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

4 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 8 hrs ago OP

Excellent! SheltieLover 8 hrs ago #1

Sounds good until you consider the issue of anonymity... PeaceWave 8 hrs ago #2

How is that any different from grading written assignments? Coventina 8 hrs ago #3

At all the colleges I attended, finals/midterms were submitted with randomly assigned numbers - not names... PeaceWave 8 hrs ago #6

I have never encountered such a system in all my years of being a student or professor. n/t Coventina 8 hrs ago #7

That's how it was (and, I am sure, still is) done throughout the entire University of California system. PeaceWave 7 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 7 hrs ago #12

This is the direct quote from U.C. Berkeley Law's academic guidelines... PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #15

OK, so that's law school. And only testing, not other forms of assignments. Coventina 7 hrs ago #16

I literally just wrote..."The same rule is mirrored at all UC campuses, law school and undergrad alike." PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #17

Please provide the link that says this applies to all undergrad programs. n/t Coventina 7 hrs ago #18

Google each campus and "anonymous grading" and you'll find your link... PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #20

I just did so and according to Google (which you recommended) it only applies to law schools Coventina 7 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 7 hrs ago #23

So, it is used sporadically and is not mandatory. n/t Coventina 7 hrs ago #25

Believe whatever you choose. But, having attended UCs for both undergraduate and graduate school... PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #29

All I can say is that your experience has been nothing like mine, either as a student or professor. Coventina 7 hrs ago #31

Anonymous grading probably sprung out of the politics at UC campuses... PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #37

Well, your assertions about what is "policy" is being disputed here by more posters Coventina 7 hrs ago #39

I'm entirely confident in what I personally witnessed in the UC System... PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #41

Ummmmm Okay. Coventina 7 hrs ago #43

You didn't go through all teh campuses because most don't do this, and there aren't 30+ obamanut2012 7 hrs ago #33

There are 30+ UC and Cal State schools. PeaceWave 7 hrs ago #38

Because they are incorrect obamanut2012 7 hrs ago #32

Thanks! A more informed voice is much appreciated here. nt Coventina 7 hrs ago #36

That is not correct about the University of California system. nt PufPuf23 7 hrs ago #28

Yup, it is not accurate obamanut2012 7 hrs ago #34

The vast majority of the grade for every university course I taught was anonymous. Ms. Toad 5 hrs ago #56

This is exactly as I recall, except that it was this way in both undergrad and grad school... PeaceWave 4 hrs ago #72

I'm pretty sure my undergrad and MS grades weren't anonymously graded. Ms. Toad 2 hrs ago #76

The old joke at Berkeley when I was an undergrad there was about the guy who... PeaceWave 2 hrs ago #77

As a professor, that wouldn't have worked with me. Ms. Toad 1 hr ago #81

No such thing in the performing or fine arts. progressoid 7 hrs ago #24

Not one of mine did that -- either as a student ro instructor obamanut2012 7 hrs ago #30

My wife has been a college professor for 30 years... Happy Hoosier 6 hrs ago #44

Seems odd OC375 7 hrs ago #13

Any objective research into how large your asserted problem is nationwide? Torchlight 7 hrs ago #19

I think a better approach would be a written exam, in class, with the questions delivered orally. Trueblue Texan 6 hrs ago #51

Isn't a "take home exam" just fancy talk for "homework"? OC375 5 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 5 hrs ago #64

LOL. To each their own. :) OC375 4 hrs ago #71

God no. 3 hours. Crush that thing. On to the next. Then, party like hell when it's all done. PeaceWave 4 hrs ago #73

For more advanced courses, a 3 hour exam can't... Lucky Luciano 4 hrs ago #70

Count me incredibly unsurprised... And good on them for doing this... hlthe2b 8 hrs ago #4

Great idea Mysterian 8 hrs ago #5

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

Bingo. Those were the days. You were handed the questions and you had 3 hours to get it done. PeaceWave 6 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 5 hrs ago #57

It was a multipage blank paper notebook with a blue cover. Jacson6 5 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 5 hrs ago #60

thanks. that helps. nt orleans 5 hrs ago #62

I may have been among the last to use a blue book fujiyamasan 5 hrs ago #66

Excellent Idea OC375 8 hrs ago #9

This is an effective way to defeat cheating via AI FakeNoose 8 hrs ago #10

I've given up on trying to teach my students writing. Coventina 7 hrs ago #14

I completely agree, the remedial work needs to be done before they get to your classes FakeNoose 7 hrs ago #35

Given the obstacles, it appears the most honest method Torchlight 7 hrs ago #22

This should have been done years before AI synni 7 hrs ago #26

I like it... 2naSalit 7 hrs ago #27

I am an art prof Starry Messenger 7 hrs ago #40

I contend that testing is pointless. Gore1FL 7 hrs ago #42

That's the thing. I stopped giving tests years ago. Coventina 6 hrs ago #45

Sad you have to outwit learners nowadays OC375 4 hrs ago #69

I'm confused. Students are accessing their phones during the test? CrispyQ 5 hrs ago #58

I research everyday for a living in my IT job. Gore1FL 5 hrs ago #63

So open book is okay, but not Google or AI. Right? -nt CrispyQ 5 hrs ago #65

I use Google regularly. I have used AI, but prefer Google. Gore1FL 3 hrs ago #75

That's not what the discussion is about, but okay. -nt CrispyQ 2 hrs ago #79

It was an answer to your question. If the answer is off-topic, that's on you. nt Gore1FL 1 hr ago #80

One on one discussions sound great. But aren't they time-consuming? Jim__ 6 hrs ago #47

Fortunately, I have fairly small classes. Coventina 6 hrs ago #48

That sounds great! Jim__ 6 hrs ago #49

I had to do one of these just to get my Bachelors kairos12 6 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 6 hrs ago #52

just a thought lapfog_1 6 hrs ago #53

i dont do well on written tests , so i always asked for oral tests , in fact, AllaN01Bear 6 hrs ago #54

No Critical Thinking Pucks mom 5 hrs ago #55

AI has taken a wrecking ball to education: highplainsdem 4 hrs ago #74

Long overdue. Raven123 5 hrs ago #67

I approve this wholeheartedly. Lucky Luciano 5 hrs ago #68

I refuse to use it gay texan 2 hrs ago #78

That's always been a major component of science fair judging. hunter 1 hr ago #82