Tuesday, September 13, 2011

Electronic Online Bar Exam

When I was taking my undergraduate degree, I had subjects that required us to take electronic online exams. We were given an account (one for each student) and we can access it wherever we are. There is a specific time frame allotted to each student and we must answer within the time limit. The test normally features multiple-choice type of questions but also includes an essay portion in some cases. Of course it was an open book exam but the exam itself was very hard. The questions there were specifically made in such a way where either you know the answer or you don’t.

I was wondering if the Supreme Court might adopt this type of exam in the future. They could also save time and paper in doing so. Of course, the questions can be made in such a way as to really make sure that only those who studied will be able to answer.

There will be no “leak” because it is an open-book examination. Perhaps the Supreme Court can also structure the sentence to match real life circumstances since memorization wouldn’t work here anymore. Some law schools just teach their students to memorize just to pass the Bar. We all know (at least UP Law students and faculty) that lawyering is not just memorization but actually applying it in real life. If the Bar Exam can effectively weed out all those would-be lawyers not capable of applying the law in real life circumstances, then I believe the exam will serve its purpose. That would especially work well with UP Law students. I know that our training as would-be lawyers is geared towards real-life practice rather than mere memorization as can be done even by a 5-peso blank CD. Anyway, we should ask whether the Bar exam is to just know who is good in memorizing provisions or good in applying it to real life situations. If the purpose of the exam is the latter, then an electronic online bar exam will be okay.

ENTRY #13

John Joseph S. Parco

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