Open-book examination: What? How?
---- Dr. K.J. James
Recently R. Bindu, the Minister for Higher Education Kerala told about the desire of her government in favour of Open-book examination as a solution to several crucial issues in the evaluation system implemented by the colleges and universities. Against the opinion of the Minister, who was once an HoD and the Vice Principal of an aided college, hue and cry have been started among the academia, including: teachers, students and the general public. It’s quite natural that positive and negative posers emerge from the society, especially a society, doubtful and adamant to any changes in education. The members of the society share among themselves, the apprehensions about the what and how of it. Their anxieties would melt out when they got answers to the what and how they asked and to seeing scientific and well-thought out alternatives in the colleges and universities in Kerala.
This author, chiefly a teacher of English language & literature and a teacher educator of core subjects, understands that the open-book examination is one existing in various colleges and higher education institutions abroad, and even in some colleges in India on a limited scale. But in order to suggesting as a new concept, he has not made any attempt to tracing back to any model existed anywhere in India or abroad.
What is open-book examination?
The word ‘open-book’ has no much importance in defining it literally. Open-book means, any reference material in manuscript, print or non-print form to be allowed to the examination hall as an outside materials. There is no much variation between the print and non-print reference materials when used an umbrella term the ‘open-book examination’. Hence ‘open-book examination’ means, an evaluation method that gives chances for the examinee to use unlimited sources in any form: manuscript, print and non-print for completing the specified task demanded in the question paper or task sheet. Whatever be the task for examination, all types of manuscript, print and non-print sources, are allowed into the examination hall.
Before writing in detail the how of Open-book examination, this author likes to share certain concerns that, the teachers and learners might feel open-book examination as a mad concept The main concern is how it works in the current context, where the student community is not disciplined and not tamed to accept such a reform which requires more evidences and feedback from the examiners and examinees. To show the workability of open-book examination, the writer likes to give, examples one by one from different areas: Language & literature, Bio-science, Chemistry, Physics and History, respectively. Please read the following examples, for which the main themes to formulating questions are taken from different syllabi of graduate courses. The task may be given to the course-appropriate examinees by teachers as experiments to test the validity and reliability of the concept proposed in this article.
An example for language & literature
Task 1 --- Maximum score is 20
In the present prescribed text book, there is a poem of Robert Frost, titled ‘The road not taken’. Students, please search print or non-print sources for a poem with almost same size, but near to the theme of ‘The road not taken’.
Write an essay comparing both the poems on the following grounds:
a) What are the objectives of the two poets while writing these poems?
b) Which sentence/lines clearly represent the objectives of the poets?
c) Though seem similar in themes, aren’t they slightly different in the presentation and structure? What are they?
d) What are the differences in the images created in both the poems?
Now plan 7 or 8 paragraphs on a sheet of paper and then expand the plan into an essay on four or five pages (approximately 750 words).
Time allotted to complete the task is one-hour. Within this one hour the examinees can use their own text books, journals, library books, internet and anything they find beneficial to complete the task.
The method of evaluation of the essay is the most critical point here with the example. For that, preparation of indicators in the way to rate the responses is an option. Look at the following example of creating indicators with 5 points.
a) Appropriateness of any five relevant comparisons as demanded: 1/2/3/4/5
b) Appropriateness of expression and usages: 1/2/3/4/5
c) Appropriateness of paraphrasing the references from outside: 1/2/3/4/5
d) Cohesiveness of the points/claims: 1/2/3/4/5
An example for Bio-science
Task 2 --- Maximum score is 20
It has been proved that there are micro-organisms beneficial for humankind’s day to day life, as well as detrimental. Suggest any two plans that you may initiate to isolate and name the newly identified micro-organism beneficial /detrimental to humankind’s life. Suggest protocols that may get international acceptance. Evaluation of the output would be based on the following indicators:
a) Suggesting any two different scientifically provable methods: 1/2/3/4/5
b) Comparing the effectiveness between the two methods: 1/2/3/4/5
c) Appropriateness of paraphrasing the references from outside : 1/2/3/4/5
d) Explaining how the newly found out micro-organisms would be beneficial or detrimental to humankind’s day to day life: 1/2/3/4/5
An example for Physics
Task 3 --- Maximum score is 20
Avoiding transmission loss to the least is a challenge in the distribution of power in any country. Suggest a code/set of rules for house electrification plans to be to reducing transmission loss to minimum in Kerala. Consider cost effectiveness, weather and other factors for suggesting a set of guidelines for house wiring.
The task depends on the analysis made on the following order:
a) Identify the loss of resources, if transmission loss is happened:
b) Present the general reasons for transmission loss of power:
c) Analyse the specific reasons, if any for transmission loss of power in Kerala:
d) Examine KSEB Code/Rules to evaluate the effectiveness of the provisions to prevent transmission loss:
Following can be the indicators for evaluating the response in the form an essay/lengthy answer.
a) Suggesting a set of guidelines for minimizing transmission loss in the electrification of houses: 1/2/3/4/5
b) Scientific and proven knowledge on preventing transmission loss reflected on the guidelines suggested: 1/2/3/4/5
c) Appropriateness of paraphrasing the references from outside : 1/2/3/4/5
d) Explaining the newly formed set of guidelines to reducing transmission loss of power in household electrification: 1/2/3/4/5
An example for Chemistry
Task 4 --- Maximum score is 20
Some days before there happened to read about a new movement emerging in different parts of the world. It’s in slow pace now, the moment is known as ‘anti-wash movement’.
This is an association, members of which stand for not washing dresses or reduce the frequency of washing, as washing process creates certain problems to the green concept.
You may examine the issue of the ‘anti-wash movement’ with the help of following guidelines.
a) Can you guess, how does washing of clothes affect the green concept?
b) What are the chemical changes usually happen in washing of clothes using detergents?
c) What are your suggestions for supporting the green concept as a whole?
d) What about avoiding problems of washing clothes if it creates harm to the green, any alternatives?
Your answer (750 words) would be valued on the basis of the following indicators:
a) Analysing the need of the green concept in different walks and scenes of day-to-day life: 1/2/3/4/5
b) Examining scientifically the chemical changes happen during washing process using detergents: 1/2/3/4/5
c) Examining the need for developing alternatives in support of the green concept: 1/2/3/4/5
d) Suggesting any two plans to reducing/avoiding the consequences while washing clothes using detergents: 1/2/3/4/5
An Example for History
Task 5: Maximum score is 20
There is an argument that Indian Independence in 1947 was the consequence of certain events in Europe after 1939. What are they and how they became triggers for Indian Independence?
An enquiry into the consequences of World War II is expected, in which an analysis is a must to show the following discussion to reach the conclusion:
a) What are the prolonged consequences of World War II in Europe and Asia, in general?
b) What were the immediate consequences reflected on foreign policy of the countries?
c) What are the decisions taken in British parliament about Indian Independence?
d) What conclusion do you reach after the analysis of the above three problems?
Evaluation of the answer (750 words) will be on the basis of the following Indicators:
a) Analysing the prolonged consequences of World War II: 1/2/3/4/5
b) Analysing the immediate consequences on foreign policy: 1/2/3/4/5
c) An appropriate analysis of the decisions of the British Parliament: 1/2/3/4/5
d) Findings about the consequences of World War II and Indian Independence: 1/2/3/4/5
Presumptions
Open book examination has been looked upon down as something to be carried out by the real implementers (teachers) without proper knowledge and confidence. Because, the present teachers of the colleges and universities are not generally trained to plan appropriate classroom processes and assessment system for each lesson to be taught and evaluated. They follow or reconstruct the methodology they had experienced or they visualise certain methodology in its rude form where they think as the best choice. Their un-fashioned attempts have no backing of Cognitive/Pedagogical Science, which turn their teaching as a matter of readiness and commitment only, rather than a skilled activity.
Take an eye-opener from the Nursing Science as an example: out of readiness and commitment to the fellow beings, one can dress the minor wounds of a patient or spread the sheet neatly over the bed of the patient. But, whatever be the level of readiness and commitment, can anyone change the artificial respiratory tube or excretory tube fixed to the patient’s body as an attempt of treatment? To do it scientifically and thus successfully one wants the knowledge in Nursing Science. Same way, teaching and evaluation require appropriate training and experience before the teacher enters into the actual teaching job in colleges and universities.
If the governments and universities demand open book examination to be implemented by a set of teachers who are not: receptive, progressive and committed to, what would be the end result of open book examination? Teachers of all designations are to be oriented in the methods of knowledge construction and evaluation of the knowledge constructed through their facilitation. For that a comprehensive project can be thought out by each college as a whole or department of the college. In such an orientation, following are the presumptions to be formulated among the teachers, who are solely responsible for facilitating the experiences for construction of knowledge and the evaluation visualised by the curriculum:
a) Construction of knowledge that happens within the learner is the objective of all classroom processes and experimentation in the lab or outside. Construction of knowledge is little incidental, but chiefly it’s a planned exercise controlled substantially by the curriculum, syllabus, text books, teacher’s interaction etc. and ultimately by the evaluation.
b) Teacher’s mongering to the class may supply information, names or data to the learners, as such it doesn’t guarantee construction of knowledge. According to cognitive science, construction of knowledge is achieved only when maximum synaptic connections are realised within the neurons. Hence the impact of teaching is with the thought process or the cognitive process of the learner.
c) Just identifying: names, places, authors, or recalling a formula for a mathematical calculation or reproducing the expansion of a short form etc. are lower level cognitive processes, for which mental exercises are generated to a minimum. As such, these type of questions do not activate the cognitive system and thus they don’t represent the construction of knowledge that happens with each individual learner. Hence, these types of questions are not at all suitable for open-book examination, where the knowledge constructed are to be observed and measured.
d) But, comparison, classification, reaching inferences, discriminating, predicting, evaluating, suggesting new, differentiating, establishing cause and effect relationship, deducting, analysing etc. are considered to be higher order thinking processes which require intense utilisation of attention and decision taking. Recent researches have established through brain imaging techniques that a stronger synaptic connection and thus ionic changes happen at the time of higher order thinking processes. Need not to say about the mileage of the above higher order thought processes, if included for open-book examination. There the learner has to analyse and critically think to write the answer of oneself, which is unique from other examinees.
e) Yet another presumption one sees is that, in open-book examination there is an attempt to integrate the learning experiences of one lesson/unit/chapter of the same subject/paper with other lessons or chapters. For an example, unit 1 of the Physics text may be Magnetism, and unit 2 is on Electromagnetism. There is a chance for framing a task for open-book examination with the wording: Suggest a plan with any five provisions for the care of appliances/devices using magnetism and electromagnetism.
f) Colleges and universities can give certain number of models to framing questions for open-book examination and be presented to the teachers for analysis to frame new questions for actual use in the examination hall. Static models as available in the case of traditional question papers, may be transformed to get new questions. The traditional type of questions shown at the end of each unit/chapter are not at all useful as such for open-book examination, as they were formed by the authors to revise learning only after completing the reading of that particular chapter.
Now read all the examples once again, for a critical analysis on the basis of the six presumptions explained above. Teachers may understand that questions for open-book examinations are not items given to the examinees to reproduce anything what they have learned earlier as such, where recalling of certain information or data that had been presented to them through the dry lecture of the teacher or supplied to them through notes of the lecturer. The task in the open book examination takes care of the responsibility to construct or generate knowledge for solving the problem presented to the examinee, which is based on that particular unit/chapter and/or integrated with other portions of same subject/paper. Certain tips that seem necessary for the beginners are also shown below, which be helpful for them to frame certain questions on experimental platform:
Tips for open-book examination
a) New production or construction of knowledge is expected from the examinee, rather than presentation of certain answers set earlier within the mind of the examinee through earlier practice attempts.
b) Reproduction or recalling of facts and information shall get only low score in the assessment of answers as they are not evidences of creation of knowledge.
c) What the examinee produces or creates as the answer, should be viable for observing and measuring, then only it would be awarded with appropriate score.
d) Question or task for evaluation is to be introduced to the examinee only in the form of problem to be solved, where inquiry or discovery should be the mode of learning.
e) Encountering a problem or feeling a problem, forming hypothesis or accepting temporary solution, planning to analyse the problem, data collection, analysis and reaching conclusion are the steps for finding answer for the questions in open-book examination.
f) Otherwise, each attempt is a mini dissertation, project or investigation into the depth of the subject for which the open-book examination has been targeted.
g) One more tip has been included in framing the questions for Open-book examination, i.e. the problems are asked so as to get solutions/suggestions from the examinee. These questions are formulated from news reports or studies coming as current affairs from each area.
Open-book examination makes both the examiner and the examinee autonomous in the sense that, it provides them a vast area where they like to dig out new knowledge and to form decisions. The examiners and the examinees are brought out of the shell of syllabus and curriculum that straightjacket them. As open-book examination frees them from all unnecessary controls that bind them, the examiners and the examinees think progressively and creatively for framing questions and responding to questions, respectively with challenges. In open-book examination, the examiners and the examinees are not followers of what their counterparts have accomplished before. With the creation of new problems for open-book examination, the teacher is being elevated to the position of a research guide, and the examinee to the status of a researcher. Together they investigate into the problem, thus every question of open-book examination becomes a combined research activity.
