of the subject matter, are considerable. Imagine for example, a mid-term exam, in this case applied mathematics, with an extremely narrow subject bandwidth, as compared with the overall course material, and limited to essentially three questions, two of which are worth 40 points each with the third worth 20 points. None were multiple choice or matching type questions. Miss just one of the 40 point questions and you get an F! To receive an A required a correct answer on 100% of the material! What does a test like this say, to me or the instructor, about what I've really learned in this class? Not much!
The microscopic and responsive nature of examining does not reflect how we use intelligence and knowledge in the real world.

In the world of work, in the world of relationships, in the world of family life, relaxation, further academic study, in all these worlds, one requires the ability not just to learn facts and hold understanding of certain intellectual systems in your head, but to make decisions, come up with ideas about how you want to proceed in using any of these things. You need a much more interactive relationship with the world than a simple 'it exists and I know certain things about it'. Perhaps this aspect of growing up is best provided elsewhere, such as the playground, where certain survival instincts and behavioural tactics are learned or beaten into you, but it seems incredible to me that the educational system couldn't go some way towards alleviating the disparity between how we are examined in the exam hall and how we come to use what we have learned in wider life.
this s a student point of view

so,first we have to consider about our world population.....ipsofacto (infact) our country's population....that would have answered all your questions...if not so continue reading this passage considering the population and the great competition developed at present because of that population....we have to prove ourself through some efficient method even in order to get a job.....and of course we don't have any efficient method for that purpose except examination....... lack of examinations may ...i'm sorry... will definitely cause some unsuited persons to get unsuited jobs and which 'll lead to improper development and will affect the country's development hence to select the good environment for the students according to their ability examinations are must...and im toooo suffering with those stuffs guysssssssssssss.........
The Right Discipline

Examinations are, at times, good and necessary ways of testing a student's ability to commit information to memory, to work under pressure and to find out what they know. However, examinations must not become regular. Regular examinations result in students working toward exams and exams only. They do not work in order to learn. Knowledge for the sake of knowledge is rid of in a system where examinations reign supreme. It becomes knowledge for the sake of passing the class, receiving an "A" etc. Whilst coursework may easily be cheated on, it is ridiculous to suggest that the only other way of testing a student's abilities and knowledge is through examination. Class discussions and debates are, with active class participation, one of the most effective ways of learning and retaining information. Through being forced to better one's own views and opinions, theories and answers, the student gains a deeper insight into their own arguments, becomes better at discussing their views, and the class benefits from listening to these views and thinking about how the views of their peers compare to those of their own. Through this they can alter their own opinions or form new ones. Class participation is a necessary requirement seeing as how even if one person refuses to engage in the discussion, their own ideas are never put to the test of both the peers and their teacher, and so receive no benefit for their own beliefs, and the class also receives no benefit from that particular student. And this is just one student! Full class participation is an absolute requirement. How do we accurately test students? We test them through what they are best at and what they are happiest with through immediate student and teacher feedback during and after classes. Weekly or monthly the parents/guardians of those students will receive report cards, showing which subjects their son/daughter is best at, and which they need the most help with. It will also be noted which classes are that child's favourite. Parents and students must also be able to suggest ways in which their classes could be made better, so long as the suggestions are realistic, reasonable and that they contribute to the learning environment in such a way that the students learn more and at no cost to student/teacher and student/student relationships. For example, bullying must not become more common as a result of changes to the class. Examinations should appear annually, but no more than that. If there are discrepancies between one's examination and one's school work, then this must be investigated, as it would be within the current system now. However, discrepencies are far less likely within this proposed framework, as all the progress and learning goes on during school hours and under the supervision and encouragement of the teacher. (This does not mean to say that kids should not be assigned homework, but the homework itself would be judged on how well the student can prove that they did it i.e., through class discussions the next day).
A formal system needs to be in place.

Guidelines are neither clear nor measurable. Students are duped into believing their innate abilities and potential are being tested whilst they are largely being tested on test-taking ability, confidence and pushiness. What this system encourages is practicing past papers in the hopes of mastering tests and not the subject. Tests do not encourage the pursuit of knowledge so much as the pursuit of great grades. Education should free the mind not restrict it to guidelines that are NOT transparent (As the pandemic of misunderstood Andagogy(opposite of pedagogy) keeps teachers from spoon-feeding or spelling things out). Intellectual exploration is impeded with constant pulls towards mastering guess work and memorising 'standard' methods of answering 'repeated types' of questions that were originally set to test a student's response to unfamiliar problems. Subjective/qualitative papers with essay questions are not as easy to measure as mathematics or other quantitative papers. There are times when different examiners grade the same paper by the same student/pupil very differently. Marks on tests are frequently altered on students' coercion or a teacher/examiner's admittance of human error on his/her part. Pushier/convincing students can push examiners/tutors into raising their grades and exercise this talent frequently. Tests simply require students to cram when studying, and after the test is taken, the information studied is almost immediately forgotten, so the purpose of the test in the first place is gone.
Students can cheat in exams

We are mortal: we are all going to die: does that mean we should all kill ourselves and never attempt to prolong and improve our lives? no it does not The system of testing exists for a purpose, which it may not serve 'perfectly' but serves to an extent. Tests can be improved and cheating can be reduced. Tests with certain test-takers cheating, are better than no tests at all. You might as well not sell anything because some people steal. It is unfair that students who do not cheat and vye for a fair assessment of their abilities and standing on a subject, should be deprived of being tested because of a few bad eggs. There is a difference between 'improvement' and replacement. Testing/exams can not be replaced the conditions in which they proceed are different for different exam centers and different students as you point out that doesn't mean testing should be chucked altogether. efforts can be made to make stringent and similar test-taking conditions( a faulty computer can be fixed that won't stop it from gettting faulty again) for everyone everywhere however to expect perfect results is irrational. It is not tests themselves that allow cheating it is the conditions in which they are conducted. You cannot say that a T.V lying on the road then getting stolen, is responsible for getting robbed. It is the condition(sitting on the road, entirely not the T.V's fault) that leads to the crime/theft.
The fact remains the truth because

“I've been making a list of the things they don't teach you at school. They don't teach you how to love somebody. They don't teach you how to be famous. They don't teach you how to be rich or how to be poor. They don't teach you how to walk away from someone you don't love any longer. They don't teach you how to know what's going on in someone else's mind. They don't teach you what to say to someone who's dying. They don't teach you anything worth knowing.” - Neil Gaiman Given all that you've said the absence of exams/tests would ipso facto, be an even worse assessment of knowledge, potential and/or ability. Since there is no alternative measure that if it were given the importance given to formal testing would/does not fail in all the areas that exams have failed. It is important to know how people perform under pressure since work (and everything else that exams prepare and assess you for) is generally thought to be very stressing. It's not just that we have to give exams so that we can pass, but with exams we revise what we read and when we learn all these things they settle in our mind.
A formal system needs to be in place.

Academic competence and intelligence are not straightforward to measure and no method will fully capture the scope of a student's ability, but the fact remains that we need at least some formal system, otherwise the academic system will not work. We need divisions between ability levels and the amount of experience and knowledge students actually possess, otherwise students will be in environments unsuited to them and won't be able to learn properly. There is no other way to divide them than by testing them in a fair and impartial manner. Exams are good at this because they are not vague - they have clear, measurable guidelines.
They Can Be Used Educationally.

In my opinion ipods,cellphones, and other electric devices should not be banned because you could use these devices for learning. Ipods could be used as calculators. Cellphones also used as calculators and if you can get internet you could search something small and quick up. Other electronic devices like laptops can be used for reasearch for note taking etc. We are living in the twetny first century, people have to recognize that we are getting more into technology and getting rid of paper and pencil. Electronics are moving there way into our lives and theres nothing we can od to stop it. Using technology in class is definetly a yes. There's so much more you can do when using things like ipods, cellphones and other electronic devices. Yes students will be off task sometimes but they wil still get there work done. Over all I tihnk that elctronic devices should be aloud in schools for educaitonal reasons.
camera phones are used to harass students

It is not the knowledge/reporting of these crimes that needs to be drawn to a halt but their perpetration. Kids will be raped,bullied and harassed with or without cell phones. At least with cellphone evidence the police or ultimately the law can't shrug the incident off. [[http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/sep/15/police-rape-handling-review-shelved]] currently most rape cases are dismissed and there are cases where rape victims are dubbed drunken/drugged seducers. [[http://articles.baltimoresun.com/2010-07-25/news/bs-ci-unfounded-rape-conviction-20100725_1_sexual-abuse-ellwood-park-police]] [[http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/home/50925301-76/woman-machan-county-utah.html.csp]] At least when evidence is documented even when it is by malicious evil-doers with cruel intentions, the justice system can't turn a blind eye to justice.
There could be emergencys and it's their own choice.

I think that the students should be allowed to bring cell phones as long as they don't disrupt class or distract themselves and not pay attention due to the phone, if that happens the teachers can just confiscate it and tell that particular student that he/she may not be able to bring a cellphone to school. I think students should have the right of bringing a cellphone to school because its theirs. They have responsibility. if they dont cause trouble with it i think they should be allowed because also it is really convenient for emergencies and also the school phones might be out or they might not have access to one so it think bringing a cell phone is handy also you could use it to help for your classes like a calculator or as a flashlight. Therefore cellphones should be allowed.
No, the schools have phones, the students can use those.

The students at school bring their phones in case of an "emergency". But realistically the only serious emergencies that are happening at school are forgetting your gym clothes or lunch one day. In my school perticularly, an elementary school, you shouldn't need a cellphone, there is a phone in every classroom, as long as you ask the teacher, they'll probably let you use it, but with a personal cell phone, students can always get distracted and be tempted to use them during class.
If used correctly they can diminish interruptions.

Let's assume a large class is taking a test. This class has maybe twenty-five students. The odds that you are able to separate all the students that may possibly be talkative or disruptive is minuscule, but if you allow these students to use an iPod at a low volume they will likely just listen contently. I have personally seen students get away with it for the simple reason that they draw no attention with their head down listening quietly to their preferred music. Isn't the focus of many school rules to minimize distraction to other class members?
camera phones are used to harass students

"Last month, WBOY reported on an incident at WFMS where a fight in the bathroom was recorded on a cellphone and posted on Facebook. Everyone involved in the fight was tagged, including the boy who was beaten up." -[[http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/43104529/ns/local_news-clarksburg_wv/t/complaints-bullying-harassment-continue-marion-county-schools/]] Kids who get threatening text messages and phone calls are 4 times as likely to commit suicide than their counterparts. [[http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GvXqywwV7cw]] "Over a quarter (26%) of teen cell phone users reported having been harassed by someone else through their cell phone. Girls are significantly more likely to experience this (30%) than boys (22%). This trend is more common for those teens whose parents are under 40 and low in educational attainment."- [[http://www.pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Teens-and-Mobile-Phones/Chapter-5/The-cell-phone-has-become-a-new-venue-for-harassment-and-bullying-of-teens.aspx]] [[http://www.examiner.com/parenting-education-in-utica/cell-phones-negatively-impact-our-school-communities]] school fights/rapes are recorded via cell phone to add to the humiliation of the victim and the sense of empowerment perpetrators of these crimes have; there is an understanding that most of them are not caught, even after evidencing their crime and using videos and pictures to spread more fear. "Many schools in London have banned mobile phones because of fears of bullying and robbery. A number of violent attacks on schoolchildren have been filmed on mobile phones equipped with video cameras.In one of the most serious incidents a teenager was shot in the leg by two teenagers who photographed her injuries with a mobile phone. Kerry Deville, 17, had surgery to remove the pellet at Leeds General Infirmary after the incident in Wortley."[[http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1364626/Up-28-men-filmed-gang-rape-cell-phones-girl-11-Texas.html]] [[http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article534788.ece]]
no cellphones should not be allowed in school

i think cellphones are a bad idea to bring to school because there is a probability that you phone might get lost, and your going to tell your parents that you lost the phone. They would get really mad at you. The other bad thing about bringing your cellphone to school is that someone might steal it and not give it back to you. They also might call random people and talk to them. If your cell phone has an annoying ring tone it might ring in class and the teacher might take it and not give it back to you. There are so many things that can go wrong so i think that cellphones should not be allowed in school. If there is an emergency then you can use the office phone or use your friends.KA
Yes, to some degree

I think that iPod's should not be allowed in school to some degree because it gets distracting at times, and people can be playing games and be on the internet instead of listening to the teacher and learning at school. There is a purpose to school, and if you decide to just sit there and play games all day then you will not learn anything, and your grades might start dropping. I think that people should be allowed to be using their iPod's and electronic devices when it is recess time because that is the time when you are free to do anything you want. if people want to spend their recess on there iPod's when it is their free time, I think that, that is totally fair. I think that any other time during school hours is not ok, because if a person is talking and you are sitting in your seat with your iPod, then you might get it taken away, but it is also being disrespectful to the person that is talking, because you are not giving them your attention and being a respectful listener. you can download games and apps prior to going to school and use them while connected to school wifi or not
No, because students will be distracted

Sometimes teachers, parents or students are part of the problem. Parents with teacher cell numbers can include fathers/mothers/students who want to have an affair with a teacher(or vice versa) thus harass the teacher in question(or vice versa) with a multitude of text messages and after-hours phone calls, obsessive paranoid parents who want teachers to hop at their command, and students who think a teacher is their friend and should be updated on and invited to their every social venture. Conversely, teachers may harass parents/students. [[http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/uncategorized/teacher-kills-student-for-objecting-to-love-for-sister_100150309.html]]
Yes, it should be allowed for the case of emergency.

It should be allowed to use cell phones in schools as if there is any emergency case parents can easily inform their children. It should not be allowed to use during lectures but during break it should be allowed. And it also helps after school time as if the children have any transport problem they can inform their parents. Other than this if they have to stay at school after the school time is over for any type of preparation they can inform their parents. but there is some schools that let phones in because of the safety reasons.