I format my exams so that the students have an easier task to complete them and I have an easier time to correct. I mostly use matching with either a letter or words at one end of the paper so that I can put my answer sheet next to each paper and correct quickly. We do not have a scantron at my school which would of course make it even easier to correct.
Most of my exams are online exams. When the students are done with an exam they hit a grade and submit button and I get there grade with their answers and they receive there grade on the screen. If there are ever any questions about what they got wrong I can give them a copy of their answers and what the computer marked wrong. This has helped me on so many levels. Even the classes that If I nned to give an exam on there skills I use hands on and use a rubric to grade the test. Again this leaves the student with no question about what is right or wrong or what they did to loose points.
Wow, having access to instant feedback sounds like a wonderful part of being in your class. Thanks for sharing Heidi. My only concern with this method is that sometimes, after a student has completed their exam, they can be a little emotional about grading. Sometimes instant feedback is not helpful in those situations and it's nicer when the student can take a step back, take a deep breadth and then return to learn more about how they scored.
I'm currently the director of a course that is attended by international students (military officers). The two-week course primarily uses "guided discussions" for lesson presentations. The "final exam" is a group project presentation given by the students to U.S. senior officers. The rubrics for these presentations are given to the students in the first few days of the class. This format does not allow for a lot of change at this time but I will use the lessons learned in this module if I'm involved in a different learning environment.
We have a scantron system which grades the cards easily and quickly.
As a director of a course that has predominantly international students (military officers) my class format is a bit different from traditional classrooms. Our lesson presenters use a "guided discussion" format that promotes interaction between all participants. Successful course execution is measured by student involvement and participation in a group presentation that is delivered to U.S. senior officers at the end of the course.
If my position course format changes, I will incorporate the lessons learned in this module.
Excellent! Your course curriculum and teaching style sound unique. If you want to find ways of streamlining the grading process, you've got to do it in that unique context. That requires getting creative which can be fun.
I have been a fan of using the online method of administering tests and quizzes for several years. This has saved me many hours of grading and provided the extra benefit of using much less paper. Also, the students use this consistant method to help in their time management, as they can, when they get around to it, actually get ahead on some coursework, assuming the quizzes are available on the website.
I teach technical courses, so what I am working on now are how-to guides and demonstrations that are available online as well. This material is normally what I spend a good part of my class time on, so students who either tried what we're doing in an upcoming class or those who need a refresher on how it was accomplished can learn the tasks more quickly and hopefully more thoroughly.
I understand what you are saying, and agree with it. However, I am working with an institution that does not have a scantron, or other time helpers like an electronic gradebook. Even though we have asked for these 'necessary' items, administration still procrastinates. The other thing about test generators: there are wrong answers in the ones available that I have seen. So that is not a timesaver.
All of your ideas are excellent, and will be implemented when I put your ideas to the administrators, and hopefully,they will change their minds,and purchase the tools that will help us be more efficient/proficient.
Barbara
In my human service classes, I have incorporated a practical part in the exam. For example, how to write a casenote and then putting the casenote on an exam and having them pick out the mistakes in it.
I can certainly relate to Andrea's comment on having to work within a prescribed format and the challenges that can bring to grading. As I teach English Composition, the nature of the course dictates essay format (responses) which can become quite time consuming to evaluate. To streamline this process, I distribute a rubric with criteria and evaluation standards and use that when I am grading. Students have clear standards and expectations and I have concrete items that I look for within each submission. For non-compostion based courses, I do like the idea of underlining integral components of the answer to speed up this process. Thanks for the tip!
I teach patternmaking in a design program for Apparel production. Looking at all the parts and making sure that they have done everything they should do is exhausting, but I have come up with a grade sheet that I mark while I'm checking all their components, that way I know that I don't miss anything and that there is a consistency that they receive back on their assignments. It is still time consuming to grade their projects, but it makes the process much easier to complete.
I currently do didactics for an ADN Program. Because, the Board of Nursing has recently changed the testing format, correcting tests has become more of a challenge than it has ever been. The test questions are formatted into: multiple-response multiple-choice questions, fill-in-the-blank calculation questions, exhibit/chart questions, drag-and-drop questions, and "hot spot" questions in the current NCLEX-RN test plan. Each question contains a critical thinking test taking strategy, a reference citation, and the applicable integrative process.
With multiple choice and true/false question format, time management is the best format for these type exams. The fact that there is only one correct answer, it makes these exams very easy to grade. Some instructors grade this types of exam by hand. We do have access to a scantron machine and it is a breeze when the machine is working correctly.
The idea of personally grading each student's homework individually is very time consuming. The recommendation of collecting the homework at the beginning of class and redistributing it to the students is an excellent way to get this done. It allows you to review the answer to each homework question as a class and have the students grade each others' homework. Not only does it get done quickly, but it can be a learning experience for the students to review the correct answers as a class. Overall the module had some good ideas for streamlining the grading process.
Thanks for your detailed reply Sharon and I couldn't agree more. When students grade homework together, it really is a learning experience. It's very much an opportunity to explore why wrong answers were wrong and why right answers were right. The WHY is so important so this exercise serves as a wonderful review of course material.
Sounds like you have developed a home grown method that is working fabulously Carol! That's wonderful to hear. It might be nice if you were to share your method with other apparel instructors. They may have developed good methods too. By sharing what you have learned about streamlining the grading process, the energy that you and your colleges having spent making grading simple can pay off globally.
Excellent to hear Lisa! Yes, go ahead and give this tip a try. You will be amazed at how much time the underlining method saves. It also focuses students on formulating theses and supporting their arguments during exams - another great benefit.
Wow, sounds like an excellent strategy Andrew. Thanks so much for sharing. It's great to hear that you've already developed methods that are helping you streamline. I wonder how you could take these methods further.
Great to hear Barbara. Sometimes, reaching a point where our grading is streamlined requires administrative support. When we don't have the support of our leadership, it can be hard to make progress globally. Though conversations can be difficult, it is important to press for change.
I agree, answer keys, scantron as well as rubric will ease the grading and make it less of a daunting task
Yes, these are all great techniques Joseph! I'd be interested to learn more about what you and other instructors have tried - what's working and what's not.
