Finals week is a high stress time for most college students. They spend all semester working on turning in assignments and this is the final one that their whole grade may depend on.
So having exams online helps students perform to their full potential by giving them a chance to choose what time and place works best for them, while also caring for their mental wellbeing before and after finals.
With the uncertainty of not knowing the results of someone’s final exam, it’s ideal that a student is in the proper environment for them to perform their best. Being in a classroom with other students, a professor in the front and other possible distractions can make it overwhelming to take an exam.
According to PubMed Central, “It has been hypothesized that anxiety symptoms can overwhelm the working memory system, making it difficult to process the information necessary to be successful on a test.” Taking an exam online allows students to find a comfortable space to take the exam, which can result in a higher grade compared to if they are stressed. Students will be able to use their judgement and find a place that will be free of distractions to successfully finish their exam.
Taking exams online allows students to be more flexible to attend to their needs. Usually for final exams, there are set time limits that might be difficult for some students. They may need extra study time, or have a different schedule from their set exam time. If final exams are online, this would give students the opportunity to retain and go over all the information needed and go at their own pace.
According to a research paper written by Selcuk Karaman on Academic Journals, “Further-more, online testing allows students to take their exam at any time of day that better coincides with their preferred sleep/wake cycle, resulting in better exam performance.” Students should be well rested before an exam and given the extra time to take the exam throughout the day.
Online exams are beneficial for both students and instructors. Most online exams allow test scores to be visible right after it is submitted. This makes it easier when it comes to grading for professors because they don’t have to set aside time to grade.
For students, it helps put their minds at ease knowing their test scores right after and not having to worry whether they passed. According to an article on The Conversation, “In fact, research shows students are more stressed while waiting for their results than after finding out they have failed. This is because dealing with an uncertain situation is more stressful than dealing with a known negative outcome.”
Students should be given the opportunity to make choices that will benefit their performance and have a successful final.
