During the course of my undergraduate degree, I faced many impromptu tests from different lecturers. It's a norm to a large extent in Nigeria. One of the challenges of our educational system that makes it easy for lecturers to perpetuate such attitudes is the Master-Slave relationship entrenched in our institutions between lecturers and students.
There is no mutual respect. A lecturer facing some pain from his home or career progression finds it easy to transfer his anger to the students. The system is not well monitored.
The experience I would never forget about impromptu tests happened when I was in 300 Level. The course was Organic Chemistry III. Out of all branches of Chemistry that I was exposed to, organic Chemistry was my weakest point. The lecturer, a Dr, was said to have been denied, according to him, promotion to the rank of Professor for years. Any student admitted into the Chemistry department or other departments picking some courses in Chemistry would get to hear his name the first day of lecture. He was a government on his own.
In a semester of 12 or more weeks of lecture, the man would fail to show up for lectures till about two weeks to examination before fixing lectures to odd hours like 6-8 am, 5-8 pm and Saturdays.
It was on one of such occasions that he fixed a lecture on a Friday evening and Saturday morning. We went for the Friday lectures and as expected, he gave us loads of prepared notes to duplicate individually. We finished the lecture around 8 pm and we dispersed to reconvene by 8 am the following day. My routine in the school includes taking a nap in the evening after lectures before reading for a few hours in the night. With such a plan, I follow up with what is being taught on a daily basis.
Unfortunately, I couldn't achieve that on that particular Friday because I arrived at my hostel room around 9 pm and before I could cook food and eat, it was already past 10. I slept after eating and woke up at dawn.
I woke up very tired and struggled to prepare for the morning lecture. I thought of how dreadful the lecturer is when it comes to being harsh to students and I braced up for the lecture. I arrived at the lecture venue at about a few minutes to 8 and I joined other students to sit in the hall and wait for the arrival of the lecturer. Everyone was in a hoodie. It was a very cold season. I was shivering even in my cardigan.
We waited till 9 am before the arrival of this man. Once he entered, he called on us to take our bags and books outside and get ready for a test. I was looking at what was playing out in total surprise. I followed others to drop my books outside the class and we got set for the test. The lecturer distributed a small piece of paper containing the question to each person.
There were five questions. I went through the question and realized that they were all in the handout he gave us the previous evening. I saw everyone panicking and disappointed. I was calm while I tried my best to attempt the questions from the general idea I had about them. I was able to touch three of the questions but none was completely answered.
After thirty minutes, he collected the scripts and left.
While others were complaining and lamenting about the test, I went home immediately because whatever that I can't change, I don't allow it to overwhelm my mind.
The marked scripts were returned to us and I scored 6 out of obtainable marks of 30. I didn't feel bad because I knew that the lecturer wasn't fair to us.
At the end of the semester, I got the grade of B in the course, one of the few Bs that I got as an undergraduate.
The lesson I learned is that what the lecturer and other of his likes were doing aren't the best way to impact knowledge. The objective of learning is mostly defeated with such an unproductive method of making students do things under unnecessary pressure. I promised myself never to do such when and if I find myself in academics.
My wish came to pass and presently, I know how better to handle my students in order to have an awesome learning experience.