Dear Faculty Members,

The exam period is approaching, and I ask for your help in ensuring that we are well prepared.

1. Starting this year, both MOED A and MOED B take place during the break between semesters, which means that the time between the two exams has been shortened. Therefore, we should make an extra effort to complete the grading within 8 days from the date of the exam, as set in our Teaching Regulations. While our performance last year in this respect improved in comparison to previous years, we still missed the mark in about 10% of the courses, and we must work harder to further mitigate the number of these instances.

2. We should prepare our exams well. Make sure that it is possible to answer the exam based on the material covered in the course. Carefully proofread the exam, preferably in a peer-review form. Consider making the exam more concise, to enable completing the grading on time.

3. We have purchased a license to use the TOMAX software, which assists in grading. With this software, the exams will be scanned before grading, and comments are typed on the scanned document. Numerous sophisticated features make the grading faster and more accurate. In the next few days, the deans will circulate a call for participating in the pilot use of this program.

4. It is time to think anew of the format of your exams. Our annual comprehensive students’ survey has revealed, among other things, that our students find our level of teaching insufficiently challenging. Possibly, the prevalent use of closed-book exams, which encourages mostly a lower form of learning, might be one reason for this outcome. I encourage you to consider using more frequently, where suitable, an open-book exam, as well as other forms of evaluation, including take-home exams.

Many thanks for your ongoing cooperation.

Sincerely, Barak Medina