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Analysing student responses to short-answer questions

Abstract

We introduce a web-based tool for teachers to support the rapid analysis of student responses to short answer or mini-essay questions. Designed to support teaching in large-class settings, it aims to bring to practicing teachers analytic tools that can reveal insights in their student text data. We background development of the tool to date, briefly describe its architecture and features, and report on a benchtest evaluation. Finally, we introduce a pilot study to evaluate the tool in classrooms at three NZ universities and one polytechnic. We conclude with options for accessing the tool and outline plans for ongoing development.