Using a Computer to Score Parsons Problems Answered on Paper
Ben Stephenson, Guransh Mangat · 2021
Parsons Problems are code rearrangement problems that can be used to assess students' programming ability. Our work builds on previous studies involving Parsons Problems by showing that it was possible to have students encode the solution to a Parsons Problem on a special purpose bubble sheet. This allowed students to answer Parsons Problems in a traditional paper-based exam environment while also allowing their responses to be scanned and scored automatically. The nature of the special purpose bubble sheet is described, as is the proof-of-concept software that was developed to analyze the bubble sheets, evaluate the student responses, and distribute the graded responses back to the students. Written feedback received from students on end-of-course surveys showed that the vast majority of students considered electronically scorable Parsons Problems to be a fair and reasonable evaluation technique in a large introductory course, and only minimal concerns were raised about the need to record their solutions on a bubble sheet.