Time consumption with online exams
Using technology such as online exams tends to be a much more involved process then many teachers first suspect. Often I find you're having to deal with some technical issue (student unable to log in to take a timed exam, preventing students from accessing the Internet to find answers, etc.) that it's almost as much effort as copying up the exams on paper and marking them. Hopefully as this type of technology is refined, this method of examination will become much easier to fascilitate in the classroom.
You are correct, but in the long run once the bugs get worked out, it seemd like things would go fine with out many problems.
Einar,
I am glad that you make this point. Some students seem to take to technology right away and have no problem with it. These students make administering online exams easy. But other students need extensive and time consuming coaching in order to take web based exams. These students can make instructors wonder if online exams save time at all.
In my teaching career, I have found that the students who are not technology savvy tend to ask the same questions about online exams term after term. After a few terms and after repeating the same information to several students, I decided to create a frequently asked question and answer worksheet that I would pass out at the beginning of each term. This worksheet tended to reduce the technical issues that students brought to my attention throughout the term.
It seems that today, some online testing programs are designed to function properly but are not designed to be as user friendly as we would hope them to be. This can be off putting for our students. In the present, we can do our best to seek out online testing programs that are the easiest for students to learn and remember how to use. There are a variety of programs to choose from and some are quite good. We can also create paper based instructions that outline frequently asked questions and answers for our students. In the future, it is likely that online testing technology will continue to develop to become more than just functional, but more student friendly as well.
I agree, and the one school I teach at has no IT support, and there is little abilities to organize a discussion group at the other. I have found that it is difficult to get students involved unless I tell them it will save money and time. Even then, leading the horses to water seems to fall short.
I've created teaching pods, and this system seems to work more effectively because students are held to pressure from their group to perform each week. I want this translated into the IT world, but it is very hard to find resources to guide me through this area. I would love to know of free online areas for server space for student to place assignments into. Does anyone out there know of any?
Scott Spangler
That's an interesting question Scott. Why are you looking for these online storage areas? What purpose will they serve and how will they benefit the students more than things like disks and flash drives?
One main reason for this storage area would be a location for filing assignments, via electronic media, which would allow for a faster meidia for grading. I would use this format as a system to stop the paper shuffle and speed up return grading time.
Also, it could be used in a grading system of simular returns to all at once.
With disks and flash drives, I would have to collect items, such as cd, and sort through them. This would have a one hit shopping area for all students to use at a no cost situation.
Once you get the bugs out of the program, it will run smoothly and is great to use. I am currently doing this. The problem is getting them to all take the test. Any suggestions out there on this?
Great question Valerie! The answer depends on the student motivations. Why do you think they are not taking the tests? What are the obstacles that stand in their way – from a motivational standpoint - and how might these obstacles be addressed?
The answer that I get consistantly on why they are not taking there test is they forgot.
Our computer tests open up the week of lecture and close the Sunday of the end of that week. They also have a time limit on it. The students are verbally reminded daily to take the test as well as it being written on the board all week.
I am looking for motivational ideas to make them take the test.
I taught at a University where we used WebCT. The midterms and finals were online. There were a few problems with setup each time, but overall it saved a lot of time in the end (with grading). I think it depends on the class size. If you only have 10 students, it's not a big deal to hand grade. With 50 students, it's a different story.
