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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Volume 37, Number 22. 4th September 1974
[Introduction]
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Part Two
Last week "Salient" looked at the experience of in-term assessment at Victoria University. We pointed out a number of criticisms of this method of assessment, which have been compiled in a report by NZUSA's Education Department on the basis of faculty and welfare services reports.
These reports suggest that, since the introduction of in-term assessment and its widespread use at Victoria:
- A number of students are experiencing difficulty with their workloads, which suggests that workloads have increased;
- Pressure on students has been spread throughout the academic year and has probably increased;
- Pressure on students is uneven as a result of poor co-ordination within departments and between departments;
- Students tend to neglect unassessed work in favour of assessed work, thus tempting staff to make every piece of work subject to assessment;
- Courses have become fragmented (this is also a result of the introduction of the credit system);
- Students have less time to spend on extra-curricular activities.
This week "Salient" looks at proposals for reforming the present system of in-term assessment, and ways in which students can start working for change.