Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol. 38, No. 18. July 23rd 1975
Calculators and Exams
Calculators and Exams
Not so long ago 2 × 2 was a simple process which you could do on your fingers for nothing. But times are changing! First slide rules made it easier for you, but now you have the battery operated electronic calculator. Calculators are causing quite a problem at the moment. The question is not whether or not they should be permitted (whether we like it or not, the computer age is finally here) but under what conditions they should be allowed.
SRC has one piece of policy on its books, in the form of motion 84/75 Robinson/Mallard 'That we do not support the use of calculators in exams until such time as exams are set so that the use of calculators will not be an advantage, or until such time as calculators are provided for students sitting an exam.'
Criticism of SRC Policy: The policy is very badly worded. For instance the second part calls for the provision of calculators for students sitting exams but doesn't say who is to provide the machines.
The Professorial Board doesn't have any policy at the moment. In general it has applied the Science Faculty ruling of last year, that Calculators may not be used in exams, but if any examiner specifically wanted to use calculators, he would be able to. In the mid-year exams 'For all papers involving mathematical calculations Electronic calculators are not allowed.' Prof. Board now however is attempting to obtain a more positive and specific policy with a view to their use in end of year exams. It has accepted the Science Faculties recommendations and has asked all other faculties for specific resolutions on them.
Criticism of Prof. Board 'Policy'. Prof. Board doesn't have any policy of its own on the subject. It must be praised, I suppose, for prodding everyone else to take a stand so it can see the lie of the land before it really commits itself.
The Commerce Faculty discussed the Science recommendations as soon as they were drawn up. After prolonged discussion it could not agree with them, but nor could it come up with any proposals of its own.
Before the next meeting Prof. Board asked for the 'specific resolutions,' so faculty was obliged to go through the motions again. Eventually it came up with this 'specific resolution:' 'That the Faculty recommend to the Professorial Board that for this year the University regulations regarding the use of calculators in final examinations remain unchanged (very handy since no one knows what they are anyway) and that the Faculty further recommend that the Professorial Board establish a committee to investigate the question whether or not the University should provide calculators for use in final examinations.' A neat piece of side-stepping!
Criticism of Commerce Faculty: It has evaded the issue both times because it could not support the Science Faculty proposals nor could it come up with any of its own.
1. | Except where the examiner can make satisfactory arrangements for provision of equivalent machines to all students, no examination question shall be set which requires or tests the use of calculators, or gives a significant advantage to a student with a calculator. |
2. | Any calculators taken into examinations must be battery-powered and silent in operation. No electrical services for operating the machines or recharging batteries will be made available. |
3. | The examiner for each course, in consultation with the students will decide early in the course, which types of calculator, if any, will be permitted, and this information will be incorporated with the assessment proceedures which are handed to students. |
4. | Specific information on acceptability of particular models should be available to students about one month before the examination. Where there is a restriction on the types or models of calculators to be used, the examiner will be responsible for checking the calculators as they are taken into the examination room, and clearing them by switching them on and off if necessary. |
Criticism of Science Faculty Policy: As these are the basis for discussion, I propose to criticise them more fully. Proposal (1) the first problem is how do you go about providing equivalent machines to all students? And to whose satisfaction is this to be done? Because of the different types of calculator available there must be some restriction on which types can be used in exams. A further criticism is how do you assess whether or not 'the use of calculators gives a significant advantage to a student with a calculator.' To complicate matters a little further, some lecturers have already said that once calculators are accepted, questions would be set specifically to test calculating ability. The conclusion the Commerce Faculty came to on this point was that the University should provide calculators in exams. The expense of this would be considerable, as the number needed would be between 500 - 1,000. On top of this, there is no guarantee that the whole lot would not be redundant within three years.
Proposal (2) is straight forward.
Proposal (3). Students beginning a course will not always know which are the best types for a certain course. This problem would be most acute in such courses as ECON 111-112 with a course of 300-450 students, mostly first year. To expect The examiner in consultation with the students to decide early in the course which types of calculators, if any, will be permitted' would be asking a great deal. An example of how this might not work is ECON 112 which has just begun. The Lecturer in charge announced that calculators would be allowed in the course and students would be told later on which types would be allowed but then, two days later, Prof. Sloane said 'In QA. Stats (ECON 112) calculators will not be needed and caltulators will not be permitted.
Proposal (4). A student whose calculator is not allowed will be disadvantaged if he has to use a model with which he is not familiar, if he can get one at all.
Because of this dearth of decision on the use of calculators at Vic. a Prof. Board sub-committee is inevitable. Students likely to be affected by any decision, should talk over with lecturers or tutors how the Science Faculty recommendations could be applied to their own courses. Since Student Association policy is insufficient to direct Reps on Faculties and Prof Board, I suggest either they work out the best course of action under existing policy, or they ask SRC for a clarification.