Thailand: Plan for university test 'on track'

[webfact]

Plan for university test 'on track'
The Nation

NIETS PROCEEDING WITH CONTROVERSIAL U-NET EXAM DESPITE GROWING CRITICISM BY STUDENTS

BANGKOK: -- THE NATIONAL Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) is going ahead with plans to introduce a controversial test for students called the University National Education Test, despite growing opposition.

NIETS chairman Somwang Pitiyanuwat said in an interview on Saturday that the institute had to comply with regulations to evaluate the academic qualifications of students at all levels.

The U-Net will be given to college

seniors starting the new semester.

While taking the exam will be voluntary, employers will be encouraged to require U-Net results in job applications.

U-Net is a pre-graduation test designed to assess proficiency in four core areas, including Thai and English language for communications and the application of information and general technology in everyday life.

The other two are media literacy, or awareness of the media and analytical and problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.

Two more areas will be added in the following semester - morality and ethics.

The test would be expanded to post-graduate and doctorate students in the future.

Students say U-Net will steal time away from regular studies and difficult subjects while duplicating normal curriculum or other knowledge they have already mastered.

They complain that there is a lack of criteria guaranteeing that it would help increase their fluency or improve their skills, even in the first four areas.

A Facebook page dedicated to challenging U-Net has drawn more than 86,000 likes, while an online petition at www.change.org has attracted 40,602 signatures, just about 9,000 short of the 50,000 needed to make it a legitimate protest against a government project.

Kamjorn Tatiyakavee, deputy director-general of the Higher Education Commission, said U-Net would place a greater burden on students who are already busy with routine study.

NIETS should study the mistakes in and criticism of the Ordinary National Educational Test (or O-Net) for high school students and the Vocational National Education Test (University National Education Test)(or V-Net), and improve both of them before |coming up with U-Net, he said.


-- The Nation 2014-04-28

[ebean001]

If I were an employer in Thailand (like a bank) I would have my own tests. If you ask a typical Thai what is 7 times 5 you may get the answer i have always gotten (I don't know). If a student has gone thru 12 years of school and still does not know basic mulitplcation and - oh my gosh - basic division, then what do you expect them to know about anything? There is a lack of quality testing in Thailand. I will leave it at that!

[xenophon]

"Two more areas will be added in the following semester - morality and ethics" ... 555555!

[bluebluewater]

Thailand accounting test: What is 7 x 5 ?

Answer: What do you want it to be ?

[Thaddeus]

U-Net is a pre-graduation test designed to assess proficiency in four core areas, including Thai and English language for communications and the application of information and general technology in everyday life.

The other two are media literacy, or awareness of the media and analytical and problem-solving skills, and critical thinking.

Two more areas will be added in the following semester - morality and ethics.

As the students have spent years in schools not being taught any of that, I can understand why they are not too keen on being tested.

But don't blame the students, it isn't their fault.

[Scott]

Students taking the moral and ethics portion should be able to answer the question, "What should you do when you feel sexually aroused?" Answer: Go play football!

It's a real question from a Health Education Test, I believe.

[CWMcMurray]

This is not a good idea... Differing majors will teach very different subjects ...

So how to ensure the test is fair to all majors?

If their is math ... Then wouldn't those studying engineering be in a better position then those studying to be nurses or doctors or Lawyers?

Are dr and nurses and lawyers less valid majors?

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[CWMcMurray]

Students taking the moral and ethics portion should be able to answer the question, "What should you do when you feel sexually aroused?" Answer: Go play football!

It's a real question from a Health Education Test, I believe.

But teacher, I am in a wheelchair and it is impossible for me to play football..

Yeah and I like basketball better, can I play basketball?

But teacher, I am a girl.. I don't play football...

Teacher ... But what if it happens at 3am... Can I just leave the house past my curfew to go play at 3am?

Teacher: then you all fail... Everyone knows the only valid cure for being horny is playing soccer... Basketball would never work and too bad if your legs don't work...

Just flop around on the ground and try and hit the ball... Just make sure to remember No Hands!!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[winstonc]

critical thinking... ....