Does the mode of delivery affect mathematics examination results?

At present most examinations are delivered on paper but there is a growing trend in many subjects to deliver some or part of these examinations by computer. It is therefore important to know whether there are any differences in the results obtained by candidates sitting examinations taken by computer compared with those obtained by candidates sitting conventional examinations using pen and paper. The purpose of this article is to describe the outcome of a pilot study designed to∗ investigate possible causes of any differences in results from the use of different modes of delivery in a mathematics examination. One outcome of this study was that the process of translating examination questions into a format required for use on the computer (but keeping this as a pen and paper test) can have a significant effect on examination results. However, the main conclusion is that changing the medium only has no effect on the results in mathematics examinations

Issues of partial credit in mathematical assessment by computer

The CALM Project for Computer Aided Learning in Mathematics has operated at Heriot‐Watt University since 1985. From the beginning CALM has featured assessment in its programs (Beevers, Cherry, Foster and McGuire, 1991), and enabled both students and teachers to view progress in formative assessment The computer can play a role in at least four types of assessment: diagnostic, self‐test, continuous and grading assessment. The TLTP project Mathwise employs the computer in three of these roles. In 1994 CALM reported on an educational experiment in which the computer was used for the first time to grade, in part, the learning of a large class of service mathematics students (Beevers, McGuire, Stirling and Wild ,1995), using the Mathwise assessment template. At that time the main issues identified were those of ‘partial credit’ and communication between the student and the computer. These educational points were addressed in the next phase of the CALM Project in which the commercial testing program Interactive PastPapers was developed. The main aim of this paper is to describe how Interactive Past Papers has been able to incorporate some approaches to partial credit which has helped to alleviate student worries on these issues. Background information on other features in Interactive Past Papers is also included to provide context for the discussion

Partial credit in mathematics exams - a comparison of traditional and CAA exams

With the growing trend in many subjects to deliver at least some part of examinations by computer, it is important to know whether there are any differences in the results obtained by candidates sitting examinations taken by computer compared to those obtained by candidates sitting conventional examinations using pen and paper. The purpose of this paper is to describe a pilot project to compare the traditional type of assessment with assessment done by computer in mathematics examinations and in particular to investigate the role of partial credit in these examinations. In paper based examinations full marks are awarded for a completely correct answer. If, however, a student obtains an incorrect answer but gets some parts of the working correct then in mathematics examinations partial credit is normally awarded. In a computer examination an incorrect answer to a question is normally awarded no marks with no consideration of any partial credit. The mechanism for giving partial credit in the computer examinations of this project was to break the question down into Steps. The project compared results of students taking computer tests in three different formats (either no Steps, compulsory Steps or optional Steps) and the partial credit they would have obtained by taking the corresponding examinations on paper. The tests were at the level of Scottish Higher school examinations and were taken by school students who were about to sit their Higher examinations. This level was chosen as it was high enough to test the students on strategy and mathematical working, while the questions were not too long so that a clearer analysis of the results was possible

Partial Credit in Mathematics Exams - A Comparison of Traditional and CAA Exams

With the growing trend in many subjects to deliver at least some part of examinations by computer, it is important to know whether there are any differences in the results obtained by candidates sitting examinations taken by computer compared to those obtained by candidates sitting conventional examinations using pen and paper. The purpose of this paper is to describe a pilot project to compare the traditional type of assessment with assessment done by computer in mathematics examinations and in particular to investigate the role of partial credit in these examinations. In paper based examinations full marks are awarded for a completely correct answer. If, however, a student obtains an incorrect answer but gets some parts of the working correct then in mathematics examinations partial credit is normally awarded. In a computer examination an incorrect answer to a question is normally awarded no marks with no consideration of any partial credit. The mechanism for giving partial credit in the computer examinations of this project was to break the question down into Steps. The project compared results of students taking computer tests in three different formats (either no Steps, compulsory Steps or optional Steps) and the partial credit they would have obtained by taking the corresponding examinations on paper. The tests were at the level of Scottish Higher school examinations and were taken by school students who were about to sit their Higher examinations. This level was chosen as it was high enough to test the students on strategy and mathematical working, while the questions were not too long so that a clearer analysis of the results was possible

Operator space structure of JC*-triples and TROs, I

We embark upon a systematic investigation of operator space structure of JC*-triples via a study of the TROs (ternary rings of operators) they generate. Our approach is to introduce and develop a variety of universal objects, including universal TROs, by which means we are able to describe all possible operator space structures of a JC*-triple. Via the concept of reversibility we obtain characterisations of universal TROs over a wide range of examples. We apply our results to obtain explicit descriptions of operator space structures of Cartan factors regardless of dimensio