Some Staples High School teachers are having students say farewell to number two pencils and scantrons and say hello to computers for testing purposes.

Recently, numerous teachers have been administering tests and quizzes through Blackboard.  Various teachers use these assessments as a place for students to do practice problems and problem sets.  Other teachers plug these assessments straight into E-School.

Some students are all in favor of this new approach to testing while other students prefer to take their tests at a desk in a classroom setting.

Renee Reiner ’14 is one of many people who feels more comfortable being assessed in a classroom environment.  “If it is a multiple choice test, I like to write on my test,” says Reiner.  “It helps me with process of elimination.”

Despite the fact that some students may not be content with this new way of testing, teachers find them to be very helpful.

Michele Morse, a science teacher at Staples, provides these assessments for the benefit of her students.  “I give online quizzes so I can spend more time on instruction and not on testing.”

Joel Kabak, another science teacher at Staples, also gives online tests to help out his students.  Kabak said that he uses them as “an incentive to review material” and they are almost like a “glorified homework.”

Some teachers trust their students to follow directions and not cheat.  Other teachers accept the fact that cheating has the possibility of occurring unless the test is administered in class with adult supervision.

Cheaters do exist at Staples.  A student who chose to remain anonymous due to the nature of the topic said, “Online tests are a cheaters heaven.”

In the mix of cheaters and those who are not fans of online testing there is Alex Elias ’14 who feels at-ease taking tests through the computer.  “It is easier to check over work when you have bad handwriting,” Elias said.

Despite the fact that cheating may be a concern with online testing, teachers feel as though those who cheat are just hurting themselves.

“The serious student will learn during this exercise.  The cheater at best will have the evanescent delusion of having learned something,” Kabak said.