watches to be banned in Colleges/ Universities during exam as they might be "smart watches"

[YellowDragon]

To be honest they need to change academia in general, for instance at my college for both Computer Science and Software Engineering we have to take code tests where you have to write straight C++/C# depending on the class ON PAPER. You get graded whether or not your code compiles and runs like its supposed to. This is due to that they are afraid everyone will cheat if they allow computer use. Oh you forgot to put a bracket here? Too bad you just lost 25% of your grade, even though it would be something that wouldn't take even an ounce of thought to fix in the real world .

 

There are always low scores, I get low points and so does everyone else, the mantra of many of the Profs is that if your on a deserted island you must be able to write code on a stone tablet........In my opinion you would have bigger problems to deal with at that moment. The fact is junky tests like this do not test your programming ability all they successfully do is make sure you memorized the syntax of one language.  Which is bullshit, IDE's and coding resources for a language exist as a reference material, for instance in Java I sometimes get things mixed up as I jump languages all the time.

for instance.

In java you cant do string comparisons this way. However in C++ and C# this is valid for comparisons. Sometimes i just write code instinctively in one language base and forget, one simple test would reveal that this wont work or the compiler would catch it and you would slap your head and quickly fix it. My point is I hate how my university (and many others) do this form of testing, how would you feel being dropped from an A+ grade down to a C because of something this stupid. ( has happened to me)

String line;

if( line == "TIMMY"){

//do actions

}

 

However this method is valid

String line;

if( line.equals("TIMMY")){

//do actions

}

 

I think schools need to change their philosophy of what learning actually is. memorization does not equal learning, it leads to facts that are quickly forgotten. They should embrace technological advance and get rid of the crap with straight memorization. The first step is to stop resisting technological change, we are not cavemen anymore.

 

 

I realize this can vary from major to major, but for a field where I'm supposed to write software for computers, I should at least be entitled to write it on a computer and do testing.

[othertomperson]

 

How do you check students don't have a smartphone on them? You watch them during the exam and hope you see any cheaters. Same should apply with smartwatches; you now you can't bring them and if you're caught with one you'll insta-fail. It's not the most effective method, but it's a method. In the last university exam I had a lot of people actually kept their phones and the first ones out passed the solution to some people inside. You can't be 100% sure that people aren't STILL bringing smartwatches or smartphones in class, so at least don't bother those who are bringing normal-ass watches in.

 

Because if someone gets a phone out, it's pretty obvious. If someone glances at a watch, what's to say they're not just looking at the time? I really don't think this is a big deal.

 

Still waiting for the moment humanity realizes we can replace a lot of things in education with technology.

 

Had the same argument with my last math teacher. Pointed out that the next time I don't have access to a smart phone with an algebra app, or a graphing calculator, it would be highly unlikely that I would need to use complex mathmatic equations.

 

You think that algebra's actually about making sure everyone in school knows how to solve equations? While we still need to teach the people who in future will be writing those kind of applications, people who need those skills to pursue careers in STEM which is vital to a 21st century economy, in the majority of students maths and science are there to teach skills in lateral, logical and critical thinking that are vital for development into functional adult members of society. It's not just about the numbers.

 

I don't get this kind of behavior: back in University several physics professors let us use the text book AND left the room during the test, still was not a simple task to get by that thermodynamics tests. Seriously I get that on some subjects you could get by without knowing much but the same can be said about your average workplace: Nobody in the office will tell you "No! You must do all the work on your own you cannot copy from your co-workers!" On the contrary shouldn't we teach collaboration? 

 

An exam that's properly structured shouldn't benefit from a textbook. They should be tests of methodology. They should give you all of the information you need and test your cognitive reasoning to piece it together to form the answer. A textbook would be detrimental here, it'd just encourage you to waste time.

[shujin]

Yeah that is gonna suck if your smart glasses are your actual prescription glasses, and there isn't some little removable part or whatever. Would they really ask students to take a test practically blind because of the fear they might cheat? ... Actually I could picture my old high school doing that.

I don't think I can do that well I can but I'll not be able to see the clock in front of the room so I'll need a watch...

[shujin]

-snip-

lat year I was doing javascript class for fun while thinking of what I want to do in the future this was the same thing exam on paper and even if I was one of the best coder of my class I failed the final exam cause of my horrible handwriting in french (also -10% for the grammar error)

[Sauron]

For two reasons it's better to just ban them all. First, going through the process of checking watches for smart features will take time, making lines into exam rooms longer. Second, if a smart watch slips by you then have to think about how to handle that...are you super strict and give the student an automatic fail? Are you super lenient and just take away the watch from then on? What if the kid definitely cheats, you then have to think of discipline. What if the student didn't cheat but you have no way of knowing? No, it's better to just ban all watches during tests...just makes sense. Plus it's likely in near future even regular watches will have some smart features that can at the very least be distracting to other students.

 

Look at smartphones. They don't check if you have one or not when you get in, you just accept that if you bring one in and they see you do it you instantly fail. The same should apply to smartwatches (for example I just take off my watch and put it on the desk facing towards me when in an exam. If they saw me fiddling with it they could check and it would be obvious wether it's smart or not).

 

@Yog btw the quote function is broken, for the time being if you wish to answer mention me

[Sauron]

Because if someone gets a phone out, it's pretty obvious. If someone glances at a watch, what's to say they're not just looking at the time? I really don't think this is a big deal.

 

They could have you place your watch on the desk in a way that you can see it, but at the same time they can see you if you fiddle with it rather than just looking at it. I do it anyway out of habit, it wouldn't be hard for everyone to do it.

[Yog]

Look at smartphones. They don't check if you have one or not when you get in, you just accept that if you bring one in and they see you do it you instantly fail. The same should apply to smartwatches (for example I just take off my watch and put it on the desk facing towards me when in an exam. If they saw me fiddling with it they could check and it would be obvious wether it's smart or not).

 

They don't check phones because all phones are banned but my school did check calculators at the entrance (graphing calculators weren't allowed). In the case of the University of London they have the students stow the phones in pouches under their desks...what's so wrong with extending that to watches, smart or not? If it didn't extend to all watches, whether they check at the entrance to the exam or they check at your desk they're still going to have to check to see if your watch is a smartwatch...and with your watch facing you they're going to have to stop you during your test and ask, maybe even pick it up and look at it. That's happened to me in the past and it's super distracting. I guarantee once watch companies like fossil and citizen get into the smartwatch business it's going to start becoming very difficult to see whether or not a watch is "smart" or not...even right now the LG smartwatch looks pretty watch-like.

 

EDIT: @Sauron - I looked at your post and thought "I don't know what you're talking about, I see the quote fine"...didn't realize you meant the system wasn't notifying (hadn't seen that notice until now)...hopefully this works on edits.

[Kamina]

That's why I wear smart contacts. 

[WiiManic]

Makes a lot of sense, any device that is/has the potential to be connected the internet shouldn't be on your person during an exam.

Even with open book exams (where you can take in notes/text books), its different to have an internet connected device.

A book I can look up the formula or statement in my notes to apply to the question, an internet connected device I can just google the exact question.

Bit of a difference between looking up how to apply the knowledge and looking up the actual answer.

 

 

-snip-

Very strange, I've been doing Comp Sci for a couple years and all my coding questions specifically state "Does not need to be exact code". We are expected to learn the logic behind it and give some pseudo-code about it.

They think its more important that we know how to code in general, rather than how to code in a specific language like C++/Java/etc.

Doing a general answer that is not in a specific implementation, but instead the logical steps that you would apply to the code seems a far nicer way for both answering and also testing the knowledge.

I can answer the question probably, but can I remember the specific function calls I need? Probably not, but the implementation is far more important in a real life scenario where I can spend 10s finding it else where.

 

And as for memorization, more and more of my exams are becoming open book.

It changes the exam from "can I remember X" to "I have X, now lets apply it to this specific scenario".

It doesn't work for all my exams, stuff like Algorithms, where I'm supposed to understand my formulas so I can say how to prove them, or what the specific advantage of X over Y is.

But its quite nice to have some where its applying knowledge and not remembering it.

 

(That second half was a little off topic, sorry)

[Ashley]

It's right to ban smartwatches. It's beyond stupid to ban analog and generally non-smart watches.

To be fair. How are teachers, especially older ones, going to know the difference? Some smartwatches have the analog face and look very much like an analog watch.

 

http://gizmodo.com/5939911/this-stealthly-analog-smartwatch-can-be-your-little-secret

[RazeG3SG1]

Reasonable, but why ban it along with Analog watches? 

[SpaceSquid]

now i cant wear my chronograph and time how long it takes me to do exam

[DeScruff]

-snip-

Ugh you have no idea how much I hated taking coding tests on paper. Coding with a pencil just feels wrong to me, its like telling me to type a novel using my feet.

I rely too much on copy paste, being able to edit, the general feel of an IDE, and just how much easier it is to type than write with a pencil. - Basically everything that comes from standard word processing.

It wouldn't be so bad if it was "concept code" or whatever but my teachers wanted 100% exact code.

 

[othertomperson]

To be fair. How are teachers, especially older ones, going to know the difference? Some smartwatches have the analog face and look very much like an analog watch.

 

http://gizmodo.com/5939911/this-stealthly-analog-smartwatch-can-be-your-little-secret

 

This. Logistically this is the simplest solution. I don't really understand what the issue is. It's not like exam halls don't have massive clocks everywhere anyway.

 

 

I understand the reasoning behind their choice, but it doesn't mean I have to like it. I personally am an analog wristwatch wearer and don't want a smartwatch any time soon, but I will still be punished because of the few people that have them. Maybe I should invest in a pocket watch, those aren't banned are they?

 

I'm not sure how this is a punishment? All they're asking is for you to leave your watch in your bag with the phones and everything and put it back on after the exam is over.

[ComradeHX]

And I would have gotten away with it if not for you meddling kids.

[zacRupnow]

It's right to ban smartwatches. It's beyond stupid to ban analog and generally non-smart watches.

Yes but its not worth the professor's time to check whether or not a watch is 'smart' before exams. Especially when some classes have well over 100 students.

[zacRupnow]

Reasonable, but why ban it along with Analog watches? 

They don't need to waste class time checking.

[martinrox1568]

It's right to ban smartwatches. It's beyond stupid to ban analog and generally non-smart watches.

I can bet I can fool almost any exam proctor with my moto 360 or lg g watch r. Why would they make it harder on themselves to personally check each of the 500 students taking a test instead of just noticing someone has a watch on.  

[othertomperson]

Yes but its not worth the professor's time to check whether or not a watch is 'smart' before exams. Especially when some classes have well over 100 students.

 

When I was at uni there were standard exam times and rooms that everyone had their exams in, regardless of discipline. There were literally hundreds in each hall. It also meant that the person sitting directly adjacent to you was never even doing the same subject. To expect one of the three invigilators moderating each exam to go around every individual and ensure that the watch on their person or on their desk was not a smartwatch is unreasonable. Completely unreasonable. I really don't see why people have such a problem with just leaving their watches in their bags for the duration of the exam.

[NickTheMajin]

Absolutely understandable. In big lecture halls it's not feasible to go around and check everyones watch. Easier to just say no watches during exams. 

[Technous285]

Now to wait and see the kerfluffle that kicks up when a student has their "watch" removed and has a medical emergency because that "watch" some something like a insulin injector that they "had" to remove because the Lowest Common Denominator dumbass thinks and says "Ermahgerd! That thing on their wrist is a watch! There's nothing else it can be! They could cheat with it!" because of this shit.

Mark my words - Either that scenario WILL happen or they'll rewrite or even drop the rule so they don't become liable for a student having some sort of medical issue mid-exam.

[brownninja97]

Soon im gonna have to be damn near blind because they will ban my glasses as smartglasses will come.

[spartaman64]

Gonna be funny when we have google glass type devices that look identical to regular glasses. 

 

Rip people that need glasses i suppose. 

or contacts rip people with eyes

[ManWithBeard1990]

That's fair. It's a good thing schools realise the cheating potential is there. No one wants cheating. It leads to incompetence and possibly even accidents.

[Lord Baal]

imo these smart watches is uttercrap. if you want a clock buy a Rolex or similar brand.

Eh that's a matter of opinion one could argue a Rolex is a far greater waste of money then any current smart watch. Frogman/Mudman only practical watch I personally have use for.

I'm not keen on smart glasses or contacts now if they were to ban contacts like my solid gas permeable resin ones I'd be legally blind.