TIME FRAME OF DISCUSSION:

10th September 2017 (8-830 am) : Delegation of article research duties

15th September 2017 (4-6 pm) : Sitting together for research for information
17th September 2017 (2-4pm): Sitting together for research for information
20th September 2017 (12-2pm) : Discussion of outlining the forum discussion
29th September 2017 (12-2 pm) : Discussion of counter-arguments and flow of forum
discussion
1st October 2017 (10-12pm) : Practice of forum discussion
4th October 2017 (10-12 pm) : Practice of forum discussion
10th October 2017 (2-4 pm) : Final practice of forum discussion

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SAMPLE OUTLINE FOR FORUM DISCUSSION (GROUP OUTLINE):
Title: Should examinations be abolished?

CLAIM PREMISES COUNTER-ARGUMENT

Exams should be Exams should not be

abolished abolished
(Anis)
(Azeera) -Stress often kicks in during -Stress can be managed
-Exams lead to stress memorising stage. -Make early preparations
-According to Dr.Hamid, when by planning own revision
stress accumulated into a big schedule
balloon, depression slowly leaks
in.(Mental Health Bulletin, 2015)
-Stressed every time exam is
around the corner
-Cannot enjoy much of the rest of
school life
-No relaxed environment to learn
what was taught
-According to American Institute
of Psychology, physical and
mental stress may cause physical
as well as mental or emotional
problems. (Anderson, 2015)
-For example, stress can
negatively affect our brain and
lead to insomnia, headaches,
personality changes, irritability,
anxiety and depression
(Anderson, 2015)
-Harvard School of Public Health
did many research on students’
stress level due to public exams-
most findings showed high level
of stress among school children
in the U.S (Psychology Today,
2016)

(Sarah)
-Exams create low self- -Students keep comparing
esteem in students themselves to other in terms of
exam results
-Felt they are not as smart as
others
-Psychologists feel students
could get discouraged and
frustrated when they did not do
as well as others. (Times Medical
(Intan)
-Failure can be taken as
motivation so that can
perform better in the future
-Kimberly Marshall,
educationist-be envious of
friends who perform well
and to be more high
spirited by learning from
friends who have been

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 Journal, 2015) doing well in their studies
-Burdened by parents’
expectations-feels down when
expectations are not met
-Joan Smalls, a psychologist,
believes some parents value their
children’s overall ability based on
exam results (Stress Bulletin,
2015)
-Avoid life opportunities like
social events, friendship,
challenges and certain kinds of
jobs/activities which tend to make
them feel worse and judge
themselves even more, according
to Jodie Frost, a child
psychologist (Westerson, 2014)

(Azeera) (Anis)
-Exams do not reflect real -Exams do not prepare students -Syllabus is extensive
working requirements for real working situations/skills. covering various contents
-They only test ability of memory -There are questions
-Study hard and memorise requiring students’ opinion
useless facts to get high marks in and application of
exams but does not reflect concepts
workplace skills, especially soft -have fair knowledge of
skills (NST, 2nd February 2017) subject matter
-Sad fact that the education
system is only focusing on paper
based learning and who gets the
most As
-Taught to think in limited ways
rather than learning problem
solving skills and creative
thinking skills (Modern Education
Report, 2016)

(Sarah) (Intan)
-Exams do not evaluate -Exams only test limited skills -Evaluate students’ basic
overall performance -Mostly test concepts but not the understanding of subject
application of it matter
-Limit other potential talents -Necessary to master
-Surveys done by independent basic knowledge first
bodies showed most exams
questions are expect students to
write exact answers and very
rigid
(Education Today, 2014)

Exams should not be Exams should be

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abolished
(Anis)
-Exam stress is good for -Help students learn to better
students deal with challenges
-Author of “Why Exams are Good
for Students” personally believes
stress can be healthy as it
creates energy to live life the best
way possible
- Research indicated that stress
regulate adrenal glands that
balance immunity system helps
release cortisol, an anti-
inflammatory, in response to
either physical or emotional
stressors so you can tap into your
energy reserves and resist
infection, especially when faced
with mental challenges.
(Education Journal, 2017)
(Intan)
-Chance to evaluate -Teachers can know students’
students’ academic overall academic performance
performance/understandin and potentials
g -An acceptable and feasible way
to test students’ basic
understanding of what has been
learnt, according to Director of
Majlis Peperiksaan Malaysia
(2017)
-exam questions are fair enough
for proficient and less proficient
students to perform
-Weaker students are still given
attention to at least pass
subjects,
according to Director of Majlis
Peperiksaan Malaysia (2017)
(Anis)
-Exams encourage healthy -Students will likely to compete
competition among with each other intellectually for
students better grades
-lead to better and healthier
performance among students
(US Examination Board, 2016)
(Intan)
-Exams can help secure -helps show students’ strength in
students’ future certain subjects
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abolished
(Azeera)
-When stress becomes
excessive and lasts for
longer time, it will become
unhealthy if not released,
for example, through
physical activities
-can be toxic to the mind
and body if it is
overloaded
-In the long run, may also
negatively affect immunity
system, cardiovascular
and nervous system
(Modern Education
Report, 2014)
(Sarah)
-exams could be a bit
biased
-Most questions and
simulations able to be
done well by more
proficient/competent
students (Modern
Education Journal, 2017)
-Less proficient/competent
ones could not answer
most questions, especially
more difficult ones
-Students have different
abilities-cognitively,
emotionally
(Modern Education
Journal, 2017)
(Azeera)
-Competitions can lead to
more stress
-Surveys showed such
competition could cause
rivalries among students-
affect friendships
(Lee & Chan, 2014)
(Sarah)
-There are many high
achievers still unemployed
 -Can help students make more -Lack desired soft skills
informed decisions about what not emphasised in the
courses to pursue in university current system
-Also help to know students’ (The Star, 24th July, 2017)
interest and indication of possible
future profession
(US Examination Board, 2016)

Examples of forum discussion topics:

-Is the social media creating more behavioural problems among teens?
-Are young adults today practising a healthy lifestyle?
-Should euthanasia be made legal?
-Is clean eating the most efficient way to lose weight?
-Are painkillers doing more good for health?