Comments on: Using computers in exams

By: Lyn Rees

Lyn Rees — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 22:34:14 +0000

“I wonder whether the ‘digital divide’ could become an issue here in that those who had more use of computers at home as well as at school might have an unfair advantage over those who did not?”

It shouldn’t. Ability with the tools at your disposal is as much a part of the assessment as anything else… Does the fact that you red more books give you an unfair advantage?

By: Tweets that mention Pontydysgu – Bridge to Learning » Blog Archive » Using computers in exams -- Topsy.com

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:24:23 +0000

[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Josie Fraser, Graham Attwell, JRafael Fernandez, sarahknight, Ricardo TorresKompen and others. Ricardo TorresKompen said: RT @GrahamAttwell Did BBC radio debate with Chris Woodhead on use of computers in exams,thoughts in blog post http://is.gd/4MFkY [...]

By: Ilona Buchem

Ilona Buchem — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 11:30:53 +0000

I agree with you that there is a need for discussion over the nature and purpose of assessment in education. Assessment is generally too often applied as an instrument of selection. But besides assessment practices aiming at selection there are also assessment practices aiming at self-reflection and feedback for improvement within the learning process, also in formal educational settings. Once assessment is embedded in the learning process as an integral part of learning, it does support learning. I believe that different technologies can be used for different forms of assessment to support learning.

By: Mark Childs

Mark Childs — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 10:16:26 +0000

I’m with you on this one too, not least because anything Chris Woodhead is against has got to be a good thing. I’m the opposite of Lizit – I got through A levels purely by having a good memory and really failed to actually understand anything, a tactic which let me down when I got to university. Since then I’ve never found it a useful life skill to be able to remember lots of facts (just as well since the memory’s gone now too).

We should be assessing the skills which are useful, like can students reason. Allowing them access to the Internet will also test whether they can they focus on the task and not get distracted by surfing (a skill which I still haven’t acquired). And maybe it is fair to test where students are on this digital divide thing; won’t students need to be accomplished at using digital technologies to succeed later in their lives?

By: DPhil-stuff » Blog Archive » Intrinsic and Extrinsic motivation and informal learning

Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:49:16 +0000

[...] questions about the redesign of education. This brings me back to another blog read this morning, Graham Attwell’s reflections on the use of computers in [...]

By: lizit

lizit — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 09:16:51 +0000

Very much in agreement with you Graham. For many years, and not only because I was no good at exams, I’ve been of the view they favour those with good memories. In real life, knowing where to find information and knowing how to use it effectively is generally more important. Although not introduced at A level as far as I know, surely there has been same negativity about exams where students see papers in advance and open book exams – and the same arguments apply that those who have learned material during the course do well and those who haven’t have little or no benefit from having access to resource materials.

By: uberVU - social comments

uberVU - social comments — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:21:08 +0000

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By: Doug Woods

Doug Woods — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 08:14:39 +0000

I’m generally with you on this. However, I wonder whether the ‘digital divide’ could become an issue here in that those who had more use of computers at home as well as at school might have an unfair advantage over those who did not?