Ask Slashdot: Should Coding Exams Be Given on Paper?

Slashdot reader Qbertino is pursuing a comp sci degree -- and got a surprise during the last exam: being asked to write code on paper. Not that I'd expect an IDE -- it's an exam after all -- but being able to use a screen and a keyboard with a very simple editor should be standard at universities these days... I find this patently absurd in 2018...

What do you think and what are your recent experiences with exams at universities? Is this still standard? What's the point besides annoying students? Did I miss something?
A similar question was asked on Slashdot 16 years ago -- but apparently nothing has changed since 2002.

Leave your best answers in the comments. Should coding exams be given on paper?

Comments

As a high school programming teacher, I donâ(

[FFCecil]

Hereâ(TM)s how Iâ(TM)ve adjuated my teaching practice for a world with smartphones: 1) All my tests are open book/note. In a world where you can lookup anything anytime, knowledge is no longer a valued commodity. However, using knowledge to solve problems is. So all my questions involve higher level thinking, with students able to use their notes. 2) My tests and exams are all done on computer through Google Classroom (when in a lab setting). So thereâ(TM)s always a keyboard and screen. 3) I have my students write code in their assignments with an IDE, not on tests. Writing code without and IDE has always pissed me off. So, my tests/exams involve things like analyzing code, eg: hereâ(TM)s some code, tell me what it does. Or, hereâ(TM)s some code with problems, what are they and/or how can they be fixed. Or, when would you use a while loop vs a do loop? Or a local variable vs a class variable? I must note that this form of teaching is entirely my own, after spending much time reflecting on how I think teaching and schooling must adjust for a world with instantaneous access to endless information. This is not endorsed by my government (Ontario, Canada) or school board, and even many of my colleagues disagree. However, something has to change in education which still uses methods developped over a century ago for chalk and slate! I do espouse these methods when possible, and continually strive to evolve my teaching for an ever evolving world, but I certainly donâ(TM)t think this is the final answer in education methodology. Any further ideas you have would be welcome! At some point I would like to evolve my tests/exams to be âoeopen Googleâ, but frankly have no idea how that would work. But thatâ(TM)s my thoughts on next steps from where I'm at currently.

Re:That was torture

[Bite The Pillow]

A well designed test should check if you understand syntax and punctuation rules. It should not use rare properties or methods that auto complete would help with.

I'm okay with some courses doing a written test, some using a minimal text editor like notepad, and advanced tests in an IDE. As long as the advantage can be explained.

I do understand writing a simple app on paper. It means you have to design before writing so methods are small and start out refactored. Of course the prof should be teaching it that way to test that way.

Re:Comp Sci

[ceoyoyo]

The ultimate CS test:

The student gets a paper notebook and a pencil, and is paired with a partner who knows nothing about programming. The student has to explain an algorithm to the partner. At the end of the exam the partner has to independently write down their understanding of the algorithm, with diagrams.

The best test of whether you understand something is how well you can teach someone else. And unless you're a code monkey, this is probably what you're going to spend half your life doing anyway, whether it's explaining to PHBs or grant review committees. My sister makes custom leather book coverings. She's going to make me one for the cheap notebook I keep in my bag at all times for this exact task.