This week, year 12 students in New South Wales will begin their final exams, with students in other states soon to follow. This can be one of the most stressful times in a students’ life. It can also be very stressful for parents trying to support their children. But there is a superpower in the arsenal […] … learn more→
Tag Archives: Exams

Self-compassion is the superpower year 12 students need for exams … and life beyond school

Online and in-person exams both have problems – that’s now clear. Unis have a window of opportunity to do better
The pandemic pushed universities to launch or accelerate plans for delivering examinations online. These forced transitions have often been painful, involving stress and burnout. Exams have been a big pain point. There are many accounts from the pandemic of widespread cheating in online exams. These range from the amusing to the depressing. Regardless, cheating creates problems for everyone involved. […] … learn more→

The return of in-person exams will be a relief – including to invigilators
The UK government’s announcement that all universities in England can resume in-person teaching from today will give a welcome boost not only to students but also to exam invigilators like me. Online exams were the only sensible option during the height of the pandemic – although it took some university departments quite a while to […] … learn more→

Your partials, on site or to take away?
Faced with the current confinement, there is uncertainty as to the future of the exams. Universities like the Sorbonne have been forced to postpone all their exams, while others, like Dauphine, are exploring online solutions. In this period of crisis, reinventing evaluation becomes a necessity, but institutions and teachers sometimes lack benchmarks. To see more clearly, here is a […] … learn more→

Large-scale education tests often come with side effects
When results come out for big education tests like the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), which primarily measures 15-year-old students’ knowledge and skills in reading, mathematics and science, the focus is often on which countries scored the highest. The education systems of countries that do well on this test are often portrayed as models for the […] … learn more→

Stimulants: Using them to cram for exams ruins sleep and doesn’t help test scores
Along with a steeper financial burden and an increasingly competitive academic environment, this year’s incoming freshman university class will likely be confronted with the pressure to take a little pill that some popular culture references say will make you “awesome at everything.” Or they may eschew the temptation and rely on the standard practice of study, sleep, repeat. […] … learn more→

How to properly prepare for two of the biggest exams of your life – SAT and GMAT?
Your adult academic life will be defined by two of the most important exams: your SAT exam and your GMAT exam. You will spend quite some time properly preparing for these exams, but many of you are still unaware of how to manage the process itself. Fear not, because, in the following paragraphs, we will […] … learn more→

Why the UK A-Level psychology exam is already out of date
As two university lecturers, we are concerned about the new psychology A-Level, which has been taught to teenagers since September 2015. Our concern is that the new syllabus is narrow and out of step with much psychological research and practice. This is worrying because for many students, A-Level psychology will be their only formal encounter […] … learn more→
What is the maths behind an exam timetable?
Sweaty-palmed and reciting facts over and over in their heads, the hordes of university and school students sitting down to exams this month will have precious little time to think about how their exam timetable was put together. A typical university student – if there is such a thing – may sit five or six […] … learn more→
Sleep deprived College students battle final exams
[/caption] This infographic was provided by Brown Mackie … learn more→