As if two exam weeks in a semester weren’t enough, IBA decided t introduce the three hourly policy. This included having three different exam weeks scheduled throughout the semester. As the name suggests, the exams are around an hour long but this certainly does not mean that the workload is less in any way. Legend has it that this was how the exams used to be conducted at IBA before 2018. Majority of the students at IBA think that the hourlies which were held during the Fall semester were a failure. In this article, we suggest ways through which the hourlies could be turned into a success story for future semesters.
Limit The Syllabus
The three exam weeks have increased the level and frequency of preparation which the students have to do. For the third hourlies especially, students were required to study the entire course syllabus. This is what was the norm for final exams.
But since the hourlies had a shorter time duration, students found this very difficult to adjust to. This is especially because since the past three semesters, the exams were either not held or were held completely online. To make this easier, there should be a standardized policy of limiting the syllabus for each of the hourlies to the material covered in a set number of classes only.
Better Weightage Assignment
The system of hourlies was new for the instructors as well, they found it difficult to change their teaching pattern. The course assessment breakdown was a bit uneven in some cases. Some students said that the hourlies had unequal weightage even though they were of the same time duration.
There should be a policy which restricts the level of weightage that could be applied to each of the hourlies. This would give the students an equal chance to score.
Improved Timing Of The Hourly Weeks And Flexible Deadlines
Some students mentioned that they found it hard to manage time because they were so preoccupied with exams being held every month. This was in addition to unlimited assignments and projects with deadlines which often coincided with the hourly weeks .
A large number of students said that they barely had any time to take part in any extracurricular activities. To deal with this problem, the hourlies could possibly be scheduled in a way that there is sufficient time for preparation between each hourly week. The instructors could also ensure that the deadlines for term projects or assignments are not coinciding with the hourlies.
Choice Given To Instructors
Some students mentioned that they had to give hourlies for some courses which didn’t even require timed assessments. This was because some departments required instructors to conduct hourlies. This was especially true for some of the Social Science or Computer Science courses which further confused the students.
To help the students to cope with this, there should be a policy which gives the instructors choice to either assess through hourlies or through frequent assignments. It should be ensured that all instructors are aware of the choice they have so that they can plan their individual assessment policies better.
Conclusion
Even though there were some problems with the system of hourlies, they also had some advantages. One of these was that the students were more aware of what grades they should expect in a course. The frequent examinations encouraged students to keep studying and improve their grades. This is something which is also agreed upon around the world where frequent short examinations are preferred over one lengthy exam. Hence, if some minor errors in the hourly system are corrected, the hourlies could prove to be a success in the future semesters.
