ProjectProposal-Qingyun Tang

From CS160 User Interfaces Fa06

Digital Examinations

Contents 1 Background 2 Problems Description 3 Problems Context and Forces 4 Targeted Users 5 Solution Sketch

Background

Most tests today are still pen and paper based. Lots of problems are arised from this. Purely digital tests are still not as good as regular paper tests in many ways. For example, math equations are not so easily presented on computers as on paper.

Problems Description

• It takes time for teachers to hand out their paper tests and collect them. Thus students have different length of time of finishing the tests, resulting unfairness. Someone sits at the right side of the classroom might be still writing on the test while other person who sits on the left side has to turn the test in, because the teacher starts to collect from the left first.
• Paper tests are returned to students after grading either during section or lecture. This process wastes class time.
• Regrade is a problem. Some sneaky students might fix their answers on the paper tests and ask for regrade. The prevention right now is to scan all tests before returning to the students. This is again a big waste of time.
• It takes time for teachers to record the score into certain areas of grade book.

Problems Context and Forces

• The location of exams are usually inside classrooms. Therefore, having a computer inside the classroom that can receive bluetooth signal from Anoto pens is perfectly reasonable.
• Most people have emails now, epscially teachers, students who attend high schools or colleges.
• All teachers have similar way of recording grades, with slightly different formats.
• Anoto pens may cost some money so that not everybody is willing to buy it. Schools can buy a set of them and they will be used at exam locations.

Targeted Users

Any high school or college students. Teachers will also save their time. People with little knowledge to technology should still be able to use such paper and pen based products.

Solution Sketch

• Tests will be collected electronically. This does not mean emailing of course. Students are taking tests in the classroom with Anoto pen and tests are printed onto Anoto paper. When teacher calls time, all Anoto pens are forced to send the current info into the computer inside the classroom. No paper copy will be collected. The advantage is that students could have a copy of their own work to study after exam right the way, so they know what they did not learn thus get improve next time.
• After grading, the tests will be sent to students through email. This is a much faster way of returning tests to students. Meanwhile, it requires teachers to grade using Anoto pen as well.
• There is an automatically digital copy of the paper test. Therefore, no plagiarism should occur.
• Some special program can be made to instantly record the score from the digitally graded paper to the specific row and column on the grade book (excel maybe).

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