Although I often use multiple choice for my mid-term and final exams, I sometimes use true/false for quizzes and questions or outlines for essay
exams.
I was pleased to learn of the various websites
listed to help teachers such as quizstar and
teacherease. I'm going to do some extensive
exploring of the sites listed.
I utilize a combination of different methods. Test generators allow me to choose how in depth I get with questions. Websites that allow me to ahve papers reviewed for accuracy and plagarism. etc. Objective tests (multiple choice) are the quickest by far to grade.
Emily, Wow, sounds like a very well thought out system! Thanks for sharing. It's wonderful when fellow instructors can share the materials they've put together when we teach similar courses. I highly recommend reaching out to fellow instructors in your faculty to learn more about what they have to offer you.
Dr. Melissa Read
We have a good system at our school. The scantrons do give more time to the teacher. Our tests are in state format for the most part, so our studenet are ready for their state board at the end of school. Most of the written work is performed in the clinical arena. There is no way of getting around that paperwork!!!
The most streamlined exam grading method I've used in my current position came from another instructor. The students are given a test packet with exams given in multiple choice and true/false format only. Students are also given an answer sheet. All answers are input on the answer sheet, leaving the test packet to be reused each time the exam is given. The answer sheets correspond to a physical template that can be laid over the completed students' answer sheets since the correct answers and cut out of the template and the instructor can fill in the correct answers through the cut outs in red or another contrasting color ink. When the template is lifted the instructor immediately sees the number of incorrect answers and the grading is virtually done.
I will be teaching some new courses in the next couple of months and plan to design the exams and template-formatted answer sheets to save myself a lot of time in grading exams!
Making it simplier by setting a time aside for grading, use more computer tests that grade as well is a great idea too.
This module was very useful to me. I will modify the way I ask students to complete essay exams and fill in the blanks. Even the multiple choice format with answers displayed to the side seems like it offers a quicker grading option.
Keelan, Wonderful to hear. It's great when our administrations invest in tools that help us streamline our work activities. We all become more productive in using them.
Dr. Melissa Read
Yes, I also think that this is a great idea, as it saves time in trying to do a search for any suspect material, as I have had to do in the past. It saves time to have students submit to something like "turnitin.com" prior t grading.
I don't have a lot of control over the way the exams and homework assignments/essays are formatted and structured in the online classroom, as these things are already set up for me in the classroom shell. However, if I did have control, I think I would do a mix of objective answer & essay, and I liked the idea of having students underline key ideas for ease of grading.
our school jus recently started a online quiz outlet for the students to study for exams on and it has become a great tool
I like the idea of students pointing out key points, either by underlining them on a written essay, or by different font on a computer exercise. In some courses I teach it is difficult to streamline some of the testing material due to the need for specific understanding of the topic. However, in a number of classes these techniques as well as student created assignments and answers can certainly reduce grading time.
Sifting through the labwork and essay questions Looking for keywords makes grading quick and easy
Elizabeth, Online exam administration is really handy. It's environmentally friendly too. Go ahead and give it a try. Saves a lot of time in exam preparation, cuts time for printing to zero and often automates the grading process.
Dr. Melissa Read
I like the idea of offering homework or quizes online. This could save time on grading and would allow the student to take the quiz/ assignment at their leisure (as long as it would fall within deadlines).
The most inportant is to have the students underline the important parts of the essay questions for time limited grading pratices.
I already give multiple choice, matching, and true/false tests. It helps me with time, but it also helps them prepare for their certification exams, which are multiple choice. Homework is shown to me and I usually go over any questions the students have about the homework. This has worked for me quite well.
We currently grade our exams with the scantron system. It works very efficiently and is also very fast.
I would try to breakdown my course in small quizes easy to grade and good testing tools.
I will utilize the concept of having students grade each others work for in-class lab exercises. This will provide an opportunity to review the material presented.
