General Discussion

Lucky Luciano

(11,860 posts)

70. For more advanced courses, a 3 hour exam can't...

Wed Mar 25, 2026, 07:00 PM

Wednesday

…test the material well. So they make take home exams which are far more difficult and comprehensive. I approved of this because it’s true that any 3 hour exam only tests superficial understanding, but AI does mean new methods are needed. Probably has to be the take home plus rigorous interviews on the submission….trying to figure out how the labor of grading this could be addressed. Probably it is only an interview without grading the written part so much to save time. Or AI does the interview LOL. I dunno…still unsatisfying…my field is math…it’s a helluva lot easier to understand a proof given to you than to use your own creativity to solve the problem. So having AI solve the problem kills your own creativity even if you labor to understand the solution AI gives.

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OC375

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Perfect homework, blank stares: Why colleges are turning to oral exams to combat AI [View all] Coventina Wednesday OP

Excellent! SheltieLover Wednesday #1

Sounds good until you consider the issue of anonymity... PeaceWave Wednesday #2

How is that any different from grading written assignments? Coventina Wednesday #3

At all the colleges I attended, finals/midterms were submitted with randomly assigned numbers - not names... PeaceWave Wednesday #6

I have never encountered such a system in all my years of being a student or professor. n/t Coventina Wednesday #7

That's how it was (and, I am sure, still is) done throughout the entire University of California system. PeaceWave Wednesday #11

I'll take your word for it in regards to UC, but I'm pretty confident that's not the norm. Coventina Wednesday #12

This is the direct quote from U.C. Berkeley Law's academic guidelines... PeaceWave Wednesday #15

OK, so that's law school. And only testing, not other forms of assignments. Coventina Wednesday #16

I literally just wrote..."The same rule is mirrored at all UC campuses, law school and undergrad alike." PeaceWave Wednesday #17

Please provide the link that says this applies to all undergrad programs. n/t Coventina Wednesday #18

Google each campus and "anonymous grading" and you'll find your link... PeaceWave Wednesday #20

I just did so and according to Google (which you recommended) it only applies to law schools Coventina Wednesday #21

I'm not going through all 30+ campuses. But, this should suffice since, for whatever reason, you don't believe me... PeaceWave Wednesday #23

So, it is used sporadically and is not mandatory. n/t Coventina Wednesday #25

Believe whatever you choose. But, having attended UCs for both undergraduate and graduate school... PeaceWave Wednesday #29

All I can say is that your experience has been nothing like mine, either as a student or professor. Coventina Wednesday #31

Anonymous grading probably sprung out of the politics at UC campuses... PeaceWave Wednesday #37

Well, your assertions about what is "policy" is being disputed here by more posters Coventina Wednesday #39

I'm entirely confident in what I personally witnessed in the UC System... PeaceWave Wednesday #41

Ummmmm Okay. Coventina Wednesday #43

You didn't go through all teh campuses because most don't do this, and there aren't 30+ obamanut2012 Wednesday #33

There are 30+ UC and Cal State schools. PeaceWave Wednesday #38

Because they are incorrect obamanut2012 Wednesday #32

Thanks! A more informed voice is much appreciated here. nt Coventina Wednesday #36

That is not correct about the University of California system. nt PufPuf23 Wednesday #28

Yup, it is not accurate obamanut2012 Wednesday #34

Absolutely not true wackadoo wabbit 17 hrs ago #83

The vast majority of the grade for every university course I taught was anonymous. Ms. Toad Wednesday #56

This is exactly as I recall, except that it was this way in both undergrad and grad school... PeaceWave Wednesday #72

I'm pretty sure my undergrad and MS grades weren't anonymously graded. Ms. Toad Wednesday #76

The old joke at Berkeley when I was an undergrad there was about the guy who... PeaceWave Wednesday #77

As a professor, that wouldn't have worked with me. Ms. Toad Wednesday #81

No such thing in the performing or fine arts. progressoid Wednesday #24

Not one of mine did that -- either as a student ro instructor obamanut2012 Wednesday #30

My wife has been a college professor for 30 years... Happy Hoosier Wednesday #44

Seems odd OC375 Wednesday #13

Any objective research into how large your asserted problem is nationwide? Torchlight Wednesday #19

I think a better approach would be a written exam, in class, with the questions delivered orally. Trueblue Texan Wednesday #51

Isn't a "take home exam" just fancy talk for "homework"? OC375 Wednesday #61

Take home exams were miserable. You ended up working all night on them. Better to get it done in 3 hours. PeaceWave Wednesday #64

LOL. To each their own. :) OC375 Wednesday #71

God no. 3 hours. Crush that thing. On to the next. Then, party like hell when it's all done. PeaceWave Wednesday #73

For more advanced courses, a 3 hour exam can't... Lucky Luciano Wednesday #70

Count me incredibly unsurprised... And good on them for doing this... hlthe2b Wednesday #4

Great idea Mysterian Wednesday #5

Just have them write essays and solve math problems by writing in a blue book. Jacson6 Wednesday #8

Bingo. Those were the days. You were handed the questions and you had 3 hours to get it done. PeaceWave Wednesday #46

never heard of a blue book. can you give a bit more detail? i figure if i google it then i'll get a lot of links about orleans Wednesday #57

It was a multipage blank paper notebook with a blue cover. Jacson6 Wednesday #59

A Blue Book had 12 sheets of paper...24 pages front and back. You were cruising if you needed a second book. PeaceWave Wednesday #60

thanks. that helps. nt orleans Wednesday #62

I may have been among the last to use a blue book fujiyamasan Wednesday #66

Excellent Idea OC375 Wednesday #9

This is an effective way to defeat cheating via AI FakeNoose Wednesday #10

I've given up on trying to teach my students writing. Coventina Wednesday #14

I completely agree, the remedial work needs to be done before they get to your classes FakeNoose Wednesday #35

Given the obstacles, it appears the most honest method Torchlight Wednesday #22

This should have been done years before AI synni Wednesday #26

I like it... 2naSalit Wednesday #27

I am an art prof Starry Messenger Wednesday #40

I contend that testing is pointless. Gore1FL Wednesday #42

That's the thing. I stopped giving tests years ago. Coventina Wednesday #45

Sad you have to outwit learners nowadays OC375 Wednesday #69

I'm confused. Students are accessing their phones during the test? CrispyQ Wednesday #58

I research everyday for a living in my IT job. Gore1FL Wednesday #63

So open book is okay, but not Google or AI. Right? -nt CrispyQ Wednesday #65

I use Google regularly. I have used AI, but prefer Google. Gore1FL Wednesday #75

That's not what the discussion is about, but okay. -nt CrispyQ Wednesday #79

It was an answer to your question. If the answer is off-topic, that's on you. nt Gore1FL Wednesday #80

One on one discussions sound great. But aren't they time-consuming? Jim__ Wednesday #47

Fortunately, I have fairly small classes. Coventina Wednesday #48

That sounds great! Jim__ Wednesday #49

I had to do one of these just to get my Bachelors kairos12 Wednesday #50

My kid had to write a thesis on a topic related to his major and defend it to graduate from his liberal arts college. Raftergirl Wednesday #52

just a thought lapfog_1 Wednesday #53

i dont do well on written tests , so i always asked for oral tests , in fact, AllaN01Bear Wednesday #54

No Critical Thinking Pucks mom Wednesday #55

AI has taken a wrecking ball to education: highplainsdem Wednesday #74

Long overdue. Raven123 Wednesday #67

I approve this wholeheartedly. Lucky Luciano Wednesday #68

I refuse to use it gay texan Wednesday #78

That's always been a major component of science fair judging. hunter Wednesday #82