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| Online marking of exams 'faulty' | Online marking of exams 'faulty' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Increased online marking of exam papers could be linked to rising numbers of inaccurate grades, the National Association of Head Teachers says. | Increased online marking of exam papers could be linked to rising numbers of inaccurate grades, the National Association of Head Teachers says. |
| The association is collecting evidence of inaccurate results and demands for papers to be marked again. | The association is collecting evidence of inaccurate results and demands for papers to be marked again. |
| In England, 40% of A-level papers were marked online. One board, Edexcel, says all its papers will be next year. | In England, 40% of A-level papers were marked online. One board, Edexcel, says all its papers will be next year. |
| But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said technology should make assessment easier. | But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority said technology should make assessment easier. |
| Teachers at Tolworth School, in Surrey, told the BBC they had sent back unprecedented numbers of papers to be re-marked this year as they were shocked at the grades many A-level and GCSE students received. | Teachers at Tolworth School, in Surrey, told the BBC they had sent back unprecedented numbers of papers to be re-marked this year as they were shocked at the grades many A-level and GCSE students received. |
| Pattern | |
| Student Katie Davison thinks she was affected. | Student Katie Davison thinks she was affected. |
| She said: "I got two As and a D in the third paper which was completely unexpected and I was not happy with it at all but it means that I can't go to university with that D grade." | She said: "I got two As and a D in the third paper which was completely unexpected and I was not happy with it at all but it means that I can't go to university with that D grade." |
| Clarissa Williams, the school's head teacher and a member of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Talking to my colleagues at the NAHT, there are many schools where there are problems; there seems to be a pattern. My own association is gathering that evidence right now." | Clarissa Williams, the school's head teacher and a member of the National Association of Head Teachers, said: "Talking to my colleagues at the NAHT, there are many schools where there are problems; there seems to be a pattern. My own association is gathering that evidence right now." |
| There's a question whether or not online marking is missing some of the achievements of youngsters John BangsNUT Send us your comments | There's a question whether or not online marking is missing some of the achievements of youngsters John BangsNUT Send us your comments |
| Former exam marker Margaret Tomkins told the BBC she had found papers could not be marked online with "integrity", and so she had resigned. | Former exam marker Margaret Tomkins told the BBC she had found papers could not be marked online with "integrity", and so she had resigned. |
| John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, said legitimate questions had been raised and he was concerned. | John Bangs, head of education at the National Union of Teachers, said legitimate questions had been raised and he was concerned. |
| "The information is that examiners are finding online marking quite tough. | "The information is that examiners are finding online marking quite tough. |
| "They are not able to annotate the scripts by hand, there's a time constraint and you can't take into account youngsters who do quite a lot of writing and don't fill in the standard box that online marking demands. | "They are not able to annotate the scripts by hand, there's a time constraint and you can't take into account youngsters who do quite a lot of writing and don't fill in the standard box that online marking demands. |
| "So legitimately there's a question whether or not online marking is missing some of the achievements of youngsters." | "So legitimately there's a question whether or not online marking is missing some of the achievements of youngsters." |
| ONLINE MARKING Papers are scanned, digitised and marked online Groups of students with the same answers are investigated for cheating An alert sounds if the examiner spends too long on a questionA supervisor monitors the examiner's workOne board is investigating using examiners in Australia These are selected features and many not apply to all exam boards | |
| The use of technology should not diminish the professionalism of teachers in the exam process, he added. | The use of technology should not diminish the professionalism of teachers in the exam process, he added. |
| But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which oversees the exams, says online marking is not a problem. | But the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority, which oversees the exams, says online marking is not a problem. |
| Isabel Nisbet, director of regulations and standards at the QCA, said: "We are about making sure assessment is good - that it's properly done, it's properly checked, it's properly supervised and actually technology should make that easier. | Isabel Nisbet, director of regulations and standards at the QCA, said: "We are about making sure assessment is good - that it's properly done, it's properly checked, it's properly supervised and actually technology should make that easier. |
| "The days of soggy parcels outside the teachers' houses have gone and it should be a way to support much greater supervision and checking." | "The days of soggy parcels outside the teachers' houses have gone and it should be a way to support much greater supervision and checking." |
| She said online marking supported good quality marking and provided feedback for examiners, and as much care went into the process as on paper. | She said online marking supported good quality marking and provided feedback for examiners, and as much care went into the process as on paper. |
| Ms Nisbet admitted some online systems prompted the examiner to move on to the next question after a certain time period, to avoid a backlog of papers to mark. | Ms Nisbet admitted some online systems prompted the examiner to move on to the next question after a certain time period, to avoid a backlog of papers to mark. |
| But there were also "quality alerts" provided by a supervisor monitoring the examiner at work. | But there were also "quality alerts" provided by a supervisor monitoring the examiner at work. |
| Former chief inspector of schools, Chris Woodhead, said online marking was partly responsible for inaccuracies in grades, but at the root of the problem was a shortage of experienced, qualified examiners and their pay was too low. | Former chief inspector of schools, Chris Woodhead, said online marking was partly responsible for inaccuracies in grades, but at the root of the problem was a shortage of experienced, qualified examiners and their pay was too low. |