Using Information Technology to Enhance Assessment of Learning: Automating Preparation of Course Exam Materials and Student Feedback

Typo-free exams, faster and more accurate grading, and detailed written exam feedback can enhance student learning. With todayʹs information technology it is possible to improve both the construction of tests and the quality of feedback while saving instructorsʹ time. This paper presents a computer-based method to automate the generation of quiz questions, answer keys, and solution handouts. Using a combination of Microsoft Excel and Word, along with some programming and database management, instructors can automatically create quantitative problems in Word and answers in Excel by using random numbers with a click of a button. The system has been used successfully since 2004 in the Operations Management course at the State University of New York (SUNY) College at Oneonta. Students expressed satisfaction with the new system, and instructors found that they were allowed more time for teaching preparation and research.