Form Return - Q & A

Last Fall, the Centre for Excellence in Foundational Learning implemented new software called Form Return for marking answer sheets. The software was used in a pilot project in the Fall and for marking select final exams and equivalencies in December. More exams will be added in January and throughout 2014.

Two-page Form Return answer sheet used for the Math 30-1 final exam. First page is multiple choice. Second page is numerical response. The bar codes at the bottom of each page identify the answer sheet. The grid on the top right of the front page is for the student ID. 

Why Form Return?

Form Return allows you to custom design answer sheets and does not require specialized equipment – only a computer and a printer/scanner. The licensing costs are reasonable. The product developers are quick to respond to questions, and are committed to product improvements.

How does Form Return work?

The software is used to create a printable answer sheet (called a publication) specific to each exam. An answer key is associated with each publication. The answer sheets are filled out by students and are then scanned using the local printer/scanner. The files are saved as images. The scanned images are processed by the software, the student responses are captured in a database, and the final marks are calculated. The data is exportable to Excel or Access.

How long does it take to create an answer sheet?

A toolkit has been created to facilitate the process. Using the toolkit, an answer sheet can be created in less than 10 minutes.

How long does it take to mark answer sheets?

Form Return processes each scanned image in approximately four to seven seconds. Provided answer sheets are filled out correctly by students, an instructor can expect to see the results of an exam within minutes.

What are some issues associated with Form Return?

The software has been tested over four months and performs as expected. The primary issue is students not filling out answer sheets correctly or not filling in their student ID. Improperly filled out answer sheets generate errors which need to be corrected manually using the software. In 2014, we will place more emphasis on education in regards to answer sheets to minimize this problem.

What are the benefits for instructors?

Answer sheets are marked electronically, so instructors no longer need to mark exams manually. The results are available quickly and all the options chosen by students are captured in a database. This data collection will continue until an exam is no longer in use. The data captured will be used to generate statistics on a question and exam level to ensure the exams are reliable and valid

How can I participate?

If you would like to create answer sheets for your exams or want to learn more, contact anyone from the exam development team: Maureen Stewart, Karim Jaber, and Karlie Wimble. Training will be provided.