Those who have been bashing on with Key Skills have already endured exams
done on PCs in the Level 3 IT key skills test. It could have been a lot
worse - soem extra time was needed for students whose computers had crashed
or developed glitches, printing was a bit of a nightmare as all work had to
be printed and we only had one printer in the room and the invigilators
needed to include people competent at IT, including the technician. But it
worked pretty well, to my surprise and that of all concerned.
One problem: in a normal exam, what do early finishers do? Nothing much but
twiddle their thumbs. With a PC in front of them, the options are almost
endless . . .
As for American spellings, isn't it fairly easy to change the settings? The
PC I'm writing this on tells me off if I inadvertently use US spellings.
Martin Hall
ex of Kendrick School
Reading
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jim Riley" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, September 23, 2002 10:22 AM
Subject: Re: word-processing
> Word processing in exams. An intiguing idea.
>
> Potential advantages:
> - Easier to mark - maybe even do automatically in time
> - Quicker to mark
> - Fewer speeeling mistakes (assuming candidates are allowed to use
> spell-checker)
>
> But many potential disadvantages?
> - Security: how to ensure that a candidate hasn't loaded a wealth of
> information onto the clipbord cache or has an infrared/wireless link
> from his/her PDA
> - Diagrams: can candidate use powerpoint as well; or are they forced to
> endure Word?
> - Noise - would make the examination hall sound like an old-style typing
> pool
> - More use of American language (assuming candidates are allowed to use
> spell-checker)
> - Operating system?; you can just imagine the chaos as Windows XP
> freezes the screen again and three hours of work is consigned to the
> ether
> - Submission of work - do candidate hand a a disk over? How do you know
> it is the one they have been working on
> - Stream of complaints during the exam about equipment not working;
> stick keyboards, mouses that don't hover etc etc
>
> I'm sure there are many more issues. Good old pen and paper does have
> its advantages.
>
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Economics, business, and related subjects
> [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Colin
> Harber Stuart
> Sent: 23 September 2002 10:11
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: word-processing
>
>
> True Jim but having marked many an exam script over
> the years it is clear that word processing an
> essay/report requires and develops a quite different
> set of skills from those needed to scribble down a
> coherent exam answer under severe time pressures that
> do not allow time for redrafting. I guess the basic
> problem is that the technology used in exams (pen and
> paper) is now out of touch with the technology used
> just about everywhere else. So students who have lost
> the art of fast writing with a pen (or never develop
> it), such that it affects their exam performance, will
> also potentially "be at a significant disadvantage for
> the rest of their working lives."
>
> Is it now time to allow WP in exams?
>
> Colin Harber Stuart
>
> --- Jim Riley <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> > I cannot remember the last time I saw a business
> > report or other
> > publication that was handwritten. Come to think of
> > it, not many web
> > pages, powerpoint presentation or letters either.
> > Handwriting is for
> > birthday cards, not work or study. Students who
> > cannot undertake basic
> > word processing skills will be at a significant
> > disadvantage for the
> > rest of their working lives.
> >
> > Just my 5 euros worth
> >
> > Jim
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Economics, business, and related subjects
> > [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Mike
> > Chester
> > Sent: 23 September 2002 07:53
> > To: [log in to unmask]
> > Subject: Re: word-processing
> >
> >
> > It is a fact that students, especially the
> > relatively weaker ones, who
> > word process their coursework are MUCH more likely
> > to re-draft and
> > improve work than those that hand write it. It is a
> > simple case of
> > having to start again if you have handwritten it.
> > Therefore they get
> > better grades, which in these enlightened days seems
> > to be all that
> > matters!
> >
> > I also have terrible handwriting!
> >
> > Mike Chester
>
>
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