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

19 hrs ago

…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 22 hrs ago OP

Excellent! SheltieLover 22 hrs ago #1

Sounds good until you consider the issue of anonymity... PeaceWave 22 hrs ago #2

How is that any different from grading written assignments? Coventina 22 hrs ago #3

At all the colleges I attended, finals/midterms were submitted with randomly assigned numbers - not names... PeaceWave 22 hrs ago #6

I have never encountered such a system in all my years of being a student or professor. n/t Coventina 22 hrs ago #7

That's how it was (and, I am sure, still is) done throughout the entire University of California system. PeaceWave 22 hrs ago #11

I'll take your word for it in regards to UC, but I'm pretty confident that's not the norm. Coventina 22 hrs ago #12

This is the direct quote from U.C. Berkeley Law's academic guidelines... PeaceWave 22 hrs ago #15

OK, so that's law school. And only testing, not other forms of assignments. Coventina 22 hrs ago #16

I literally just wrote..."The same rule is mirrored at all UC campuses, law school and undergrad alike." PeaceWave 22 hrs ago #17

Please provide the link that says this applies to all undergrad programs. n/t Coventina 22 hrs ago #18

Google each campus and "anonymous grading" and you'll find your link... PeaceWave 22 hrs ago #20

I just did so and according to Google (which you recommended) it only applies to law schools Coventina 22 hrs ago #21

I'm not going through all 30+ campuses. But, this should suffice since, for whatever reason, you don't believe me... PeaceWave 21 hrs ago #23

So, it is used sporadically and is not mandatory. n/t Coventina 21 hrs ago #25

Believe whatever you choose. But, having attended UCs for both undergraduate and graduate school... PeaceWave 21 hrs ago #29

All I can say is that your experience has been nothing like mine, either as a student or professor. Coventina 21 hrs ago #31

Anonymous grading probably sprung out of the politics at UC campuses... PeaceWave 21 hrs ago #37

Well, your assertions about what is "policy" is being disputed here by more posters Coventina 21 hrs ago #39

I'm entirely confident in what I personally witnessed in the UC System... PeaceWave 21 hrs ago #41

Ummmmm Okay. Coventina 21 hrs ago #43

You didn't go through all teh campuses because most don't do this, and there aren't 30+ obamanut2012 21 hrs ago #33

There are 30+ UC and Cal State schools. PeaceWave 21 hrs ago #38

Because they are incorrect obamanut2012 21 hrs ago #32

Thanks! A more informed voice is much appreciated here. nt Coventina 21 hrs ago #36

That is not correct about the University of California system. nt PufPuf23 21 hrs ago #28

Yup, it is not accurate obamanut2012 21 hrs ago #34

Absolutely not true wackadoo wabbit 5 hrs ago #83

The vast majority of the grade for every university course I taught was anonymous. Ms. Toad 20 hrs ago #56

This is exactly as I recall, except that it was this way in both undergrad and grad school... PeaceWave 19 hrs ago #72

I'm pretty sure my undergrad and MS grades weren't anonymously graded. Ms. Toad 17 hrs ago #76

The old joke at Berkeley when I was an undergrad there was about the guy who... PeaceWave 16 hrs ago #77

As a professor, that wouldn't have worked with me. Ms. Toad 15 hrs ago #81

No such thing in the performing or fine arts. progressoid 21 hrs ago #24

Not one of mine did that -- either as a student ro instructor obamanut2012 21 hrs ago #30

My wife has been a college professor for 30 years... Happy Hoosier 21 hrs ago #44

Seems odd OC375 22 hrs ago #13

Any objective research into how large your asserted problem is nationwide? Torchlight 22 hrs ago #19

I think a better approach would be a written exam, in class, with the questions delivered orally. Trueblue Texan 20 hrs ago #51

Isn't a "take home exam" just fancy talk for "homework"? OC375 19 hrs ago #61

Take home exams were miserable. You ended up working all night on them. Better to get it done in 3 hours. PeaceWave 19 hrs ago #64

LOL. To each their own. :) OC375 19 hrs ago #71

God no. 3 hours. Crush that thing. On to the next. Then, party like hell when it's all done. PeaceWave 19 hrs ago #73

For more advanced courses, a 3 hour exam can't... Lucky Luciano 19 hrs ago #70

Count me incredibly unsurprised... And good on them for doing this... hlthe2b 22 hrs ago #4

Great idea Mysterian 22 hrs ago #5

Just have them write essays and solve math problems by writing in a blue book. Jacson6 22 hrs ago #8

Bingo. Those were the days. You were handed the questions and you had 3 hours to get it done. PeaceWave 21 hrs ago #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 20 hrs ago #57

It was a multipage blank paper notebook with a blue cover. Jacson6 20 hrs ago #59

A Blue Book had 12 sheets of paper...24 pages front and back. You were cruising if you needed a second book. PeaceWave 19 hrs ago #60

thanks. that helps. nt orleans 19 hrs ago #62

I may have been among the last to use a blue book fujiyamasan 19 hrs ago #66

Excellent Idea OC375 22 hrs ago #9

This is an effective way to defeat cheating via AI FakeNoose 22 hrs ago #10

I've given up on trying to teach my students writing. Coventina 22 hrs ago #14

I completely agree, the remedial work needs to be done before they get to your classes FakeNoose 21 hrs ago #35

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

This should have been done years before AI synni 21 hrs ago #26

I like it... 2naSalit 21 hrs ago #27

I am an art prof Starry Messenger 21 hrs ago #40

I contend that testing is pointless. Gore1FL 21 hrs ago #42

That's the thing. I stopped giving tests years ago. Coventina 21 hrs ago #45

Sad you have to outwit learners nowadays OC375 19 hrs ago #69

I'm confused. Students are accessing their phones during the test? CrispyQ 20 hrs ago #58

I research everyday for a living in my IT job. Gore1FL 19 hrs ago #63

So open book is okay, but not Google or AI. Right? -nt CrispyQ 19 hrs ago #65

I use Google regularly. I have used AI, but prefer Google. Gore1FL 18 hrs ago #75

That's not what the discussion is about, but okay. -nt CrispyQ 16 hrs ago #79

It was an answer to your question. If the answer is off-topic, that's on you. nt Gore1FL 15 hrs ago #80

One on one discussions sound great. But aren't they time-consuming? Jim__ 21 hrs ago #47

Fortunately, I have fairly small classes. Coventina 21 hrs ago #48

That sounds great! Jim__ 20 hrs ago #49

I had to do one of these just to get my Bachelors kairos12 20 hrs ago #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 20 hrs ago #52

just a thought lapfog_1 20 hrs ago #53

i dont do well on written tests , so i always asked for oral tests , in fact, AllaN01Bear 20 hrs ago #54

No Critical Thinking Pucks mom 20 hrs ago #55

AI has taken a wrecking ball to education: highplainsdem 18 hrs ago #74

Long overdue. Raven123 19 hrs ago #67

I approve this wholeheartedly. Lucky Luciano 19 hrs ago #68

I refuse to use it gay texan 16 hrs ago #78

That's always been a major component of science fair judging. hunter 15 hrs ago #82