Hi again,

Sorry I haven't been writing so much the last few days, it is the end of our term here and things are getting a little nuts.  Exams, term papers, final assignments, students begging for help (just a little too late) - it all adds up to me not writing as much!

However all is not lost.  I have a few suggestions that you can use to help you smooth out the end of term crazies with a little help from your friendly PC.  Here they are in no particular order….

• insist on typed assignments.  This saves huge amounts of time wasted trying to decypher student's handwriting!
• make use of already existing online quiz materials.  This can be very good for listening and grammar review exercises and quizes.
• use grammar software (clarity makes a few good ones like Tense Buster) that allows for 'tracking' student progress and have your class to the practice on a PC
• use instant marking testing software.  I use a system called "Synchroneyes" in our lab which includes a built in testing platform.  It allows me to create tests that I send out to all students in my lab at the same time and then instantly marks them when students submit the completed tests.  This simply ROCKS!  However I have to say it isn't really effective unless you have a lab.
• Use a software system like "Hot Potatoes" from the University of Victoria.  It is free and lets you create a ton of different activities and tests.  Many of them are automatically managed.  Fair warning though - you do need to be fairly comfortable with techy stuff.

Don't have access to full on computer solutions…no problem.  Just do yourself a favour and create easy to mark exams.  Use

• multiple-choice (this of course included True/False)
• matching
• short answer with very discrete possible answers
• charts, tables, and graphs

Just some quick thoughts I thought I'd share.

PLEASE….if you have other suggestions leave them in a comment…this is something everyone can benefit from!

Cheers,

Eric

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