Inductive Method of Assessment

Hurray, it was teacher’s day in Poland on Friday and I had just dropped off from call with my both parents who I admire their traditional and affectionate style of teaching. During the call I had praised them for their doggedness and discipline in which they tried so hard to instil in their students. Being a passionate teacher as well with Contemporary cum traditional experience in teaching right from Nigeria and here in Poland, we had engaged and shared experiences in the teaching department and education in toto.

Among the many topics discussed, I had recalled to my Dad and Mum with great reminiscence how they would usually mark the papers of the “Supposed Best Student”[1] first and use it as a marking scheme or yardstick for the rest of the students. This in no way denies the fact that the supposed best student might be the best student indeed. Of course, there were marking schemes provided by the educational board and this was less used in most cases and depending on the course as well.

To proceed, it is important to remark that the aim of the article is not to condemn some teachers who adopt this method of assessment but it is the sole intent of the author to expose the error and effects of the Inductive method of the assessment. The method in it’s own makes it impossible to assess the individual capacity of other students. Hence for the sake of this article we are going to answer the following questions: What is inductive/Deductive method of teaching/Assessment? What are the effects of Inductive method of assessment? Any recommendations to the today teachers or aspiring teachers.

Inductive assessment method in a simple term could be seen as a way of assessing a general from a particular. In the case of the assessing a group of 100 students,  the best student is set outside and other students hence are being assessed based on the performance of the Best student.

As Taha underscores in an Article titled “The Effects of Inductive teaching methods in Classes” the inductive teaching method or process goes from the specific to the general and may be based on specific experiments or experimental learning exercises. Deductive teaching method progresses from general concept to the specific use or application. The most significant difference between these forms of reasoning is that in the deductive case the truth of the premises (conditions) guarantees the truth of the conclusion, whereas in the inductive case, the truth of the premises lends support to the conclusion without giving absolute assurance. Inductive arguments intend to support their conclusions only to some degree; the premises do not necessitate the conclusion.[2]

Of course, the author is well aware of the challenges or causes that could have promoted this method of assessment, but it is the intent of the author to use this medium to welcome the Professors and students back to school and guard against the inductive method of assessing students.

Note: The article would be developed sooner!

 

Lawrence Ahaiwe

 

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[1] The term Supposed best student as used here is to describe the general conception of many students that someone is the best maybe from the previous school years or semester. The person who has the highest average at the end of the school year is seen as the best student.

[2] file:///C:/Users/lahaiwe/Downloads/HafsahTaha-InductiveThinkingWEI2014.pdf