CXC’s has for many years conducted its marking of examinations in a face-to-face modality, that is, scripts were assembled at various marking centres around the region and markers (mainly teachers) were contracted to marking activities in each subject. All this has changed with the introduction of online or e-marking. The operational change took effect in 2013 when the Council conducted its first e-marking exercise for the region.
E-marking is the process by which scripts are scanned and saved into an online environment suitable for their retrieval, marking and storage. Markers in this environment interact with the marking software to apply an appropriate mark to items more appropriately referred to as Question Item Groups (QIGs). Markers in the CXC system are selected to mark a Qig or a number of Qigs and carry out their assignment using a computer or compatible device in their own private space as opposed to being assembled in a marking centre.
Rationale
The move toward e-marking is one that challenges long-established practices and procedures at CXC as it relates to the marking of examinations. The overall intent is to improve the validity of the test undertaken and the reliability of the test scores given. Some of the proposed benefits of e-marking include continuous marker monitoring and the presence of systems to eliminate errors from incorrect transcription or addition which are a feature of the system used. In addition, it is inherently easier to analyse marking reliability statistics for items that are marked electronically than for the paper version. By employing e-marking, one can then use information from one of the easily calculable empirical estimators of validity over time to provide evidence about whether reliability has increased or decreased subsequent to e-marking implementation.
CXC is committed to maintaining a high level of integrity, transparency and confidentiality in its production of examinations and the preparation and dissemination of examination results. Our aim is to empower students to achieve their goals by being assessed through a system which ensures that they get what they truly deserve.
If you are interested in e-marking, please visit http://devcxcedu.wpengine.com/vacancies/ and submit your application.