| Conventional examination required students to fill | | | | student assessment. |
| in the answers below the questions or on a | | | | Each paper is given a special bar code that links it |
| different sheet of paper. Not only did this result in | | | | to the template being used and also contains the |
| large amounts of paper being used, but it also | | | | student's identification to ensure that, once the |
| proved quite a challenge to the teacher or | | | | paper is marked, the correct score is allocated to |
| moderator who had to mark the completed | | | | his or her record. A TVR, or Template Variable |
| paper. | | | | Replacement, can also be inserted for form |
| More recently, however, many educational | | | | customisation. |
| institutions have resorted to exam papers and | | | | When the design process is complete, the forms |
| tests based on multiple-choice questions. Students | | | | can be printed and handed out to be completed |
| simply have to select the right answer and then | | | | by the students. Once filled in, the forms are |
| move on to the next question. No need for long | | | | loaded into the document feeder of a scanner |
| sentences or illegible handwriting. | | | | that will then create a digital version of the |
| But, sometimes, even that still proved a headache | | | | completed test, marking all the questions and |
| for the person marking the paper - so many | | | | store the results of each student in the database |
| papers, so many answers that all consist of | | | | record corresponding to the student ID. The |
| marks instead of words. The detriment here is | | | | marking process takes less than a second, which |
| that inaccuracies do tend to slip in, resulting in | | | | means time will be saved and accuracy improved |
| future dilemmas to ensure that the correct score | | | | upon. |
| is given. Optical Mark Recognition software is | | | | How OMR Can Benefit Your Students |
| accurate and saves time. In short, it's a teacher's | | | | Due to the fact that OMR allows for aggregate |
| best friend. | | | | marking, teachers will now be able to gauge |
| How OMR Can Benefit Your Teachers | | | | student proficiency in different areas. This |
| The benefit of OMR software can perhaps be | | | | information can then be used to determine where |
| best illuminated by examining the entire process - | | | | students might need additional lessons or extra |
| from the design of the questionnaire to the | | | | attention to ensure for a more rounded |
| marking of the completed sheet. | | | | education, thereby improving their overall marks. |
| The teacher or examiner will typically design the | | | | And, lest we forget, when students do well, |
| test using a form template that contains both the | | | | schools tend to thrive. |
| questions and the answer "bubbles". Scalable | | | | Other areas where OMR software can be |
| vector graphics and/or raster images can be used | | | | employed both for the benefit of students and |
| for papers where graphics are needed, such as | | | | educational bodies include aptitude and IQ testing |
| maths, biology, chemistry, physics, etc. | | | | or wherever the use of multiple-choice questions |
| To minimise cheating, the different sections of | | | | are appropriate. Schools that seek to employ new |
| each paper can be randomised, meaning that two | | | | teachers can also use OMR software to analyse |
| students sitting next to each other won't have | | | | the results of MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) |
| the same test format (although it will still be the | | | | questionnaires, to assess the personalities of |
| same test). Depending on the OMR software | | | | prospective educators and ensure that they |
| being used, different scores can be allocated to | | | | employ the right people to educate their pupils. |
| different sections, thereby allowing for accurate | | | | |