Elizabeth McCarthy, Business and Information Technology Department
Instructor for Computer Support Specialist (CSS), PC Tech, Local Area
Network (LAN) Management, Programming and Web Technologies
The $99 Solution (aka The Paper Chase Solution)
When Kirkwood announced in 2007 that Kirkwood spent over $1M for printing for a year, I was shocked. The more I thought about it, the more I thought of things that I could do to lower printing costs. One idea was to use a tablet for grading assignments to lower paper/toner costs.
The product I am working with is a Wacom Bamboo Fun Pen Tablet. I have used it for one class last fall and in all classes this spring. I haven’t calculated the statistics for the semester yet, but I know that there is a much smaller pile of paper remaining in my office at the end of this semester. I currently use e-mail to collect all my assignments, but am looking to use Angel LMS or another source as a depository for student assignments to grade or add space on a server I use for my classes.
Please visit my site later for the statistics.
Electronic Tests and Evaluations (Updated): ExamView
In conjunction with “The $99 Solution, I have used ExamView extensively this past year. This has allowed me to put assignments, study guides and exams in electronic format. I even used this to gather course feedback from my students anonymously at the end of the semester.
I used test generating software to create tests using JavaScript that can be taken with a web browser and an Internet connection. The software was provided free with the Course Technology textbooks that I use in my classes. I used the same software to get student feedback at the end of the semester by creating questions specific to each course. The tests are currently submitted by e-mail, but I hope to use space on a server used for other classes. This would allow me to use other components of ExamView, such as Exam View Test Player and Exam View Test Manager (see below for features).
With the software, I can create my own questions or use questions from the Test Banks provided by Course Technology. The types of questions that can be created/used are listed below:
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True/False |
Modified True/False |
Multiple Choice |
Multiple Response |
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Bimodal |
Yes/No |
Numeric Response |
Completion |
|
Matching |
Short Answer |
Problem |
Essay |
|
Case |
|
|
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Features include:
Response Pad Integration
Results from assignments delivered using eInstruction CPS IR or CPS RF response pads can now be read directly into ExamView Test Manager.
Mixed Question Types
The ExamView Test Generator now allows you to group test questions by their question type or mix the different question types on a test or in a question bank allowing you to create test that more closely resemble state tests.
Two Column Formatting
ExamView tests can now be formatted in one-or two-columns. Use the new two-column formatting feature to conserve paper or create tests in a format that more closely resembles your state test format.
ExamView Test Manager
With the Test Manager you can manage online (LAN) tests, scan results for paper tests (Windows Only), get results for online tests, get results from your eInstruction CPS session, and generate numerous reports, including longitudinal student progress reports.
Plain-Paper Scanner Support (Windows Only)
The ExamView Test Manager supports plain-paper scanning so that you can quickly print bubble sheets on inexpensive copy paper and score tests using widely available inexpensive scanners.
Click here to learn more about this convenient capability.
Dedicated OMR Scanner Support
The ExamView Test Manager also supports the Apperson Advantage and Pearson NCS EZ Data OMR scanners using pre-printed forms.
Flexible Question Selection
Need to create a test covering selected state standards? It’s a snap! You can choose one or more question banks to build a test when selecting questions from a list, by standard, while viewing, randomly, or by criteria.
Publisher Content
ExamView-formatted questions are offered with publisher-prepared question banks for over 4,100 elementary, middle school, high school and post-secondary textbooks. Ask your textbook sales representatives if they offer ExamView-formatted content. Or use TitleTrack to locate textbooks that include ExamView question banks.
Dynamic Questions
Rather than use static values in questions, dynamic questions automatically substitute values, units of measure, graphs, text, and answer choices. You can literally write one question that will generate hundreds of variations, all of which test the same concept.
Multiple Question Types
The ExamView software supports 14 question formats including the Multiple Response question type. You can include as many as eight choices (A-H) for Multiple Choice, Multiple Response, and Bimodal questions. Also, Numeric Response questions include the response grid feature which gives students valuable practice with the grid format used on many standardized tests.
Equations and Graphs
With just a few mouse clicks, you can insert Cartesian, Polar, and Number Line graphs. A powerful equation editor makes ExamView an ideal tool for math instructors.
Question Points
Point values may be assigned to questions. You can print the points on a test or use them in your online tests to give you more control over assigning credit for incorrect/correct answers.
Open-Ended Questions for LAN Tests
Online (LAN) tests include open-ended response questions such as essay, short answer, and problem. Keying in grades for open-ended questions is easy with the ExamView Test Manager.
Test Layout Styles
Numerous test layout options are included that give you even more control in formatting the appearance of a test. The Style Gallery lets you quickly choose a layout based on predefined formats (e.g., TAKS, FCAT, GED, GMAT, NCLEX, etc.).
ANGEL/Blackboard/WebCT Export (Windows Only)
Export tests, question banks, and assignment results to the WebCT CE 3-6, Vista 3-4, Blackboard 5.0+, and ANGEL 7.1+ format.
Publish to ANGEL/WebCT (Windows Only)
Seamlessly publish your ExamView tests and question banks directly to your ANGEL 6.3-7.1 and WebCT 6/Vista 3-4 server.
Virtual Machines (using VMWare)
In a class I teach, students used to have to all share one server over slow Ethernet, which made it difficult for students to complete their lab assignments. This year, I created a virtual image of a Novell NetWare server for each student to use. They could use the image from the workstation in the classroom. More importantly, the students were able to load the image onto their own hard drives to work on whenever and wherever they wanted to. It also eliminated the chance than another student would delete the server. Even better, I had the image burned to a CD to use for the next semesters class.
Tool to Teach Object Orientated Programming
In researching better ways to teach object orientated programming to students, I discovered Alice. The best description of Alice can be found on their website, Alice.org: “Alice is an innovative 3D programming environment that makes it easy to create an animation for telling a story, playing an interactive game, or a video to share on the web. Alice is a teaching tool for introductory computing. It uses 3D graphics and a drag-and-drop interface to facilitate a more engaging, less frustrating first programming experience.”
I haven’t had enough time to incorporate Alice into the classroom, but I can see how useful it can be. The research on Alice shows that it is very effective at community college level students. For more see http://www.alice.org/ or http://www.course.com/itlink/spring06_alice.cfm
Yahoo Groups
I’m discussing with other instructors about using Yahoo Groups as a means of communicating with students via e-mail. Other instructors have used it effectively in the past. Since many of our students don’t have an e-mail address correctly listed in EagleNet and don’t look at their Student Kirkwood account regularly, this is a way to contact them. The way is works is that students’ sign up for a Yahoo E-Mail account and join the Yahoo Group during the first week of class. They can then set up their account so that any group messages are forwarded to the e-mail account of their choice. It saves creating a mail list that doesn’t actually reach students.
