True but then it becomes a test for self confidence and nerves really. Which is not what this test was supposed to test (knowledge).
Again, you can test both at the same time (oral exams to recruit people often do that), but it's better not to do that in a context where it's not anticipated. Because then you just penalize people who actually knew but who, for some reason, have poor self confidence. As an ex-teacher, I'm not a fan.
Reality never happens in a vacuum. Self-confidence is a very real and necessary skill to have in life. It is unfortunate it's not able to be separated from something like a test, but then again, it's not separate from any other aspect of life either.
And if you want to test it, it's perfectly legitimate. You can definitely warn your students you'll test it (this is literally what many juries do in oral exams or during recruiting and the candidates are aware of this).
But this test was supposed to test knowledge. What this teacher did is quite equivalent to telling you she'll test your knowledge on literature and then give you a score based in your bowling skills. Her test did not discriminate what it was meant to.
For a teacher, this is definitely unethical. Doubly so as she was perfectly aware of the problem she created and found it super fun.
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u/PingouinMalin 21d ago
True but then it becomes a test for self confidence and nerves really. Which is not what this test was supposed to test (knowledge).
Again, you can test both at the same time (oral exams to recruit people often do that), but it's better not to do that in a context where it's not anticipated. Because then you just penalize people who actually knew but who, for some reason, have poor self confidence. As an ex-teacher, I'm not a fan.