6 minute read
Tested by Testing: How Teachers Are Managing Assessments
TESTED BY TESTING: MANAGING ASSESSMENTS
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“Testing is a nighta feature of the grading platform Jupiter Ed, to test students. Though not ideal, ing fairness and academic honesty. Some teachers have acknowledged the poChemistry teacher Michael Orlando has also adopted the open-notebook mare,” biology teacher Dr. online multiple-choice test- tential issues with academic assessment approach in Maria Nedwidek-Moore re- ing does have its perks. “The honesty in remote learning an attempt to circumvent marked. “When we closed pods are self-grading, which last term, I said ‘I’m not is more efficient than using even trying to do this’ be- the old scantron machines cause even if three or four and manually transferring or five kids can’t do it, then scores into Jupiter Ed,” mu[...] I can’t use the test [...] sic teacher Harold Stephan And that’s what’s happen- said in an e-mail interview. ing for some teachers this In addition, teachers can term as well.” more easily assign extended
When schools first time for students who need closed back in March, one it. of the biggest issues of re- But one concern regardmote learning was accurate- ing Juno Pods is the techly assessing students for the nical issues that may arise last two marking periods on certain devices while the of the semester. This rapid test is launched. “I think the transition left teachers with Jupiter thing is great except little time to find effective when it doesn’t work, and methods to teach and test I’ve heard from other teachstudents remotely. But even ers and been [made] aware going into the fall term that some students have armed with experience from problems with the Jupiter the spring and guidance interface when the lockfrom training sessions con- down browser is being used ducted this summer, testing on Chromebooks and on is still up in the air. the DOE iPads,” Dr. Ned-
With the entire semester widek-Moore explained. being conducted remotely Other students echoed this this year, assessing students issue. has become even more diffi- With online testing in cult than it was last semes- general, however, the bigter. “The big transition was gest challenge becomes that in the spring, we al- minimizing academic disready had a bunch of school honesty. “There is no way to by holding open-notebook concerns about academic in, so we already knew stu- ensure transparency across tests, reducing the chanc- honesty. “I feel the need to dents, we already had a few online platforms, and I am es of students using online give open-note tests because tests and or papers dealt fully aware that students sources or working with I don’t want to punish the with, so the grades weren’t can open a smartphone or classmates. “I plan on giving honest kids and would as important,” social studies iPad and search for infor- timed, in-class essays as my have a hard time stopping teacher Dr. Zachary Ber- mation that may unfairly tests,” social studies teach- the cheaters,” he said in an man said. “Now, we have help them achieve a higher er David Hanna said in an e-mail interview. to actually determine grades test score than their class- e-mail interview. “This is Dr. Nedwidek-Moore, remotely [...] It’s hard; the mates who choose a higher basically the same as before on the other hand, created grades won’t be based on as level of academic integrity,” the pandemic. The only her own testing system to much stuff.” Stephan elaborated. difference is that they are conduct her assessments.
Many teachers are using Because of this, other open-notebook. This also “My husband is helping AP Classroom or Juno Pods, teachers are turning to al- reflects what the College- me assess students fairly ternative solutions regard- Board went with last May.” with a variety of program-
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TESTED BY TESTING: HOW TEACHERS ARE ASSESSMENTS
ming things that he’s trying your intellect a better tool physics teacher Thomas out that are not public,” for taking the test than try- Miner said in an e-mail inshe said. “I pulled a cou- ing to cheat on it,” she ex- terview. ple all-nighters a couple of plained. “And believe me, Instead of emphasizweeks ago when we were they don’t all get 100s, even ing multiple-choice tests, some teachers are opting for mostly project-based assessments. “I plan on using online testing platforms as they become available as well as the good old format when I give students a set of problems and they finish it by a certain time,” math teacher Aziz Jumash described in an e-mail interview. “These assignments allow teachers more flexibility than inclass tests and quizzes. [...] I asked students to write a problem with specific characteristics and then solve it. There were many clever problems and clever solutions.” Dr. Berman has a slightly different approach: “I’m giving some multiple Cadence Li / The Spectator choice, but I’m not counting it for much, whereas I would’ve counted [it] for a lot [during in-person classes],” he said. “I’m going to have to count everything else a little more, so [I’m] giving more written quizzes and counting presentations more.” A testament to teachers’ making the first batch of if they know ahead of time efforts can be found in the tests.” what it’s going to be [on].” reactions of participating
Though she cannot pre- In addition to concerns students. Freshman Eshaal vent her students from look- regarding academic dishon- Ubaid has already received ing up the answers during a esty, online testing also pos- numerous tests in subjects test, Dr. Nedwidek-Moore es limitations for teachers ranging from biology to has set up her exams so that to assess students’ grasp of Spanish. Ubaid has found cheating is ultimately un- the material, particularly in aspects of her testing expeproductive for them. “I’m STEM subjects. “You can’t rience to be generally posijust trying to make tests really award partial credit tive, though she prefers certhat they can’t cheat on or or see the full extent of a tain methods over others. that if they try to cheat on, student’s problem-solving “The formats of these quizthey would run out of time. process/thinking like you zes and tests [are] usually all That’s my goal—to make can on a paper/pencil test,” multiple choice, which I feel makes things straightforward; plus, a lot of students prefer it to short-response questions,” she explained. However, she has found fault with some inevitable trappings of remote learning: “For my first JunoPod, I didn’t have time to get back to my Google Meet and ask a question about the context of a problem, so I ended up getting that one wrong.”
Senior Zachary Gelman agrees with this mixed perception of online testing. “Overall, I think that the […] experience is worse than normal test-taking, but being able to leave early if you finish early is pretty neat,” he noted. In addition, Gelman appreciates the fast turnaround time for grading, which is an improvement from that [of] in-person school.
It is almost impossible for Stuyvesant teachers to perfect administering exams, but it’s also unreasonable to expect a seamless testing experience for both teachers and students, given the remote environment and concerns about cheating. To that end, it is up to students to uphold a fair testing system and their own academic honesty, even when they have the opportunity to dismiss it. “I do my best to convey to students that I appreciate academic integrity more than a high test score and that in the end, it will help them build self-esteem, character, and self-control if they do the right thing—even when nobody’s ‘watching,’” Stephan concluded.
