Exactly! The problem isn’t that the essays are hard to grade, but that these students might not actually be acquiring the skills their diplomas say they have. Forming original thoughts around something is crucial to learning, which is why we have essays in school in the first place.
Now, some fields (IT ones for instance) are generally considered to be far less academic and more like teaching a craft, but if you are actually teaching future academics the two things they need are knowledge of the field and the ability to communicate about the field, primarily in writing
True, though even in those fields I would argue that discussing the *why* of what you’re doing will make you better at it in almost all cases. Maybe not a long form essay, but just “why did you choose this solution?”
Is that a skill most people are looking to get? Credential creep has certainly led to people who do not want or need an academic education studying one. But if you are actually trying to learn / teach academic skills, writing is a great way to engage with your own thoughts and convey them
And what *I'm* saying is that essays are no longer a good way of measuring whether an original thought has been formed, so we should come up with other ways.
Yeah, but my point is that the essays aren’t *measuring* original thought, they *demand* it. They are first and foremost a tool for learning, not for measuring. If that weren’t the case I would be more inclined to agree with you.
Yes! Obviously not *all* of the learning, but forming and formulating your own thoughts on a topic is proven to aid in both understanding and retention of knowledge.
I agree that writing your thoughts on a topic is a great way to clarify and solidify your understanding of it. I don't think that means necessarily that those same words should be how we measure your understanding.
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