A NOVEL APPROACH TO REDUCE EXAM STRESS AND ENHANCE LEARNING IN ENGINEERING EDUCATION

This article presents an innovative approach to conducting final exams to reduce students' psychological burden and enhance learning outcomes in engineering education. The method involved a two-hour exam with three different question sets given to 38 undergraduate students. During the middle of the exam, students were surprised with a 5-minute break outside the classroom to relax and consult with each other. This break helped reduce anxiety levels. After the break, students returned to the exam with improved mental calmness. The average grades of students did not significantly changed compared to previous years. Interviews conducted one year later showed positive feedback from students. They felt the approach transformed exam tension into excitement and energy for learning. The method reduced stress, discouraged cheating, and created a positive exam experience. The article suggests that innovative approaches to reduce exam-related psychological burden should be explored further in educational research. By refining and generalizing this approach, it can be implemented globally to benefit students. This research contributes to the ongoing discussions about exams, cheating, and alternative assessment methods in engineering education.