[originaltext]W: It’s time Makes You Think, and today our subject for discussio

W: It’s time Makes You Think, and today our subject for discussion is "Exams: what are they good for". Here in the studio to discuss exams we have Jason Green, educational psychologist Jason, I believe you are against exams.
M: Well, I wouldn’t put it as bluntly as that. However, I’m not really in favor of exams as a testing device if they are all that is used to assess people’s ability.
W: And why is that?
M: For a variety of reasons. Firstly, because I feel that examinations deviate from the aims of the educational process .The goal of exams becomes not learning itself, not increasing our knowledge, but rather the acquisition of pieces of paper which prove that, at some time or other, we were able to do something.
W: But, without exams, how else are other people to know what we can do? How else are selections to be made?
M: With some difficulties, I admit, but I would like to confine the issue to exams at school. I don’t think that exams should be a central part of a person’s study at school. They are far from being the most suitable way to assess whether learning has taken place and indeed, for some people, they may inhibit learning.
W: Of course, any examination system has its limitations, but I can’t see any practical alternative to them. If you cancel exams, what would you put in their place?
M: Well, as I have said, I wouldn’t cancel them altogether, but I would greatly reduce their importance as a testing device, and would instead place more emphasis on continuous assessment throughout the year and on project and assignment work. That would also have the merit of keeping students motivated and working hard instead of cramming for a few weeks, or even a few days, before the examination.
W: OK. Now, let’s see how the audience look at this problem.