Drawing diagrams in an online examination

This paper describes part of a larger study into the computer understanding of diagrams. The diagrams used in the study were produced during an on-line examination using a simple drawing tool. The students’ examination answers included a diagram and were submitted over the Internet to an automatic marking tool for grading and feedback. This paper focuses on the production of diagrams under examination conditions by describing the diagram drawing tool and discussing the students’ reactions to its use. Whilst only a small number of students have been involved in the trials to-date, drawing simple diagrams using a software tool during an examination did not pose major problems for most of them. We conclude that the use of such a tool is feasible and should be investigated further.