Technology and essay questions
I've started to let my student collaborate on essay exams. And use their smartphones.
They have to cite the webpages they use, and they have a specific time limit on the exam.
They're also allowed to ask each other for what I call "memory joggers," meaning that they can check with their peers to make sure that they're on the right track.
The resulting papers are quite good, and I have yet to have anyone abuse it. In fact, most are reluctant to do something that seems to go against everything they were taught from K-12.
For it to work, though, the essay questions need to be on a high enough level, and ask for a large degree of analysis, that the students can't turn to Wikipedia and copy.
Does anyone else do this?
I haven't tried this, I still have so many problems with plagarism that this type of testing I think would only lead to more, but it is an idea.
