On-screen exam marking 'a success'

Northern Ireland’s exams body, the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), has praised a pilot project to mark GCSE examination papers on screen a success.

The CCEA today said that the approach of using software to mark scanned images of examination scripts displayed on computer screens improves the standard of marking and speeds up the process of awarding grades, plus it could mean the end of handling heavy boxes of paper scripts for examiners.

The pilot involved over 50 examiners and around 5,000 students sitting examinations in GCSE English Literature and ICT.

CCEA Director of Operations Neil Anderson explained why the work had been undertaken: “Firstly we wanted to see if we could meet the technological challenge of scanning and electronically marking 1000s of exam papers and I’m pleased to say we’ve done that. We also wanted to be certain that there were real benefits for examiners and students to be gained from marking exam papers on-screen.

“I’m particularly pleased that this approach adds value to the quality of marking. For example, even before examiners are allowed to mark live scripts they are required to mark a number of questions which have been standardised by senior examiners. Only when examiners have demonstrated that they are marking to the agreed standard are they able to proceed with marking live scripts. This process continues throughout the marking process, ensuring standards are maintained.”

Mr Anderson continued by saying that another benefit of on-screen marking is that throughout the process a Chief Examiner can monitor both the standards and the progress being made by the marking team, with ongoing support and guidance being provided to examiners on-line as required, greatly speeding up the quality assurance process.

Monitoring of marking standards throughout the process removes the need for the traditional review of standards which takes place only after all marking has been completed.

He added: “The use of computers also removes the need for examiners to tot up candidates’ scores, as this is done automatically as the scripts are marked.

The overall activity of marking and awarding grades could be shortened by up to a week allowing for results to be issued earlier.”

Looking ahead as to whether CCEA will now be marking all scripts this way, Mr Anderson continued: “Having proved the technology works and that this approach delivers real benefits, we now have to consider two major challenges before agreeing on the next steps.

“Firstly, CCEA employs in the region of 3,000 examiners each year, all of whom would have to be trained in on-screen marking. Secondly, to roll this out over our full suite of GCSE, GCE and other qualifications would mean a considerable investment for CCEA and the forthcoming Education and Skills Authority (ESA). These are major decisions that will only be made after considerable thought and analysis.”

The Northern Ireland GCSE results statistics will be published on Thursday 24 August 2006.

(EF)