Our primary interest in TopClass lies in the automatically scored quizzing capability. Students can practice problems and take electronic quizzes anywhere and then bring their disks into a campus computer lab to upload their score information. Students have to purchase a disk. The disks are DOS-based and are therefore, platform specific. In addition, upgrades to campus microlab OS software causes additional headaches.
Students can lose their disks.
Disks can get zapped, crunched or otherwise destroyed. Students have to put the correct information on their disks or their scores are not properly recorded. With 1,000 to 1,500 students using the system, the computer labs where they can report their scores get jammed right before the assignment due date. Quiz material can be updated by the instructor at any time. Students can use any computer anywhere to complete the assignment as long as it has an Internet connection.