Nick,
Thank you very much for the explanation of your process. This is a
superb contribution to the debate at Paisley and quite apposite given
that there is a meeting this very afternoon on this topic.
We have an anonymising tool (written by a School of Computing
colleague) which operates in the much the same way as you describe. In
addition to anonymising the courseworks, it has the option of ensuring
that the names are not revealed until all courseworks in the batch are
marked and the marks added to the Blackboard gradebook (via the upload
of a downloaded spreadsheet). However we have never implemented it
since we are only now getting round to dicussing the issue with any
gravity.
I am encouraged by the fact that that the module coordinator (I presume
this is the academic responsible for the quality of the module) is
engaged in the admin aspects of the work. I suspect that, should we go
with this form of solution, we would invite a School administrator to
execute this function, especially the zip file submission to Turnitin.
Your use of markers (with associated standard marking sheet with
standard assessment criteria) is also interesting. Are they University
lecturers or contract staff? Have you considered what will happen when
you have a single lecturer (who is also the module coordinator) and no
markers?
It is equally encouraging that feedback is being added via the word
processing system rather than on printed versions. That will be a
massive culture change if it occurs. It will be interesting to see what
happens when you get more instances of using the tool.
As a wee side issue to this whole debate we have been dicussing what
impact this would have on the provision of formative feedback on draft
assignments. It is highly likely that, having seen the draft
submission, the lecturer will recognise the final submission. Hence how
anonymised is the submission?
Once again, thanks for your contribution. Much appreciated.
regards,
Arthur
>>> "Bunyan, Nick" <[log in to unmask]> 03/05/2007 11:58:51 am
>>>
Arthur,
We now have Philosophy using a fully electronic submission process
through Blackboard and using an anonymous marking system. We worked out
a solution and piloted on a single module last academic year and are now
in the process of rolling it out in all modules within the school.
Basically what we do is:
Students submit normally into Blackboard's assignment tool. The
Gradebook settings are changed so that students are only listed by their
username and student ID - both of these don't identify the students name
directly.
The module coordinator waits until all the assignments are received and
then uses item download to copy them all off from Blackboard as a zip
file etc. At this point in Blackboard 6.3 that we are running, you can
see the students full names but staff are not viewing the assignments so
its not critical.
As you know Blackboard adds the student username to the submitted file
which identifies them but is still not their full name (e.g. bs0u51b9 ).
The module coordinator sorts the submitted files alphabetically and
distributes around to the markers in batches electronically.
Typically each marker is printing them off at this stage to mark with a
pen, but feedback is given to the students electronically back through
the assignment tool - this consists of a standard marking sheet with
standard assessment criteria etc. and increasingly staff are using the
comments tool within word to add specific comments back within the text
on each essay. The interesting thing is that staff are now giving much
more feedback than they used to do as they can now give it
electronically whereas previously they kept the original paper copy on
file and sent nothing back to students!
As long as students don't put their names within the text of the
coursework, staff only need to work with the students username and
reference as they give feedback through the assignment tool.
The module coordinator also takes the zip file with all the completed
assignments and runs this through the Turnitin tool for plagiarism
detection - Turnitin will accept a zip file consisting of a number of
word docs and it will automatically create an originally report of each
piece of submitted work.
The process seem to work well - a few grumblings from staff but this is
mainly around using Blackboard and electronic marking and not that it
has compromised the anonymous marking process! The old paper system is
not full proof as staff can un-staple to corners of the essay to see who
has created it - there is an element of trust with staff in both
systems.
We are now planning a similar trial and roll out within English. This
is a bigger department with more students and a lot more staff that
don't like technology! The issue here is about the relative costs of the
department taking responsibility for the printing costs (the school
admin team will buy a big new printer) as most staff will want to mark a
paper copy, but we think this will be effective compared to the gains in
staff time within the school admin office.
Nick
Nick Bunyan
Learning Technologist
Educational Development Division
Centre for Lifelong Learning
The University of Liverpool
Email: [log in to unmask]
Tel: +44(0)151 7941163
Fax: +44(0)151 7941182
Web: http://www.liv.ac.uk/cll
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Arthur
Loughran
Sent: 02 May 2007 11:43
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Anonymous Marking for Online Coursework Submissions
Carol,
Thanks for your feedback. We find ourselves in the same situation, ie
anonymous marking is a policy but only truely works with paper
formatted
coursework submissons and examinations. We even have an anonymous
front
page for all paper format submissions. I do not know if it is widely
used but I suspect that it is.
Blackboard Consulting offered to develop a Buidling Block for us but
it
was too expensive.
best,
Arthur
>>> Carol Higgison <[log in to unmask]> 02/05/2007 11:27:26 am
>>>
Hi Arthur (et al)
This is still an issue we are struggling with here at Bradford since
our
policies recommend anonymous marking. This is not supported either
when
assignments are submitted directly in BB or when we use Turnitin to
check
submitted assignments. Neither of these two suppliers see this as a
particular requirement or priority so most of our solutions are
work-arounds
and are not consistent across the University.
At Bradford, if electronic submission is requested, students still
have
to
hand in a hard-copy. This is still anonymous and can be marked as
such.
Work arounds include students submitting to a BB 'organisation' for
their
course and admin staff check the originality reports and flag
submissions
that may merit further investigation; the academic member of staff
looking
at the originality reports after marking or where they suspect
plagiarism.
I would be interested to know how many other institutions have a
policy
of
anonymous marking, even if they don't use electronic submission.
Regards
Carol
Carol Higgison
Senior Adviser on e-Learning, University of Bradford
Tel 01274 233291, Email [log in to unmask] the original paper
copy on file a
http://www.brad.ac.uk/acad/tqeg/information/staff/carol_higgison.php
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:BLACKBOARD-
> [log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Arthur Loughran
> Sent: 01 May 2007 13:03
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Anonymous Marking for Online Coursework Submissions
>
> Hi,
> I have been asked to provide feedback on the state of play with
respect
> to anonymous marking for online coursework submission.
>
> We have done some work on this but have not yet develped a
satisfactory
> method of achieving this goal.
>
> I would be grateful if anyone could advise on how this is being
dealt
> with at their institution.
>
> thanks,
> Arthur Loughran
>
>
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
> Dr. Arthur J. Loughran
> Senior Lecturer
> Centre for Academic and Professional Development (CAPD)
> University of Paisley
> Paisley PA1 2BE
> tele: +44-(0)141-848-3558
> fax: +44-(0)141-848-3822
> email: [log in to unmask]
> >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>
>
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