Examination and Learning 考试和学习

Certainly not everyone likes to go through an examination, but that is almost unavoidable for every student. In a society which practices examination-oriented education system, parents use all means to ensure their children getting good results for their examination. Is examination effective and helpful in equipping students and building up an educated society?

Examination has its validity to help measure the standard of the students. In an educational institute, examination is still one of the ways to ensure her graduates having reached a recognisable level to be awarded the related degrees. Without the use of examination, many students may become complacent in their studies. And an examination has become a compelling factor for students to study. Parents concerned may also promise to reward their children if they are able to obtain outstanding or at least a good result.

Although there is validity in using examination as a means to educate the students, it is questionable when analysing from the angle of effective and long term learning. Indeed, when the people have inculcated a lifestyle of self-motivated and life-long learning, the society will become more educated and knowledgeable. Nevertheless, It is common to see students reading to prepare for examination. But once they have graduated, the school books they have read are the very last books for the rest of their life. That may be an exaggeration. In fact, nowadays not many working adults are having reading habit or engaged themselves in active learning.

As examination is used continuously in educational system, how can we encourage more learning so that our students and society will become more knowledgeable?

I like to use two cases which I came across for suggested application:

First, it is about rewarding students of the emerging generation. I talked to a father and a mother who were deeply concerned of the future of their children. The mother came from a background in which reward is only for those who have obtained good result. There is no problem for her to reward her children who have done well in examination. Perhaps, she has rewarded her children upon obtaining good results. However, it is incomprehensible to her when I said reward or celebration should be given to children who have studied and completed their examination although the result is yet to be known. Perhaps, she wondered what if award has been given but the result later released is less than satisfactory. For me awarding someone who has made an effort to study is not only an appreciation of his/her study effort, but also a recognition of his/her learning. Even though the result released may not be satisfactory, it does not dismiss the fact that something has already been learned and certain knowledge is acquired through the studying process. I feel that to encourage learning and better performance today, we should reward and appreciate both the learning process and good performance of our students. Back to the case, reward can be given to children who have put effort in studying after the examination time but prior to the release of result. If any students have done well, they can be rewarded and appreciated again as we emphasise excellence in the field or subject of study.

The second case is about ongoing learning of those who are working. I came across a teacher who is undergoing a three years study-leave on a PhD program with full scholarship provided. She has taken up that admirable offer, same offer has been made available to other teachers but few people are interested. She told me the reason that few teachers are interested because virtually there would not be promotion even when the PhD, the highest degree is obtained eventually.
Today, it is vital to see people of various fields to be further equipped so that not only can they work, but also they are able to contribute to the society more effectively. To facilitate such worthwhile process, scholarship can be provided similar to what is given to the teacher mentioned. On top of that once a higher degree is successfully earned, greater role is given with remuneration commensurates with the upgraded position.

几乎每位学生都要面对考试，肯定的不是每个人都喜欢考试。在一个采用考试的教育制度的社会，家长会使用各管道以便子女能取得好成绩。考试到底是否一项助力及能有効地装備学生和建立有教育的社会呢？

考试有它的果効作为衡量学生的水準，又可以视为一种保证，即在一间学府獲取相关学位的畢業生已经达到了受認可的水平。如果不必考试，许多学生会倾向放松学習，因此考试也能強化读书。有关父母还可以应承奖励取得優異表现或好成绩的兒女。

虽然考试有其作用，但対於长久学习及効果却有争议。的确，人们在擁有了自我推动及长久学习的生活方式，这社会将会教育更普及及知识增加。無讑如何，不少学生为考试而阅读，但是畢業後，曾经在学校用过的书也成了他们人生最后读过的书。这可能是誇大的描述，事实上今天𣎴是很多的在聀人仕有阅读習惯及積極学习。

即然考试将持续应用於教育制度，我们要如何鼓励更多学习以便学生及社会变得更有知识呢？

我下面会引用两个情况及有关如何实践的建议：

第一个是有关奖励新兴时代的学生。我曾和一対父毋亲谈及他们対子女未来的关注。母亲来自的背景使她只在人取得好成绩才会加以奬励。対於她，奬励獲取好成绩的兒女不是问题，或许她也曾在子女得了好成绩奬励过他们。然而当我提出要在孩子已经讀书及考试结束後，成绩倘未放榜即加以庆祝及奖励，対於她这是一件费解的事。也许她想到假如奨励已经發出，而後来公布的成绩不如理想该怎么辦呢？対於我，即时奖励一个已经完成了考试者，这是対他巳经付出的努力学习的一个認可和欣赏。即使放榜的成绩不如理想，但不能否認的是在这过程中，这位学生已经有所学习及獲得了一些相关知识。今天為了鼓励学习及达到更好的成绩，我们除了奖励曾经努力学习的人，也要奖励取得優秀成绩的人。囘到所说的事件，奖励可以给于已经努力学习及完成了考试的孩子。成绩公布了而孩子又取得好成绩，则再给于一次奬励。如此将鼓励学习，又能激发追求卓越。

第二个事件是有关工作者的持续学习。我见到一位老师正處在她的三年学习假期，她得到了奬学金修讀博士课程。她坦言，许多老师不愿意接受这种学习机会，因为即使完成博士后，也不会得到升聀。

今天我们需要看见在各领域的人进一步受装備，以致他们可以工作，並更有効的供献给社会。為要促进这有意义的过程，有关领域可以提供奖学金一如上述老师獲得机会。此外，在完成更高的学位时，该人士将被授予更大的角色及和责任相稱的待遇。