Why assessments and examinations are essential to learners?
Assessments and examinations are significantly important to, and are the integral part of a formal education system. They are the paths for learners to evaluate or to be appraised the knowledge, cognition and comprehension of their learning. Through the assessments or examinations, learners are aware of areas of growth and areas that need definite enhancement.
Learning without assessments or examinations is just like making a futile effort. Learners are not able to perceive how far their learning can go and have no notion of what extent they could reach. Writing a computer programming is a very appropriate analogy. Imagine that you are coding a computer program without carrying out the run-time testing and debugging, a stark fact is that you would never know the hidden errors that might give you erroneous output result. Hence, you are thwarted in your learning to go higher level.
Assessments and examinations are not merely the pipeline for appraisal of academic learning; they are imperceptibly conducive to strengthening confidence and determined attitude. They enable learners to find and nurture more effective way of learning, rather than learn toughly but in vain.
The Open Distance Learning (ODL) system
- The Open Distance Learning (ODL) system is an open concept education system that offers an opportunity for everyone to study and attain a Degree credentials irrespective of age, qualification, race, creed or color. This system is distinct from traditional education system as learners do not necessarily have to start their studies at very young age. The ODL system does not favor those from better economic families as it is always “Open” to everyone who has dogged determination to pursue higher education.
- Costly academic studies fee is always the main hurdle for tertiary education. Most of the earnest learners prevented by financial constraint do not have the opportunity for further studies. The ODL system affords conscientious learners the chance to study further; it is widely regarded as an inexpensive path to quality education in terms of cost and time.
- A tremendous flexibility is one of the most outstanding elements of the ODL system. Students embark on the academic career of this system are actually learning at self-paced. They take responsibility for what they learn, where they learn, when they learn, how quickly they learn and how they have their learning assessed. The ODL system helps students to instill self-confidence and awareness, as learning need not necessarily take place at the same time of teaching.
- The ODL system is having excellent administration systems and gives their students access to accreditation and qualifications. It has been perceived as not an inferior quality of education but even better than contact education, and can meet the same rigorous academic standards. Today, the qualification of ODL graduates are gradually recognized and respected by world-wide, especially the large-scale private industries.
- Learning under the ODL system can be done synchronously or asynchronously. This helps to create a virtual learning community, good for all learners, and especially helpful for students of distance learning. By taking advantage of advanced technologies and mixed-media courseware, such as the Internet, video and audio cassettes, computer-based learning materials and telecommunication, students are able to develop their learning at own pace, and foster an independent disposition.
- The ODL system is overwhelmingly appealing to working adults as it has dramatically expanded with the growth of the World Wide Web, always accessible and absolutely accommodates the special needs of majority and minority groups. Separation of teaching and learning enables working adults to get rid of constraint of place and time because not everyone will be free at the same time, or will able to physically meet each other in designated place.
Five key steps involved in change management process development
There are five key steps involved in change management process development, namely:
- Filtering Requests for Change (RFCs) – To specify the details of needed change program and submit it to the Change Advisory Board (CAB) for consideration. CAB is an entity, which includes representatives from many divisions, such as the server and network operations, security authority, application development and database management. Other members may represent legal, operations and administrative departments. Change program must be evaluated and studied for its practical effect and feasibility to avoid any duplication of efforts or vain implementation.
- Assessing the Impact of Changes – After we have the list of requested changes, we need to prioritize the change requests by assessing the cost involved, benefits, perceived risks and possible impacts of the change request.
- Authorizing Changes – Business partners are normally engaged in the process, we may use their expertise in evaluating the impact of the whole changes program. The CAB must advise deeper insights to the change manager before the changes programs are approved and scheduled.
- Reviewing Changes – We can review the entire process to point out those things were done very well and not so well after the changes have been implemented. This practice helps us to revamp the change management process and gain better improvement. Back-out procedures is always needed if applied changes do not perform as expected and create negative results.
- Closing Requests for Change (RFCs) – Finally the change is reviewed and accepted by the user who has submitted the Request for Change, the RFC should be closed. All configuration changes should be properly and systematically documented, and all approvals, comments, testing plans, back-out plans and other workflow-related documentation should be kept according to company policy.
