Use of e-Submission can result in a wide range of benefits for both students and academics. However, implementing this kind of submission system raises a number of issues that the acadmic community should consider. These issues are administrative as well as technical.
We have collated a number of such issues, which while not exhaustive, should give some help when considering using an e-submission system.
- Which e-submission system (e.g. Turnitin in Blackboard, eAssignment, Other) best meets your needs?
- Have you explained to students which e-submission method you expect them to use?
- Have you directed them toward suitable documentation for whichever method you choose?
- Who will act as admin for the e-submission process?
- Dedicated member of staff, or individual instructors?
- How will you deal with printing out student submissions, or will you mark online?
- Who will be responsible for printing out assignments (you may have a significant number of essays to print out for large cohorts).
- What are the costs of printing (Time and Money), and how are these covered?
- What problems might arise? For example
- loss of document formatting
- pictures not printing out correctly
- use of foreign paper sizes by overseas students
- use of specific fonts not installed on school machines
- file formats used – will there be restrictions on allowed filetypes?
- How can you ensure that students submit ALL necessary work?
- For example, if students are submitting a web-page they have written, have they included all the files referenced in this webpage (for instance all graphics)
- How will files be stored if they are downloaded from the e-Submission system?
- And will these files be backed up?
- How long will student submissions be kept on file?
- How will files be distributed to different markers?
- How will assignments be marked and annotated?
- Marked online?
- Printed out for marking?
- If marking online, how can you ensure that annotated documents and marks are saved regularly, to ensure recoverability in the event of technical failure. Will students know how to view annotations?
- How will you ensure that markers are marking consistently?
- How will assignments be returned to students?
- Print-outs marked and returned?
- Electronic copies returned?
- Feedback accessed online?
- How will you deal with student complaints / appeals?
- Will this be the same as your current appeals process?