Lecturer Mariam, student representative Omar, assessment coordinator Nadia, and department head Fares redesign assessment for a university course, balancing valid evidence of learning with fairness and staff workload.
01Read the Arabic conversation
إِعَادَةُ النَّظَرِ فِي التَّقْيِيمِ الْجَامِعِيِّ
مَرْيَمُ: يَعْتَمِدُ تَقْيِيمُ مُقَرَّرِنَا عَلَى اخْتِبَارٍ نِهَائِيٍّ بِوَزْنِ سَبْعِينَ بِالْمِئَةِ، وَمَقَالٍ بِوَزْنِ ثَلَاثِينَ. أَقْتَرِحُ اسْتِبْدَالَ الِاخْتِبَارِ بِمَلَفِّ أَعْمَالٍ يُظْهِرُ كَيْفَ يَتَطَوَّرُ تَحْلِيلُ الطَّالِبِ خِلَالَ الْفَصْلِ.
عُمَرُ: يُرَحِّبُ طُلَّابٌ بِتَقْلِيلِ ضَغْطِ الِاخْتِبَارِ، لَكِنَّ الْعَمَلَ الْمَنْزِلِيَّ لَيْسَ أَعْدَلَ تِلْقَائِيًّا. بَعْضُنَا يَعْمَلُ مَسَاءً، وَبَعْضُنَا لَا يَجِدُ مَكَانًا هَادِئًا أَوْ جِهَازًا مُتَاحًا كُلَّ يَوْمٍ.
نَادِيَةُ: قَبْلَ اخْتِيَارِ الشَّكْلِ، عَلَيْنَا تَحْدِيدُ مَا نُرِيدُ قِيَاسَهُ. هَدَفُ الْمُقَرَّرِ تَفْسِيرُ بَيَانَاتٍ وَتَبْرِيرُ قَرَارٍ، وَلَيْسَ سُرْعَةَ اسْتِرْجَاعِ التَّعْرِيفَاتِ أَوْ الْقُدْرَةَ عَلَى إِنْتَاجِ عَرْضٍ بَصَرِيٍّ جَذَّابٍ.
فَارِسٌ: وَعَدَدُ الطُّلَّابِ مِئَةٌ وَثَمَانُونَ. أُرِيدُ تَغْيِيرًا يَخْدُمُ هَذَا الْهَدَفَ، لَكِنَّنَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى حِسَابِ وَقْتِ التَّصْحِيحِ وَالدَّعْمِ. لَنْ يُفِيدَ تَصْمِيمٌ جَيِّدٌ إِذَا تَعَذَّرَ تَنْفِيذُهُ بِاتِّسَاقٍ.
مَرْيَمُ: أَقْتَرِحُ حَالَتَيْنِ تَطْبِيقِيَّتَيْنِ فِي مَلَفٍّ فَرْدِيٍّ. يَخْتَارُ الطَّالِبُ تَفْسِيرًا لِلْبَيَانَاتِ، وَيُقَارِنُهُ بِتَفْسِيرٍ بَدِيلٍ، ثُمَّ يُرَاجِعُ قَرَارَهُ بَعْدَ ظُهُورِ مَعْلُومَةٍ إِضَافِيَّةٍ. هَذَا أَقْرَبُ إِلَى الْهَدَفِ.
عُمَرُ: هَلْ سَنَسْتَخْدِمُ بَيَانَاتٍ جَاهِزَةً، أَمْ سَيُطْلَبُ مِنَّا جَمْعُهَا خَارِجَ الْجَامِعَةِ؟ إِذَا احْتَاجَ الْمَشْرُوعُ إِلَى عِلَاقَاتٍ أَوْ سَفَرٍ، فَسَتَدْخُلُ مَوَارِدُ الطَّالِبِ فِي الدَّرَجَةِ دُونَ قَصْدٍ.
نَادِيَةُ: نُوَفِّرُ الْبَيَانَاتِ وَالْمَوَادَّ الْأَسَاسِيَّةَ لِلْجَمِيعِ، وَنُتِيحُ وَقْتًا لِلْعَمَلِ دَاخِلَ الْجَامِعَةِ. وَنُقَيِّمُ قُوَّةَ التَّفْسِيرِ وَاسْتِخْدَامَ الدَّلِيلِ؛ فَلَا تَكُونُ الزِّينَةُ الْبَصَرِيَّةُ مَصْدَرًا خَفِيًّا لِلدَّرَجَاتِ.
فَارِسٌ: كَيْفَ نَتَأَكَّدُ مِنْ أَنَّ الْمَلَفَّ يَعْكِسُ فَهْمَ صَاحِبِهِ؟ يُمْكِنُ تَبَادُلُ الْأَفْكَارِ، وَهَذَا مُفِيدٌ، لَكِنَّنَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى دَلِيلٍ عَلَى مَا يَسْتَطِيعُ كُلُّ طَالِبٍ تَفْسِيرَهُ بِنَفْسِهِ.
مَرْيَمُ: نَطْلُبُ مُسَوَّدَةً قَصِيرَةً وَتَعْلِيقًا عَلَى أَسْبَابِ التَّعْدِيلِ، ثُمَّ نُجْرِي مُنَاقَشَةً شَفَهِيَّةً لِمُدَّةِ ثَمَانِي دَقَائِقَ. أَسْأَلُ الطَّالِبَ عَنْ قَرَارٍ اتَّخَذَهُ وَمَا قَدْ يَجْعَلُهُ يُغَيِّرُهُ.
عُمَرُ: أَخْشَى أَنْ تَقِيسَ الْمُنَاقَشَةُ جُرْأَةَ الْمُتَحَدِّثِ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ فَهْمِهِ. قَدْ يَتَرَدَّدُ طَالِبٌ يَفْهَمُ الْمَادَّةَ، بَيْنَمَا يَعْرِضُ آخَرُ جَوَابًا ضَعِيفًا بِثِقَةٍ. نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى حِمَايَةٍ مِنْ هَذَا الِانْطِبَاعِ.
نَادِيَةُ: نُعِدُّ مِعْيَارًا يُرَكِّزُ عَلَى تَبْرِيرِ الْقَرَارِ وَفَهْمِ الْحُدُودِ، لَا عَلَى الطَّلَاقَةِ وَحْدَهَا. نُعْطِي وَقْتًا لِلتَّفْكِيرِ، وَنُرَتِّبُ التَّعْدِيلَاتِ الْمُنَاسِبَةَ مُسْبَقًا لِمَنْ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَيْهَا، مَعَ بَقَاءِ الْهَدَفِ نَفْسِهِ.
فَارِسٌ: ثَمَانِي دَقَائِقَ لِكُلِّ طَالِبٍ تَعْنِي أَرْبَعًا وَعِشْرِينَ سَاعَةً لِلْمُنَاقَشَاتِ وَحْدَهَا. هَذَا لَا يَشْمَلُ الِانْتِقَالَ بَيْنَ الْجَلَسَاتِ وَالْمُرَاجَعَةَ. هَلْ نَسْتَطِيعُ تَوْزِيعَ الْعَمَلِ عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ مُقَيِّمِينَ؟
مَرْيَمُ: نَسْتَطِيعُ، بِشَرْطِ التَّدَرُّبِ عَلَى الْمِعْيَارِ مَعًا. نُقَيِّمُ إِجَابَاتٍ تَجْرِيبِيَّةً مُسْتَقِلِّينَ، ثُمَّ نُنَاقِشُ الْفُرُوقَ قَبْلَ تَقْيِيمِ الطُّلَّابِ. وَنُرَاجِعُ عَيِّنَةً مِنَ الدَّرَجَاتِ بَعْدَ الْجَلَسَاتِ.
عُمَرُ: وَأَرْجُو إِتَاحَةَ أَمْثِلَةٍ لَنَا أَيْضًا. لَا أَطْلُبُ مَعْرِفَةَ السُّؤَالِ الْفِعْلِيِّ، بَلْ مَعْرِفَةَ الْفَرْقِ بَيْنَ جَوَابٍ يُكَرِّرُ النَّتِيجَةَ وَجَوَابٍ يُبَرِّرُهَا وَيَعْتَرِفُ بِمَا لَا تُثْبِتُهُ الْبَيَانَاتُ.
نَادِيَةُ: سَنَنْشُرُ الْمِعْيَارَ وَنَمَاذِجَ مُشْرُوحَةً مُسْبَقًا. وَسَتَنْطَلِقُ الْأَسْئِلَةُ مِنْ قَرَارَاتِ كُلِّ طَالِبٍ، مَعَ مُرَاعَاةِ تَقَارُبِ مُسْتَوَى الصُّعُوبَةِ؛ فَالْعَدَالَةُ لَا تَقْتَضِي تَكْرَارَ السُّؤَالِ نَفْسِهِ حَرْفِيًّا.
فَارِسٌ: أَمِيلُ إِلَى الِاحْتِفَاظِ بِاخْتِبَارٍ أَقْصَرَ، يَقِيسُ تَحْلِيلًا فَرْدِيًّا دَاخِلَ الْقَاعَةِ. لَنْ يَكُونَ نُسْخَةً مُصَغَّرَةً مِنَ اخْتِبَارِ الْحِفْظِ، بَلْ حَالَةً جَدِيدَةً مَعَ بَيَانَاتٍ يَسْتَطِيعُ الطَّالِبُ الرُّجُوعَ إِلَيْهَا.
مَرْيَمُ: أَقْبَلُ ذَلِكَ إِذَا اخْتَبَرْنَا الْوَقْتَ الْمَطْلُوبَ قَبْلَ اعْتِمَادِهِ. أَقْتَرِحُ أَرْبَعِينَ بِالْمِئَةِ لِلِاخْتِبَارِ، وَأَرْبَعِينَ لِلْمَلَفِّ، وَعِشْرِينَ لِلْمُنَاقَشَةِ، وَيَحُلُّ الْمَلَفُّ مَحَلَّ الْمَقَالِ السَّابِقِ. بِهَذَا لَا يَحْسِمُ أَدَاءُ يَوْمٍ وَاحِدٍ مُعْظَمَ النَّتِيجَةِ.
عُمَرُ: وَهَلْ تُضَافُ دَرَجَاتٌ لِلْمُسَوَّدَةِ وَتَعْلِيقِ الْمُرَاجَعَةِ؟ أَخْشَى أَنْ تَتَحَوَّلَ كُلُّ خُطْوَةٍ إِلَى مُهِمَّةٍ مُسْتَقِلَّةٍ، فَنَقْضِي وَقْتَنَا فِي تَتَبُّعِ الْمَوَاعِيدِ بَدَلًا مِنَ التَّفْكِيرِ فِي الْحَالَتَيْنِ.
نَادِيَةُ: الْمُسَوَّدَةُ وَالتَّعْلِيقُ لِتَوْجِيهِ التَّعَلُّمِ وَفَهْمِ تَطَوُّرِ الْعَمَلِ، دُونَ وَزْنٍ إِضَافِيٍّ. نَجْمَعُهُمَا فِي مَوْعِدٍ وَاحِدٍ قَبْلَ الْمَلَفِّ النِّهَائِيِّ، وَنُقَدِّمُ مُلَاحَظَاتٍ مُرَكَّزَةً عَلَى نُقْطَةِ تَحْسِينٍ وَاضِحَةٍ.
فَارِسٌ: سَأُحَدِّدُ فِي الْجَدْوَلِ سَاعَاتِ الْمُقَيِّمِينَ الثَّلَاثَةِ، وَأُضِيفُ وَقْتَ التَّدْرِيبِ وَالْمُرَاجَعَةِ. إِذَا لَمْ تَتَوَفَّرِ السَّاعَاتُ، فَسَنُؤَجِّلُ التَّطْبِيقَ، بَدَلًا مِنِ اخْتِصَارِ الْمُنَاقَشَاتِ فَجْأَةً لِبَعْضِ الطُّلَّابِ.
مَرْيَمُ: أُرِيدُ أَنْ نَبْدَأَ فِي الْفَصْلِ الْمُقْبِلِ. الطُّلَّابُ الْحَالِيُّونَ بَنَوْا خُطَطَهُمْ عَلَى الْأَوْزَانِ الْمُعْلَنَةِ، وَلَيْسَ مِنَ الْمُنَاسِبِ تَغْيِيرُهَا فِي الْمُنْتَصَفِ، حَتَّى لَوْ رَأَيْنَا التَّصْمِيمَ الْجَدِيدَ أَفْضَلَ.
عُمَرُ: أُؤَيِّدُ هَذَا التَّوْقِيتَ، وَأَطْلُبُ جَمْعَ مُلَاحَظَاتِ الطُّلَّابِ عَنِ الْوَقْتِ الْفِعْلِيِّ لِكُلِّ مُهِمَّةٍ. قَدْ يَبْدُو الْمَلَفُّ قَصِيرًا لِلْمُدَرِّسِ، بَيْنَمَا يَحْتَاجُ الطَّالِبُ إِلَى سَاعَاتٍ لِفَهْمِ تَعْلِيمَاتِهِ.
نَادِيَةُ: سَنَفْحَصُ الْوَقْتَ وَوُضُوحَ التَّعْلِيمَاتِ وَاتِّسَاقَ الدَّرَجَاتِ. وَسَنُقَارِنُ مَا يَظْهَرُ مِنْ فَهْمٍ فِي الْمَلَفِّ وَالْمُنَاقَشَةِ؛ فَاخْتِلَافُهُمَا يَدْعُونَا إِلَى الْفَحْصِ، وَلَا يَكْفِي وَحْدَهُ لِاتِّهَامِ الطَّالِبِ.
فَارِسٌ: وَلَنْ نَعْتَبِرَ ارْتِفَاعَ مُتَوَسِّطِ الدَّرَجَاتِ وَحْدَهُ دَلِيلًا عَلَى نَجَاحِ التَّغْيِيرِ. سَنَسْأَلُ هَلْ أَصْبَحَ تَبْرِيرُ الْقَرَارَاتِ أَوْضَحَ، وَهَلْ طُبِّقَتِ الْمَعَايِيرُ بِاتِّسَاقٍ، وَهَلْ كَانَ الْعِبْءُ مَعْقُولًا.
مَرْيَمُ: سَأُعِدُّ الْحَالَتَيْنِ وَمِثَالًا مَحْلُولًا يُظْهِرُ كَيْفِيَّةَ مُرَاجَعَةِ تَفْسِيرٍ أَوَّلِيٍّ. وَسَأَتَجَنَّبُ جَعْلَ الْمِثَالِ قَالَبًا يَكْفِي نَسْخُهُ؛ لِأَنَّ الْمَطْلُوبَ تَبْرِيرُ الِاخْتِيَارِ فِي ضَوْءِ بَيَانَاتٍ مُحَدَّدَةٍ.
عُمَرُ: سَأُرَاجِعُ مَعَ الطُّلَّابِ لُغَةَ التَّعْلِيمَاتِ وَتَوَافُرَ الْمَوَارِدِ. أُفَضِّلُ أَنْ نَكْتَشِفَ الْعَائِقَ قَبْلَ بَدْءِ التَّقْيِيمِ، بَدَلًا مِنْ أَنْ يُضْطَرَّ كُلُّ طَالِبٍ إِلَى شَرْحِ صُعُوبَتِهِ بَعْدَ فَوَاتِ الْمَوْعِدِ.
نَادِيَةُ: وَسَأُعِدُّ الْمِعْيَارَ وَخُطَّةَ الْمُرَاجَعَةِ، مَعَ طَرِيقَةٍ وَاضِحَةٍ لِطَلَبِ تَفْسِيرِ الدَّرَجَةِ. شَفَّافِيَّةُ التَّقْيِيمِ تَشْمَلُ فَهْمَ سَبَبِ الْحُكْمِ، لَا مُجَرَّدَ مَعْرِفَةِ النِّسَبِ قَبْلَ الْبِدَايَةِ.
فَارِسٌ: اتَّفَقْنَا عَلَى تَجْرِبَةِ هَذَا التَّصْمِيمِ فِي مُقَرَّرٍ وَاحِدٍ بَعْدَ تَأْكِيدِ الْمَوَارِدِ. سَنُرَاجِعُهُ بَعْدَ الْفَصْلِ الْمُقْبِلِ، وَنُعَدِّلُ مَا لَا يَخْدُمُ الْهَدَفَ، دُونَ افْتِرَاضِ أَنَّ تَعَدُّدَ الْأَدَوَاتِ يَضْمَنُ الْعَدَالَةَ وَحْدَهُ.
Show English translationHide English translation
Mariam — lecturer: Our course assessment consists of a final exam worth seventy percent and an essay worth thirty. I propose replacing the exam with a portfolio showing how students’ analysis develops across the term.
Omar — student representative: Students welcome less exam pressure, but work done at home is not automatically fairer. Some of us work evenings, and some lack a quiet place or a device available every day.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: Before choosing a format, we need to identify what to measure. The course aims at interpreting data and justifying a decision, rather than recalling definitions quickly or producing an attractive visual presentation.
Fares — department head: There are one hundred and eighty students. I want a change that serves that aim, but we must calculate marking and support time. A good design is of little use if it cannot be delivered consistently.
Mariam — lecturer: I suggest two practical cases in an individual portfolio. Students choose an interpretation of data, compare it with an alternative, and then revise their decision when additional information appears. That is closer to the aim.
Omar — student representative: Will we use supplied data, or have to collect it outside the university? If the project requires contacts or travel, a student’s resources will unintentionally become part of the grade.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: We will provide the core data and materials for everyone and offer working time on campus. We will assess the strength of interpretation and use of evidence, so visual decoration does not become a hidden source of marks.
Fares — department head: How can we establish that a portfolio reflects its author’s understanding? Sharing ideas can be useful, but we need evidence of what each student can explain independently.
Mariam — lecturer: We can ask for a short draft and an explanation of revisions, then hold an eight-minute oral discussion. I would ask about a decision the student made and what might lead them to change it.
Omar — student representative: I worry the discussion will measure boldness more than understanding. A student who understands may hesitate, while another confidently presents a weak answer. We need protection against that impression.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: We will prepare a rubric focused on justifying decisions and understanding limitations, rather than fluency alone. We will allow thinking time and arrange appropriate adjustments in advance for those who need them while preserving the same aim.
Fares — department head: Eight minutes per student means twenty-four hours of discussions alone. That excludes transitions between sessions and review. Can we divide the work among three assessors?
Mariam — lecturer: We can, provided we practise using the rubric together. We will assess sample answers independently and discuss differences before assessing students. We will also review a sample of marks after the sessions.
Omar — student representative: Please make examples available to us too. I am not asking to know the actual question, but to understand the difference between repeating a result and justifying it while acknowledging what the data do not establish.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: We will publish the rubric and annotated examples in advance. Questions will start from each student’s decisions while remaining comparable in difficulty; fairness does not require repeating exactly the same question.
Fares — department head: I favour retaining a shorter exam measuring individual analysis in the room. It would not be a miniature memory test, but a new case with data students can consult.
Mariam — lecturer: I accept that if we try out the time needed before adopting it. I suggest forty percent for the exam, forty for the portfolio, and twenty for the discussion, with the portfolio replacing the previous essay. This way, one day’s performance does not determine most of the result.
Omar — student representative: Will the draft and revision explanation carry extra marks? I worry each step will become a separate assignment, leaving us tracking deadlines instead of thinking through the two cases.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: The draft and explanation guide learning and help us understand the work’s development, without additional weighting. We will collect them on one date before the final portfolio and give feedback focused on one clear improvement.
Fares — department head: I will allocate the three assessors’ hours and add training and review time. If the hours are unavailable, we will postpone implementation rather than suddenly shorten discussions for some students.
Mariam — lecturer: I want to begin next term. Current students planned around the announced weightings, and it would be inappropriate to change them midway through, even if we consider the new design better.
Omar — student representative: I support that timing and ask that we collect students’ feedback on the actual time each task takes. A portfolio may look short to a lecturer while students need hours to understand its instructions.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: We will examine time, clarity of instructions, and marking consistency. We will compare the understanding shown in the portfolio and discussion; a discrepancy calls for examination but does not by itself justify accusing the student.
Fares — department head: We will not treat a higher average grade alone as proof of success. We will ask whether decisions are better justified, criteria applied consistently, and the workload reasonable.
Mariam — lecturer: I will prepare the two cases and a worked example showing how to revise an initial interpretation. I will avoid making it a template that can simply be copied, because the task is to justify choices in light of specific data.
Omar — student representative: I will review the wording of instructions and resource availability with students. I would prefer to identify obstacles before assessment starts, rather than have each student explain their difficulty after the deadline.
Nadia — assessment coordinator: I will prepare the rubric and review plan, including a clear way to request an explanation of a mark. Transparent assessment means understanding the reason for the judgement, not simply knowing the percentages in advance.
Fares — department head: We have agreed to try this design in one course after confirming resources. We will review it after next term and revise what does not serve the aim, without assuming that multiple assessment methods alone guarantee fairness.
02Useful words and expressions
| Arabic in the conversation | Meaning here |
|---|---|
| مَلَفِّ أَعْمَالٍ | a portfolio |
| ضَغْطِ الِاخْتِبَارِ | exam pressure |
| سُرْعَةَ اسْتِرْجَاعِ التَّعْرِيفَاتِ | speed of recalling definitions |
| تَفْسِيرٍ بَدِيلٍ | an alternative interpretation |
| مَصْدَرًا خَفِيًّا لِلدَّرَجَاتِ | a hidden source of marks |
| مُسَوَّدَةً قَصِيرَةً | a short draft |
| الطَّلَاقَةِ | fluency |
| نَمَاذِجَ مُشْرُوحَةً | annotated examples |
| مُهِمَّةٍ مُسْتَقِلَّةٍ | a separate assignment |
| الْأَوْزَانِ الْمُعْلَنَةِ | the announced weightings |
| اتِّسَاقَ الدَّرَجَاتِ | marking consistency |
| شَفَّافِيَّةُ التَّقْيِيمِ | assessment transparency |
03Check your understanding
Choose one answer for each question. Look back at the Arabic conversation for evidence. Open the English question support or a hint when you need help.
What to remember
- Choose assessment methods by the evidence of learning they provide, then examine unequal resources and irrelevant presentation advantages.
- Publish criteria and weightings in advance, budget the full workload, and evaluate a trial using more than average grades.
Explore the Arabic in this conversation
Related grammar and vocabularyOpen Araqick guides connected to this conversation.
Lakinna and Lakin in Arabic: Two Patterns for But
لَكِنَّنَا نَحْتَاجُ إِلَى حِسَابِ وَقْتِ التَّصْحِيحِ وَالدَّعْمِ
Use lakinna with a pronoun to add an implementation constraint to a positive proposal.
Fa in Arabic Conditional Sentences: When the Result Needs Fa
إِذَا لَمْ تَتَوَفَّرِ السَّاعَاتُ، فَسَنُؤَجِّلُ التَّطْبِيقَ
Use fa before a future response after an idha condition involving unavailable resources.
Because in Arabic: Give a Reason with Lianna
لِأَنَّ الْمَطْلُوبَ تَبْرِيرُ الِاخْتِيَارِ فِي ضَوْءِ بَيَانَاتٍ مُحَدَّدَةٍ
Give a reason with lianna and the accusative noun al-matluba, followed by a verbal-noun predicate.
