Way back in my preparation for the Nursing Licensure Exam, my mind is passing the board exam defines my success. This makes me feel motivated and at the same time, I felt pressure and anxiety as the board exam draws near. I even can’t sleep properly. Good thing I have supportive family and friends to encourage me and throw away the rat in my chest. Board exam is the most threatening assessment that I ever had, though its exchange is a fulfilling dream and happiness when I passed. However, for those of my classmates who didn’t passed the board exam felt depressed and cut their communication on the social media by deactivating their account. As the years goes by, some of them passed on the second try and third try, some of them already gave up their dreams. The pressure brought by the high stakes assessment makes a learner to prepare well for the exam and not just trying their luck. On the other hand, to make it less threatening, I think we should change the culture, because if the student failed, it affects his/her mental health, and worse case is would lead to suicide.
A combination of both traditional and non-traditional assessment would make a better assessment, a mixed of objective and subjective approach. In traditional assessment it allow the students to recall their knowledge and in non-traditional assessment allow them to dig in into their understanding and ideas, it allow them to question the questions and develop a creative thinking.
Gian's Blog 