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Laboratory Exams in First Programming Classes

Laboratory Exams in First Programming Classes. Quintin Cutts, University of Glasgow quintin@dcs.gla.ac.uk and the Disciplinary Commoners

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Laboratory Exams in First Programming Classes

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  1. Laboratory Exams in First Programming Classes Quintin Cutts, University of Glasgow quintin@dcs.gla.ac.uk and the Disciplinary Commoners Dave Barnes, Kent; Pete Bibby, Bolton; Jim Bown, Abertay; Vicky Bush, Gloucestershire; Phil Campbell, LSBU; Sally Fincher, Kent; Stephan Jamieson, Durham; Tony Jenkins, Leeds; Michael Jones, Bournemouth; Dimitar Kazakov, York; Thomas Lancaster, UCE; Mark Ratcliffe, Aberystwyth; Monika Seisenberger, Swansea; Dermot Shinners-Kennedy, Limerick; Carol Wagstaff, Teesside; Linda White, Sunderland; Chris Whyley, Swansea. http://www.cs.kent.ac.uk/~saf/dc HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  2. Outline • Motivation for laboratory exams • Seven Commons models • Comparing the models HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  3. Solution created by student another student last year’s student book author web author contract coder Ensure ‘student’ by trust their good nature warn of severe penalties manual code search automatic code search horrendous institutional disciplinary route asking questions about understanding (almost) Open assessed coursework Broken!! HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  4. Coursework in an ITP course… • Primary skill development mechanism • Should skill development be mixed with skill assessment anyway? • No!! Increased stress etc. • Hence • use a more formalised assessment of programming skills HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  5. define: laboratory exam • Strictly controlled set of rules • Possibilities • time limit • unseen questions • limited access to other materials • limited access to other people • Rules upheld by strict invigilation HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  6. Vital Statistics HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  7. Vital Statistics Smaller tail and std dev End of course MCQ answered much better Subm & marking on-line maximises feedback Tests comprehension not memory HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  8. Vital Statistics 1st year of use Low ave. mark, but many students absent this time Provision of early f’back on progress 2nd test based on c’work Security paramount HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  9. Vital Statistics 10% used help facility, reduced stress (no tears) Allows students stuck at one point to succeed elsewhere HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  10. Vital Statistics Some rote learning Assesses coding, testing & debugging only One version of exam only for multiple sessions HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  11. Vital Statistics Results match performance on other assessments Matches intended learning outcomes with assessment HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  12. Vital Statistics Students appreciate the validity of the exam Rapid feedback Heavy to set up, but scenario reuse ameliorates HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  13. Vital Statistics The reality of a practical exam wakes some students up to necessary study levels Hence, significant motivational effect HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  14. Three categories • Single session, single unseen paper • Aberystwyth, Leeds, Swansea • Multiple sessions, multiple unseen papers • UCE, Durham, Sunderland • Maintains fairness and reliability • Multiple sessions, single seen paper • Glasgow • Reduced assessment coverage HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  15. Reliability • No cheating/communication • invigilators • limited/no network • different versions of exams • Same complexity across all versions? • range of problems, all using same concepts • single overarching scenario, multiple problems drawn from it HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  16. Validity • Does assessment match real world activity? • access to books/web/earlier solutions good • access to human assistance (at a price) • Do assessment exercises match skill development exercises? HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  17. Scalability • Large class sizes not a problem now, but… • we can hope • Not all these models scale HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

  18. Conclusions • Support for lab exams • Improved attitudes and study habits • Reliable feedback on progress • Assessing full range of programming skills • Testing comprehension not memory • Separating skill development from skill assessment • Reducing exam stress • Further work • Analysis of the problems used • How were the students’ solutions evaluated? • Comparison of exam performance against other assessments • Disciplinary Commons HEA-ICS 7th Annual Conf. 31-08-06

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