BUILDING A CASE FOR OPEN BOOK EXAMINATIONS

Abstract

Educational deliberations in the recent years have been emphasizing the need for organic modes of assessment rather than limiting the scope to mere testing. Recently the National Education Policy 2020 stressed that curricular design should also create a ‘robust system of continuous formative/adaptive assessment to track and thereby individualize and ensure each student's learning’ (2020). Educational deliberations emphasize the need for developing critical thinking or higher order thinking as a thrust area and this is being reflected in most of the approaches and methods adapted for classroom teaching. However this may not reach fruition unless the testing and assessment align with this mindset. These hopeful intentions must be converted to realistic implementations for objectives to be realized, and assessment plays a pivotal role in the same. A natural transition from closed book or traditional examination to Open Book Exams may assist in students being able to apply acquired knowledge rather than recalling retained information. This article attempts to build a case for the use of open book exams by investigating it’s history, types, formats, challenges and opportunities it provides for better teaching and learning.