Business students create own open book exam poll
Business and Economic Faculty students have conducted their own research on whether students see closed-book exams as valuable.
BY ERIN CONSTABLE
News of Monash University's Business and Economic Faculty removing open book exams sparked a recent poll on student Facebook group Monash Stalkerspace, an informal student discussion group.
The majority of students who participated in the poll agreed the faculty should have more open book assessments.
Although, a minority of students worried about the potential for cheating in open book, non-invigilated exams.
Monash Business School Deputy Dean Professor Robert Brooks said the intention of the Business and Economic Faculty is to use a broad range of assessments its courses.
"The faculty of business and economics wished to make use of a broad portfolio of authentic assessment,” Prof. Brooks said.
"Some units will continue to have invigilated exams, as these will meet the accreditation requirements of professional bodies," he said.
These means, despite the student backlash, invigilated exams are here to stay for selected units.
"Some units will continue to have invigilated exams as these are the most appropriate way of assessing learning outcomes given the curriculum and pedagogy in the units," Prof Brooks said.
"Other units will have a broad portfolio of final assessment tasks appropriate to the learning outcomes, curriculum and pedagogy in those units."
Professor Brooks said the hybrid-format of assessments will benefit students, as they will have the opportunity to undertake a broad portfolio of authentic assessment tasks.
"Improvements in education are a response to a variety of considerations including student feedback, course reviews, requirements of accreditation bodies and academic research," he said.
Third-year business student Matthew Issell said exams should test students' application of the knowledge learnt throughout a semester.
Assessments should also be relevant to the current business environment, he said.
"In today's current society, managers have access to all types of information all the time. What's important is how they apply that information to relevant business decisions," Mr Issell said.
Mr Issell said the ability of open book assessments should mimic real life scenarios, rather than students memorising definitions.
"I would be happy for closed book exams to be abolished [to allow] access to all types of information," he said.
Second-year business student Natasha Richards agreed with this.
Ms Richards said assessments should practice real work-application of knowledge and experience and it was appropriate to remove closed book exams.
"The memorisation of terms and definitions is not particularly important, but more so the ways students understand and apply content to real world scenarios," she said.
