Cyborg - On Screen Marking (Cyborg-OSM)
It is a complex task to mark millions of exam papers annually and deliver the results in time globally. Marking reliability depends on the consistent performance of the evaluators.
With an increasing number of test-takers and a relatively static pool of markers, the evaluators are under immense pressure to process more scripts within tight deadlines, which might compromise the quality of evaluation.
While assessment bodies modernize their examination management systems for greater transparency, security, and efficiency, the effective and fair publication of results remains a significant challenge. Current solutions often fall short.
Traditional evaluation methods are plagued by inefficiencies that hinder result processing. The manual nature of these processes makes them susceptible to errors in mark assignment and calculation, which can significantly impact candidate outcomes.
Key Challenges of Traditional Evaluation:
Answer Script Handling Discrepancies: Manual transportation and distribution of answer scripts increase the chances of misplacement, accidental loss, or even deliberate tampering.
Score Tampering: The lack of multiple, independent evaluations in traditional processes makes it difficult to detect score manipulation.
Cumbersome Re-evaluations: Retrieving and scanning answer scripts for re-evaluation is a time-consuming and risky process.
Extended Turnaround Times: Evaluation by hand takes months, thus delaying the publication of results and impacting the employment or further education opportunities of candidates.
Security Issues: Maintaining the secrecy of evaluation requires extra manual security measures, thereby increasing time, cost, and management overhead.
Cyborg OSM is a digital solution that offers an advanced solution to assessment bodies through its Onscreen Marking System, providing fast and accurate evaluations.
On-Screen Marking (OSM): The New Evaluation Solution
OSM is one of the prime elements of the system Cyborg OSM which facilitates online marking of scanned copies anytime, anywhere. Business rules integrated into it provide complete marking which includes diagram/graph and the key. Easy re-marking with provision of annotations and feedback along with multi-level marking is parallelly handled by multiple markers which reduces the element of bias in marking.
Access is limited to authorized Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Chief Examiners (COEs) and can be done on laptops, mobile devices, and tablets across iOS, Android, and Windows platforms. Till date, 60 million answer scripts have been assessed using
Key Benefits of the Onscreen Marking System:
- Anytime, anywhere evaluation
- Live tracking of evaluated and pending scripts
- Enhanced evaluation transparency
- Real-time evaluation analytics
- Cross-platform compatibility (Android, iOS, Windows)
- Simultaneous evaluations
- Global reach for evaluators
- Faster result processing
- Individual feedback capabilities
- Support for handwritten scripts and uploaded files
- Candidate identity masking
- Intuitive annotation tools
- Streamlined re-evaluation process
- Long-term retention of evaluated scripts
Cyborg-OSM’s Onscreen Marking System offers a proactive approach toward the identification and rectification of problems at the earliest possible stages of the evaluation process, thereby saving resources and building stakeholder trust.
Its process-based methodology transforms answer script marking into better quality, consistency, security, and transparency and is cost-effective for examination boards while building confidence in the whole examination system.
Process Of Cyborg-OSM:
The Cyborg-ERP OSM Onscreen Marking process is a streamlined, digital approach to exam evaluation, encompassing the following detailed steps:
There must be a barcode assigned to each answer sheet at the outset. That barcode becomes the digital fingerprint, which allows one to uniquely and accurately identify and track an individual answer sheet all the way through the entire evaluation cycle without any possibility of manual misfiling or misidentification.
Cut the Answer Sheet (Optional): When the answer sheets are long or divided into multiple sections, they can be split into smaller segments that are easier to handle when scanning. It will make the workflow easier for the evaluators when focusing on certain sections of the exam. This is an optional step and will depend on the type of exam.
Scanning of Answer Sheets: The physical answer sheets, or their parts, are scanned using high-speed scanners. This process converts the handwritten or printed content into digital images. The resulting digital copies are high-resolution and maintain the integrity of the original content, ensuring accurate evaluation.
Defining Question and Marking Patterns: Before evaluation begins, the system is configured with the specific details of the exam. This includes:
Defining Question Types: Classification of questions into types such as multiple choice, short answer, and essay.
Marking Schemes: Setting the points for each question or section.
Rubrics for subjective questions: Specific criteria and performance levels defining open-ended response evaluation, with the goal of ensuring consistency and objectivity in grading.
Online Evaluation of Answer Sheets The OSM system, with secured login credentials, makes the scanned digitized answer sheets available for the evaluators to access through its interface. Each answer sheet or segment will be presented in clear readable format by the system. Evaluators can:
Scan images
Use the defined marking scheme or rubric to give marks.
Annotate comments and feedback on the scanned digital copy.
Student’s Evaluated Answer Sheets: After evaluation is complete, students can access their evaluated answer sheets online through a secure portal. This provides transparency and allows students to:
Review their marked responses.
Understand the feedback provided by evaluators.
Identify areas of strength and weakness.
Multiple Evaluators (Optional): To ensure maximum accuracy and fairness, the system supports evaluation by multiple independent markers. This process can involve:
Double marking: Two evaluators separately mark the same copy of an answer, and the inconsistencies solved through discussion or even from a third party.
Blind marking: Evaluators do not know the identity of the student, so bias is minimized.
Rapid Re-Assessment: If a student asks for a re-assessment, the electronic version is done in a fast and efficient manner. Since the answer sheet to be used is found in the system, there is no need to find it physically. The marked responses are easily checked by another marker, and the re-evaluation is done if it’s warranted.
Easy Result Tabulation: The processing of the results is fast since the system does all the tabulation. Once all the assessments have been done, the computer:
- Calculates total scores.
- Generates reports and statistical analyses.
- Facilitates the secure and timely publication of results.
- This detailed process ensures a secure, efficient, and transparent evaluation system, benefiting both assessment bodies and students.