Students Prefer Exams

Dr. Beaglehole acted as adjudicator.

Mr. Bollinger opened the attack for the students and outlined his chief grievances against the examination system, but his remarks, as it turned out to be, were very little more than a preview of his supporters attack he maintained that there had been little or no progress in educational methods since the earliest times. Examinations test dry [unclear: facts] and, because of this, they defeat the aims of the University. They also [unclear: unbalance] the student and it is the man with the camera mind the man who swots his text books in desperation over the last few weeks who triumphs while the industrious student who has studied throughout the whole session frequently falls.

Mr. Braybrooke in opening the discussion for the staff, stressed that the aim of the university is to produce the independent critical mind, and, to achieve this, certain techniques and habits of thought are necessary. Tests must be applied to ensure that the graduating student is worthy of his degree and the examination system exists to ascertain this. The student is expected to be able to make a commentary on a set piece of work and prepare a thesis and, when he goes out into the world, he is expected to demonstrate his attainments. Examinations are the traditional and only way of assuring that a student benefits from his study.

Mr. Cruden considered the relationship of the fresher student to the university. He spoke of the low standard of passes and attributed this to the alteration from the University accrediting system, which had proved its excellence, to the rigorous Stage I examinations. The accrediting system is designed to defeat laziness.

Mr. Scott was inclined to ridicule the student approach. They could not have the sweet without the bitter as they wanted. But he thought that the examination could be held at the end of the third or fourth year as knowledge is retained better when the examination is a long way in the future.

Replying to Mr. Scott, Mr. Foy proceeded about his fiery oratory with some scintillating rhetoric but he said very little else besides stating his intention to compare the examination system with religion, sex and politics.

Mr. Monk closed the case for the negative with an outline of the adverse effect of a different system upon the staff. The aim of the present system is to benefit the staff now and the student later as he goes through life. The staff could not cope with accrediting which consists of not one, but innumerable examinations.

There were eight student speakers from the floor but strangely enough, only one student supported his colleagues. This speaker, Mr. Milburn, was adjudged the best student speaker on the night. He argued that the student should be able to translate words into action but, in the present system, he only saw the subject through the examination. The best student speaker for the negative was Mr. Whitta who outlined the cost of accrediting to the taxpayer. The system of operating in the University Entrance examination provided fees when the money could be better used in employing more teachers. The puzzle of the evening was the conciliatory attitude adopted by Mr. Elwood a new speaker, who decided that the negative had established the better of two poor cases. The other speakers merely reiterated the arguments for the negative that had preceded them.

In his reply to the affirmative. Mr. Braybrooke struck out straightaway at Mr. Milburn, charging him with irrelevancy. His theory for the low percentage of successes in the university was that the student adopted the attitude in examinations that he should write all he knows whether it is apt or not. The main purposes of examinations is the integration of knowledge and, unfortunately, the three-hour examination is insufficient to discover whether or no the student has integrated his learnings, The hypochondriac that Mr. Bollinger, described is the sort of man who is not fit to face the crises of life and it is only right for his own sake that he should fail in his examinations. Concluding the debate for the negative. Mr. Braybrooke declared that the examination system, proved over the years, was the most feasible system and one which achieved the aims of the university.

In his final address. Mr. Bollinger fell rather short of expectations. He referred to Mr. Braybrooke as a man suffering from a neurosis and gave an example of what he thought wan affecting the lecturer. He emphasised that an accrediting system was essentially one of constant surveillance which gives a very helpful stimulus to the student in his work and that this should replace the examination. On the whole, his reply was unconvincing and lacked any vestige of the assurance which a final speaker should be able to put into his delivery.

Dr. Beaglehole treated the debate as it deserved, remarking on the apparent lack of knowledge concerning examinations among the speakers. He felt that the staff at limes may have had some faint suspicion of what they were discussing but the students showed that they were inclined rather to evade the issue than come out into the open and defend it. He criticised four of the evening's speakers on the intrinsic merits of their addresses and remarked on the rhythm and variety of Mr. Milburn's presentation.

Mr. Curtin was in the chair.