Impromptu tests are surprise packages that all lecturers in different departments like to offer their students, and my department is not an exception. While it is something many students detest so much, few of the serious, intelligent ones find it as that one way to test their excellence and for them to show they are not dullards.
Answering the question, Have I taken an impromptu test? would be a yes. I have written impromptu tests on so many different occasions. During job interviews, I have been be asked unexpectedly to supply a written answer to the questions. One of the impromptu tests that almost made me pay an extra school fee was "Mass Media Law and Ethics." The truth is that a course can be easy or tough, depending on how the lecturer in charge handles it. This particular course was one that my senior colleagues testified to be easy.
It was second semester, year 3, and time for us to take the course. The head of the department changed lecturers, assigning new courses to each of them. Which meant we had a new lecturer taking us on "Mass Media Law and Ethics." This man is very strict; wicked is the right description. To us students, we call it wickedness, but to him, it is discipline.
Whatever we choose to call it, it doesn't stop him from doing whatever he is willing to do. According to him, "makeup is for women," and as a man, he doesn't know what make-up means. His test is once and for all, and there is no make-up test. If you miss his test, it is an automatic carryover, as your CA column would be empty.
One of the topics in the course outline was "Ethical Dilemma in Journalism." He gave us two scholars: Sissela Bok Model- a framework for analysing ethical issues, and Poyter institute: Ten question to help journalist work through ethical dilemmas. He asked us to go on reading what they explained about ethical dilemmas in journalistic practice. That was the end of the discussion on that topic; we moved on to the next topic. All I thought was that he would still treat the topic since he didn't make it clear that we were done with them.
Immediately, he mentioned the two scholars that day and told us to read about them. I secretly turned on my data and browsed about Sissela Bok Model and read about her viewpoints on ethics in journalism. That was all I read on that topic. The next class with him, he came into the class and asked us to bring out our full-scapes for the test. This left us all in shock. Everyone began browsing through his or her notebook to see if anything could be grabbed.
It didn't last five minutes, and we were all settled for the test. To our greatest surprise, he asked us the two questions he asked us to go and read about. I was dumb for minutes, as I wasn't ready and I wasn't expecting such a question from him. Regardless, I was super grateful to God that I read Sissela Bok Model to an extent. I began to write from the little I grabbed from what I read on my phone, adding all the forms of explanation I could just to make the man understand that I have knowledge on it.
At the end, many of my course mates submitted empty sheets; some wrote jargon. The two questions were to go for thirty marks; I attempted one and scored fifteen over thirty, which meant what I wrote was in alignment. Fifteen was not a very good score, as I was blank on how the examination would be, whether tough or simple. I didn't need someone to tell me to put more effort into the examination, but even with the effort, I ended up with a "C" in the course, which wasn't a good grade, but it's way better than an "F" or "D.".
The experience taught me one thing: to be ready at all times in all aspects of my life. From that day on, once any lecturer says read on these topics, I don't care whether he or she said it in a mild or serious way; I just make sure I take my time to understand every detail of what the topic is about and await whatever comes next.
