As educators, we have encountered some of the most concerning questions from students over the years.
From enquiries like “How many decimal points should I put in the answer?” to “Can you give me the solution to this problem?” and “Is this section important, should I just memorise it?”, these questions reveal a troubling trend among learners.
Students seem to be prioritising rigid adherence to guidelines over the exploration of innovative solutions – a mindset that feels deeply out of place at the university level, where we’d expect to see independent judgement and critical thinking skills flourishing.
The underlying cause of this issue can be traced back to the educational practices that have been ingrained in students from a very young age.
From the earliest stages of their academic journeys, learners are trained to meet the specific criteria outlined in structured rubrics.
Whether it’s the requirement to include certain keywords to earn full marks or the insistence on following predetermined steps to reach a prescribed solution, these rigid frameworks leave little room for creativity, originality and independent thought.
This is particularly problematic in subjects like mathematics and sciences, where problem-solving abilities are crucial. In these fields, the emphasis should be on holistic evaluation of a student’s work, rather than strict adherence to narrowly defined rubrics.
Educators should be focused on assessing the quality and creativity of the solutions students provide, while offering constructive feedback that encourages growth, innovation and the development of strong problem-solving skills.
Unfortunately, by relying too heavily on these structured rubrics, we inadvertently incentivise students to prioritise conformity over creativity.
They become adept at following the guidelines to secure the highest grades, but in the process, they may lose the opportunity to truly develop their own independent thinking abilities and problem-solving skills.
While rubrics serve a valuable purpose in providing clarity and consistency in assessment, they should not be so inflexible as to stifle the creativity and innovative spirit that we hope to cultivate in our students.
It’s time for us, as educators, to rethink our approach to assessment and move away from overly structured rubrics that hinder rather than foster creativity and independent thought.
Instead, let’s embrace a more flexible and student-centred approach that truly values innovation, critical thinking and originality. Only then can we empower our students to become the lifelong learners and innovators that our rapidly evolving world so desperately needs.
It’s imperative that we strike a careful balance between structure and flexibility, ensuring that our educational practices nurture creativity and independent exploration rather than restricting them.
As we embark on this journey of rethinking assessment, let’s commit to fostering an environment where curiosity, experimentation and originality are celebrated and encouraged.
In doing so, we can prepare our students to tackle the challenges of tomorrow with the confidence, ingenuity and problem-solving prowess that will be essential for their success.
DR LAM MAN KEE and DR CHAI YEE HO
Chemical Engineering Department
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS
