The Effect of Written Examinations on Learning and on the Retention of Learning
Tradition seems responsible for the almost unanimous agreement that some form of ex amination should be used in the schoolroom. Examinations are used for purposes of grad ing, classification, promotion, and in fewer cases for determining the efficiency of teach ing techniques. Although the tests in sub ject matter fields are not generally used in the primary grades, they are almost universal in the intermediate grades, junior and senior high schools, colleges, and graduate schools. In the last two decades the subjective type of examination has pretty largely given way to the more objective examination, because the latter has been proved more reliable. These tests and examinations aim to deter mine not only the student's acquisition of factual information and fundamental prin ciples, but also his ability to retain informa tion. At the present time probably very few classroom examinations succeed in measuring the student's ability to apply his knowledge in the interpretation of life situations and problems.