I would like to use the quizes feature of webwork:
webwork.maa.org/wiki/Gateway_Tests_and_Quizzes
I have 150 students in my class and I cannot require them all to bring a laptop to class for the quiz/midterm/final.
What I would like to do is allow students that can bring laptops to class use those laptops in class for the midterm, while those that cannot fill in the answers on a printout of the quiz, and have the TAs type those answers in for them afterwards.
The way I am thinking of doing it is to give each student a printout and include in that printout a code that identifies the specific version of the exam so that when they log in they can see the same version on their screen.
It seems like this should be possible, I wonder if anybody has tried it before
and can advise me how to avoid possible problems.
Yoav
Dear Yoav,
I am requiring students to bring laptops, tablets, or web-capable smart phones to class for daily quizzes and exams using the Gateway-Tests-and-Quizzes software (and daily classwork using just the regular WeBWorK problem set interface).
I have had no complaints from students about this.
I do have the advantage of using a "laptop-ready" classroom that has tables with a power outlet and an ethernet outlet at each student spot (but so far students are exclusively using wireless connections rather than ethernet connections).
I have one Finite Math class with 100+ students and one Prob/Stats class with 30+ students.
Sincerely,
Bill Wheeler, Indiana University, Bloomington
I am requiring students to bring laptops, tablets, or web-capable smart phones to class for daily quizzes and exams using the Gateway-Tests-and-Quizzes software (and daily classwork using just the regular WeBWorK problem set interface).
I have had no complaints from students about this.
I do have the advantage of using a "laptop-ready" classroom that has tables with a power outlet and an ethernet outlet at each student spot (but so far students are exclusively using wireless connections rather than ethernet connections).
I have one Finite Math class with 100+ students and one Prob/Stats class with 30+ students.
Sincerely,
Bill Wheeler, Indiana University, Bloomington
What about this?...
Have students do exams with pencil and paper WITHOUT laptops first. That is useful for partial credit later if necessary.
Only use Webwork to ENTER the answers AFTER the exam period is over.
Even if only 50% of students have laptops, you can have them loan their laptops to other 50% to just enter their answers for a few minutes.
cs
Have students do exams with pencil and paper WITHOUT laptops first. That is useful for partial credit later if necessary.
Only use Webwork to ENTER the answers AFTER the exam period is over.
Even if only 50% of students have laptops, you can have them loan their laptops to other 50% to just enter their answers for a few minutes.
cs
As for requiring all students to have laptops, my understanding is that in public schools that is illegal.
As for having everybody do the exam first on paper.
That is a very interesting idea... But how do you make sure that the students type in what they wrote on the paper rather than consulting their friends before entering an "improved" answer?
One solution that pops to mind is to make photocopies of all of the exams and
retain copies to cross-check (a sample) of what the students entered.
Having everybody wait until the exam period is over is problematic
A low-tech solution is to have the TAs type in the answers. Definitely work, but
less work than checking everything by hand.
Yoav
As for having everybody do the exam first on paper.
That is a very interesting idea... But how do you make sure that the students type in what they wrote on the paper rather than consulting their friends before entering an "improved" answer?
One solution that pops to mind is to make photocopies of all of the exams and
retain copies to cross-check (a sample) of what the students entered.
Having everybody wait until the exam period is over is problematic
A low-tech solution is to have the TAs type in the answers. Definitely work, but
less work than checking everything by hand.
Yoav
Why make photocopies? Just collect their handwritten work like you did before Webwork.
When they enter their answers into Webwork, it should only take a few minutes and you can go around to make sure no one is changing their hand written work. The deterrent will be that if they cheat you'll have collected the exams and can prove it.
The danger of people changing their answers was there even before Webwork. When and if you did pencil and paper exams, did you honestly photocopy every test before you handed it back to the students to prevent them changing their answers later and claiming it was graded wrong?
cs
When they enter their answers into Webwork, it should only take a few minutes and you can go around to make sure no one is changing their hand written work. The deterrent will be that if they cheat you'll have collected the exams and can prove it.
The danger of people changing their answers was there even before Webwork. When and if you did pencil and paper exams, did you honestly photocopy every test before you handed it back to the students to prevent them changing their answers later and claiming it was graded wrong?
cs