Electronic marking of physics assignments using a tablet PC

Abstract

Producing and marking assignments electronically has advantages for both students and academic staff. However, marking and commenting on electronic assignments requires a simple and efficient method for annotating students’ scripts. We report here on a pilot project that provided associate lecturers (ALs) for a Level 2 Open University physics course with Tablet PCs and appropriate software that enabled them to input handwritten annotation, including equations and diagrams, to files containing students' solutions to assignments. Surveys of the views of ALs indicated that this method of electronic marking is effective and acceptable to students and to a large majority of ALs. It could be used to streamline assignment handling and marking procedures in campus universities as well as in distance learning contexts.