 |
| Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net |
But then of course there is the continuous number of assessments that just keep coming and coming. There are products available which an increasing number of students over the years have started to take in order to enhance their performance, like cognitive enhancers. And some of those students have even stated their approval for using those drugs as it has improved their performance in exams.
But I'm sceptical. As the saying goes, "don't judge a book by its front cover".
Because this whole issue boils down to one thing - safety. The side effects of drugs like methylphenidate and modafinil are very unpleasant and can dramatically affect the cardiovascular system and the brain. Too many people see the short term benefit and snub the long term damage that inappropriate use of those medicines can cause. We are jumping into the swimming pool with two feet and not anticipating ourselves for getting the dive right and avoiding anybody who may happen to be in our way when we head for the pool.
Personally, the growing use of cognitive enhancers, without a proper diagnosis, has been caused by a fear of failure in life, which has arisen due to the fact we have refused to see beyond the boundaries of academia. Academia has almost become a prerequisite for success in life and that certainly isn't the case. Life is bigger than that.
And, as far as exams are concerned, I don't really think there is a need to chase so enthusiastically after those medicines for the purposes of simply getting an extra five marks in an assessment. Its not worth it at all and not even for half a mark. The whole purpose of studying a course at university is not to solely become an exam passing machine. It is to enlighten a person about the subject being learned and to achieve new skills which are essential for employment and further advancing someone's career.
For too long, there has been too much emphasis and, dare I say this, panic about simply passing exams. Its become too much of, "you must get an A" or "you must get better marks than the person or group of people you loathe in your class". We need to realise that in each of us the only competition is simply ourselves and nobody else. Not everyone is an academic genius and I don't think the "you must go to university or you are surplus to life's requirements" attitude that has been indoctrinated into people's minds in the last fifteen years has any credibility whatsoever.
From my own personal experience, I was never an academic genius and proved this during my school years and time at university. There were always people out there who would beat me 999 out of a 1,000 when it came to examinations. Yet, so far, I can say I've done fairly alright in life. And there are many people who have been incredibly successful who never even went to university. Look no further than the entrepreneurial stars of Dragons' Den.
Life's real test hasn't been about how many marks you can accumulate in an assessment, and frankly never will be. Its about how brilliant of an individual you can be. I'm not suggesting that academically bright people can't go on to become awesome individuals but its about time we embraced individualism on a full time basis and accept that everyone is different and has something special in them to be successful in life.
And finally, as far as achieving employment is concerned, what is the whole point of studying for an academic award when you aren't preparing yourself for the long term and connecting your abilities with the needs of the workplace? We are human beings and not exam passing robots. We are all unique and not monotonous.
And we are all uniquely brilliant in our own ways.
No comments:
Post a Comment