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Making the Grade...

I found this to be interesting -- there's been a big discussion on Slashdot about it...



Indiana Essays Being Graded by Computers

By SOL HURWITZ


Published: May 19, 2004



INDIANAPOLIS - In the computer lab at Warren Central High School in mid-May, Craig Butler, a junior, squinted at the question on his screen, paused to ponder his answer and began typing.



Craig was one of 48,500 Indiana juniors gathering in high schools across the state to take the end-of-year online English essay test. Unlike most essay tests, however, this one is being graded not by a teacher but by a computer.



Craig has already decided he prefers computer grading. "Teachers, you know, they're human, so they have to stumble around telling you what you need to do," he said at a practice session. "A computer can put it in fine print what you did wrong and how to fix it."



But his English teacher, Richard P. Dayment, wonders whether the computer is up to the task. "For the computer to do the subjective grading that's necessary on an essay, I'll want to see it before I have faith in it," he said.



Indiana is the first state to use a computer-scored English essay test in a statewide assessment, and its experience could influence testing decisions in other states. Eighteen states now require students to pass a writing test for high school graduation, and, starting next year, both the SAT and the ACT will include writing in their college admission exams.




The remainder of the aricle can be found at: http://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/19/education/19indiana.html. Registration required.


When I first read about this, I was absolutely against it. How can computers grade something subjectively? With what algorithm will they be grading the essay? Will essay writing become as stoic and lacking individuality as the SAT and ACT standardized sections have?



I read some of the comments on Slashdot. Some of them make a good point -- that teachers often can show bias as well, and may also not be the best at grading subjectively.



So now, instead of being 100% against this, I'm only 96% against it.



Comments?




We're off to West Virginia for the weekend -- staffing our youth group's annual Spring Convention. Way out in the middle of nowhere. No Internet, no cel phone service --even my pager doesn't get reception, so work can't bug me! (Not like they do very often anyway over the weekends.) Enjoy yours, everyone...

 
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