Tragic marker?

As electronic marking becomes more widespread there have been some disturbing stories about its shortcomings.

Alongside the predictable photogenic female twins with 12 As on the front pages of the papers (and the predictable prediction of these stories) there’s been a new element in the media reports this results season. As electronic marking becomes more widespread there have been some disturbing stories about its shortcomings. Here are the links: decide for yourself whether these are the teething problems of a brave new world or the inevitable consequences of letting the technology mess up a perfectly good system. Or, of course, something else:

  • Tragic marker: Alastair Harper has no experience of teaching. But that didn’t prevent him taking a job marking this year’s GCSEs. (Guardian, Friday August 10, 2007)
  • In capable hands? Minimal training, no experience of teaching … these are just two of the criticisms made today of Edexcel markers. Is this really how exams are being assessed, asks Felicity Carus in The Guardian, Tuesday August 21, 2007
  • Writing too much hits online marking: Edexcel asks students to keep answers concise and in black to suit its on-screen system. TES, 24 August 2007
  • Less is more for online marking: BBC report on same story, 24 August 2007.

Please add your own comments and links here to continue the argument.