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Session 1664

An Autograding (Student) Problem Management System for the Compeuwtir Ilittur8.

Glenn S. Kohne Loyola College in Maryland

Abstract:

In order to develop analysis skills necessary in engineering disciplines, students need practice solving problems using specified analytical techniques. Unless homework is collected and graded, students tend not to spend much time or effort in performing it. Teachers do not, realistically, have the time to grade large numbers of homework problems on a regular basis. This paper presents and makes available a miracle cure. The Autograding Problem Management System (APMS) provides a discipline-independent mechanism for teachers to create (quickly and easily) sets of homework problems. The APMS system provides CRT and/or printed summaries of the graded student responses. This presentation will demonstrate both the speed and the drag- and-drop simplicity of using the APMS to create self-grading homework problem sets comprised of traditional types of problems and of problems which would not be possible without the use of computers.

Introduction:

In order to develop analysis skills necessary in engineering disciplines, students need practice solving problems using specified analytical techniques. Traditionally, instructors assign homework problems to provide students with the necessary problem-solving practice and give examinations to evaluate their skill.

Two things have changed over the last thirty years. First, a much larger percentage of high school graduates is attending college. This has broadened the range of academic skill and motivation in the student body. Second, faculty salary has been linked to student opinion. The combination of these two factors has led to a dilution of performance required of the students and to (well-documented) grade inflation. The challenge to instructors is to motivate the students to do the necessary work to learn without incurring their wrath.

We have found that assigning, collecting, and grading homework will motivate the students sufficiently and they will do well on examinations. We have also found that assigning but not collecting and grading homework is not sufficient motivation and that students tend not to spend much time or effort in performing it. This results in poorer performance on examinations and student unhappiness. Teachers do not, realistically, have the time to grade large numbers of homework problems on a regular basis.

The Autograding Problem Management System (APMS) was designed and developed to accomplish several very distinct goals. The goals were to provide a mechanism:

for assigning homework that would be graded by computer; and,

1996 ASEE Annual Conference Proceedings

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Kohne, G. S. (1996, June), An Autograding (Student) Problem Management System For The Compeuwtir Ilittur8 Paper presented at 1996 Annual Conference, Washington, District of Columbia. 10.18260/1-2--5894