Preparation of the examinations: a study in process

In the few last years, the academic level of university students has become worse. Teachers comment that the students lack the necessary habits of study to evolve well in classes. Consequently the number of failures increases. This does not seem to relate to intellectual capacity. We asked ourselves: which is the root of the problem? Why are the students failing examinations in greater numbers? From a statistical analysis of the results of the examinations taken by students in the course Algorithms and Programming a considerable increase in the number of reprobated students was detected. Therefore, the decision was taken to make a detailed research study oriented to understand these results. The adopted methodology is based on the principles of the ethnographic investigation in that it does not try to make a statistical generalization. This research is oriented to understand this as students and experts prepare examinations. In order to be able to analyze the problem, a script was given to 30 students (inexperienced) and to a group of 10 professors (experts) of how to prepare an examination. These scripts have been taken into account to detect the differences between both. These first conclusions will allow to process courses of action so that the students know their limitations and successes as well as to design strategies that improve their habits of studies and their production