Teachers finding new ways for online testing

The transition from teaching on campus face-to-face to distance learning through a screen made giving tests to students more difficult. With this change, teachers developed various ways to assign tests online, but not many can guarantee that the students would not cheat. 

Several teachers came up with solutions to lower the chances of cheating when testing like turning on cameras when taking them, some have not decided whether they would assign tests, a few are replacing testing with essays, while others just hope that their students wouldn’t cheat.

“I am doing less tests in my econ class and replacing them with summative assignments like essays and other projects,” said social studies teacher David Roth-Rossi.

Teachers are giving their tests through websites like Illuminate, Google Forms, Quizizz, AP Central, digital texts, and Google Classroom. Most of these online resources are formatted for multiple choice tests. 

Certain ways of testing make it easier for teachers to grade the test because most of them. AP Central for example, grades tests for them; however, many teachers are using a grading system which will require a lot of work to score.

“Many of us in science are going with a total points system. Students need to pay close attention to getting in all work, but some will be worth more in points. I think it is more fair with the testing security issue to use more authentic assessments,” said science teacher Nathan McCreary.

Although it isn’t the traditional way of testing, the goal to test their understanding / knowledge is the same and it is up to them whether they want to learn or cheat. Students have different thoughts about the different testings for each class. Many are fine with the way testing is done now.

“Each teacher does things a little differently,” said senior Luke Ross. “I don’t have much of a problem with them but the potential for cheating is much higher.”

Most people are just concerned about the students who do cheat because if teachers grade on a curve, it’ll affect the students who need it. Furthermore, neither the students nor the teachers would know if they understood the materials.

“I wish I didn’t have to think of students cheating, but the pressure is real to perform and get into college and all that. I just hope students think of how it might feel to be in a college class and not have the knowledge or skills because they made it through high school taking short cuts,” said McCreary.