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Open Book Exams Benefits, Technique and Preparation Strategies

As the name suggests, open book examinations (OBEs) permit students to consult their textbooks, notes, or other preparation materials throughout the exam. In this article we have mentioned Open Book Exams: Benefits, Technique and Preparation Strategies.
authorImageNeha Tanna25 Mar, 2024
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Open Book Exams Benefits, Technique and Preparation Strategies

Open Book Exams, The purpose of exams is to evaluate students' academic knowledge. In a student's life, the significance of this assessment cannot be disputed. This assessment is frightening, though, because of the performance pressure and the exceptionally high marks.

Educational institutions are implementing an additional type of evaluation to assist students in conquering this anxiety. There's a growing trend toward open book exams. Pros, drawbacks, and difficulties associated with Open Book Exams are examined in this article. Strategies for boosting your exam score in the event of an Open Book Exams are also recommended. As the name implies, open book examinations (OBEs) permit students to consult their textbooks, notes, or other preparation materials throughout the exam. These tests depart from the conventional method of evaluation, which concentrates on developing an alternative method to evaluate students' academic knowledge than the conventional structure of closed book exams (CBEs). This novel method of Open Book Exams assesses a student's capacity to find pertinent material, understand it clearly, and use it to address issues or provide answers. Now let's examine how OBEs and CBEs affect the lives of students.

Open Book Exams Benefits, Technique and Preparation Strategies

Impact on Education and Preparedness

Students must commit teachings to memory and repeat them verbally or in writing for the standard exam. OBEs, on the other hand, concentrate on using the lessons learned. In terms of preparation, students need to devote more time and energy to CBEs because they will need to study more for these types of tests.

Exam Performance

There is a belief that because references are easily accessible, students will do better on OBEs. That may not be entirely accurate, though. OBEs are designed to verify the application of knowledge that cannot be obtained from outside sources. There is pressure to find the correct knowledge from all the sources available because of the time limit for answering questions during OBEs. Because of this, the OBE process is difficult. To improve their exam scores, students preparing for CBEs employed a deeper learning strategy that involved attentive reading of lecture and chapter notes as well as engagement in activities related to test performance. On the other hand, students who anticipated OBEs might have adopted a less rigorous learning strategy as they believed they could rely on obtaining materials during the test.

Testing Effects

Candidates are assisted in remembering information and applying it in various ways by both OBEs and CBEs. While OBEs assess how well students apply the knowledge they have gained, CBEs force them to think more deeply about what they have studied. Different approaches must be used by students to prepare for various exam formats. The CBEs emphasize memorization by rote. Let's examine the methods that students can use to ace OBEs.

Well Organised Notes

Candidates are assisted in remembering information and applying it in various ways by both OBEs and CBEs. While OBEs assess how well students apply the knowledge they have gained, CBEs force them to think more deeply about what they have studied. Different approaches must be used by students to prepare for various exam formats. The CBEs emphasize memorization by rote. Let's examine the methods that students can use to ace OBEs.

Balancing OBEs And CBEs

Students may be becoming more receptive to OBEs because they feel less stressed and that these tests promote critical thinking above memorization by rote. If the curriculum is adjusted for each stage, OBEs can be applied with success. It is crucial to remember that OBEs are only effective when students use them to further their application-based knowledge development. However, because they guarantee that students have a thorough understanding of a particular subject ingrained in their memory, the conventional CBEs shouldn't become outdated.

Time Constraints

The time students spend looking up the material for the exam is lost on them. They may even find it difficult to separate the information that is appropriate for the posed queries. This consumes a significant amount of time, which affects the allotted time to finish all exam questions.

Reliance on study resources

Students who take OBEs become highly reliant on reference books. They consequently fail to make the effort to fully comprehend the principles. Students only use the study materials to remember the fundamentals—they don't even memorize them.

Real-World Stimulation

Just like professionals have access to references in their work contexts, students can access their study materials or resources during an open-book exam. By allowing this access, the test assesses students' ability to use resources efficiently to answer questions and solve issues in addition to their memorization of material.

Boost Critical Thinking

The open book test assesses the examinee's knowledge beyond memorization. Students need to understand the idea, evaluate what they learned from it, and apply it wisely to the questions they are asked. This fosters critical thinking abilities in students and helps them grasp how the concepts are used in real-world situations.
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Open Book Exams: Benefits, Technique and Preparation Strategies FAQs

What are the benefits of open book exam?

Open-book exam is a well-proven procedure that evokes learning most constructively and allows students to use multiple resources to achieve the desired level of proficiency at a reduced level of stress and anxiety.

What strategy will you use to prepare for the exam?

Research suggests that short study blocks with frequent breaks are most effective.

What skills are needed for open book exams?

Open-book exams focus on synthesis, analysis, and application, rather than memorization. This means that open-book exams generally require higher-order thinking and writing skills.
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