They’re reading off flashcards, creating colour-coded study guides and reciting key events that might crop up their Australian history exam.

But what if none of this was necessary?

With all the talk of 21st century skills such as critical and creative thinking, education experts are calling for an expansion of open book exams in the VCE.

Victoria University’s Claire Brown said open book exams assessed how students applied their knowledge to real-life problems, instead of what they had memorised.

“If you really want to know what students know rather than what they remember have a open book exam,” she said.

She said they were also a better reflection of the real world.

“There isn't a job I can think of where you would be prohibited from using a manual.”

Australian Tutoring Association chief executive Mohan Dhall, who is also a lecturer at University of Technology Sydney, went even further and said students should also be given access to the internet during some exams.

“We are not preparing people for the real world,” he said.

“We want to know how can students draw from a source and acknowledge a source and use the information wisely.”

He suspects education authorities are reluctant to move towards open book exams because they are harder to design.

“The marking guidelines are less predictable because you are assessing a much more open range of answers,” he explained.

“Educators will say what is the parity between people, so rather than attempt it, they will come up with all the reasons they shouldn't do it.”

He said current exam conditions led to a situation where students were memorising template answers, and then adapting their response to the exam question. This, he said, was at odds with the education world’s current focus on problem-solving, resilience and critical and creative thinking.

“It doesn’t lead to more robust thinking, he said.

“The best written exams are those where you give them either a page of information or allow them to bring in what they like.”

VCE students are currently allowed to bring in a bound reference, including a textbook, lecture pad, set of notes or exercise book, into their maths exams. They are allowed two A4 sheets of notes, or one folded A3 sheet, for their physics exam. Students are also provided with formula sheets for these exams.

But notes are not allowed for any other exams.

A Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority spokeswoman said in these exams, the questions were scenario-based and required students to apply their knowledge to unseen problems.

“All VCE studies provide the opportunity to develop and display critical and creative thinking skills,” she said.

“The VCE program as a whole provides all students with the opportunity to develop planning and organisational skills, collaborative skills, resilience and perseverance.”

Victorian Association for the Teaching of English president Emily Frawley said she was unsure whether open book exams would make the VCE more relevant.

“There would also be a concern that some students could be dissuaded from studying texts properly if there was a perception that they could just rely on the book in the exam,” she said.

Ms Frawley, who is also a teacher at Maribyrnong Secondary College, said strong students already knew their books back to front and did not need to refer back to the text.

“It's also important to remember that quotes and basic text knowledge is a comparatively small part of the exam,” she said.

“Weaker students might waste valuable time searching for quotes rather than using the time to discuss and analyse ideas.”