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Here are 4 tips for offering online exams

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#1 · November 15, 2022, 5:18 am

Quote from anngardner97 on November 15, 2022, 5:18 am
Rethink the Exam System

Day says that the online exam switch is an opportunity for instructors and students to reexamine their exams. "It forces you to question your reasons for holding exams, the reasons you hold them when you do, as well as how you hold them."

Administrators of UNE are considering ending the exam period, which was initially created for logistical reasons. Day says that the exams needed to be booked and all of the seats and desks moved in. The supervisors also had to be ready with the papers. "Now we are able hold exams from anywhere at any time, anytime. So why is there an exam period? It allows for structural changes in the academic calendar. It gives us a few more weeks per teaching period back to teach, perhaps."

Day says that video and website exploration can be incorporated into exams. This opens up the possibility of students providing answers to questions as well as allowing you to ask more questions.

Prioritize Student Convenience

Instructors often try to simulate a lecture hall exam with multiple people taking the online exam at once. Day said that many institutions she spoke with believe that the test must be administered in this manner for academic integrity. She disagrees. She says that exam questions should be asked at a deeper level so that even if an exam question was given to a student by a classmate, it doesn't matter.

Day says that students can have asynchronous exams to help them manage their daily lives. She says, "Students can choose to sit the exam at their kitchen table at 10 o’clock in the evening or after they have finished work or the kids are asleep."

Students from UNE have taken exams in bed during unwell times, while on vacation, or while serving their country. One student took his law exam in the shade of a gum tree, in remote parts of Australia. Day says that although we don't understand why he felt the need to do this, Day believes it was a good decision.

Remind students that online cheating is less common than offline cheating

Cheating is allowed where there are tests. Cheating could result in death even in ancient China. This was the place where the first exam were invented. Day claims that people continue to cheat. "The solution for cheating is, in me mind, similar to a public health campaign or public safety campaign. Behaviors are viewed in terms of helping people seek help and converting risk-taking behaviour into help-seeking behavior.

UNE has partnered with ProctorU for its exams. Students can schedule exams with a live tutor 24 hours per day. The proctor confirms student identity and observes students using AI technology. It flags unusual behavior, such as eye movements, typing speed variations, and so on, to the proctor.

Day believes this method can be more effective than the in-person centres the university used to use for cheating prevention. "When paper-based exams were used all around the globe, an exam supervisor would supervise exams. She might have only been able to oversee a handful of exams per year and was not trained beyond a brochure that we sent. She says that it was clear that in many cases they were checking that the student held an ID card rather than that they looked like the picture on the ID cards. They were not particularly adept at gathering evidence. They were not very confident in asserting themselves when they suspected cheating. I think online, supervised exam are a lot more beneficial.

Remember, there's still a human involvement

Online exams can be a source of privacy concerns. "People often say that online exams are too private. Day states, "Someone is watching me through a camera, I don’t think it’s my favorite, they will see stuff inside my bedroom." "We said, "Just don’t have your exam in the bedroom."

The university is sensitive to this concern and will allow students who wish to take another exam. Recently, the university has offered a video-based exam. About 5 percent have so far chosen this option.

Another concern is the possibility that AI, or a proctor hired from outside the institution, will decide cases involving cheating. It isn't what happens. Day states, "If they spot something unusual, we are notified by the proctoring partner." "Then, we, the humans, decide what should be done about it." We have a chat log, a video and a log from the learning management software.

These logs and recordings can be used by the university and students. Day said that if the student can prove that something was not misconduct, Day doesn't need to raise concerns. "Where we suspect it to be misconduct, it's clear cut. 'Here's a video, it’s obvious.' This doesn't lead to a long-winded proceeding for the student.

Related article from CollegeBasics:

https://www.collegebasics.com/blog/how-to-get-the-best-online-exam-help/

Related Resources:
My online exam experience and top tips
Here are my top tips and experiences with online exams
Top tips and my online exam experience
Four Tips to Offer Online Exams

Rethink the Exam System

Day says that the online exam switch is an opportunity for instructors and students to reexamine their exams. "It forces you to question your reasons for holding exams, the reasons you hold them when you do, as well as how you hold them."

Administrators of UNE are considering ending the exam period, which was initially created for logistical reasons. Day says that the exams needed to be booked and all of the seats and desks moved in. The supervisors also had to be ready with the papers. "Now we are able hold exams from anywhere at any time, anytime. So why is there an exam period? It allows for structural changes in the academic calendar. It gives us a few more weeks per teaching period back to teach, perhaps."

Day says that video and website exploration can be incorporated into exams. This opens up the possibility of students providing answers to questions as well as allowing you to ask more questions.

Prioritize Student Convenience

Instructors often try to simulate a lecture hall exam with multiple people taking the online exam at once. Day said that many institutions she spoke with believe that the test must be administered in this manner for academic integrity. She disagrees. She says that exam questions should be asked at a deeper level so that even if an exam question was given to a student by a classmate, it doesn't matter.

Day says that students can have asynchronous exams to help them manage their daily lives. She says, "Students can choose to sit the exam at their kitchen table at 10 o’clock in the evening or after they have finished work or the kids are asleep."

Students from UNE have taken exams in bed during unwell times, while on vacation, or while serving their country. One student took his law exam in the shade of a gum tree, in remote parts of Australia. Day says that although we don't understand why he felt the need to do this, Day believes it was a good decision.

Remind students that online cheating is less common than offline cheating

Cheating is allowed where there are tests. Cheating could result in death even in ancient China. This was the place where the first exam were invented. Day claims that people continue to cheat. "The solution for cheating is, in me mind, similar to a public health campaign or public safety campaign. Behaviors are viewed in terms of helping people seek help and converting risk-taking behaviour into help-seeking behavior.

UNE has partnered with ProctorU for its exams. Students can schedule exams with a live tutor 24 hours per day. The proctor confirms student identity and observes students using AI technology. It flags unusual behavior, such as eye movements, typing speed variations, and so on, to the proctor.

Day believes this method can be more effective than the in-person centres the university used to use for cheating prevention. "When paper-based exams were used all around the globe, an exam supervisor would supervise exams. She might have only been able to oversee a handful of exams per year and was not trained beyond a brochure that we sent. She says that it was clear that in many cases they were checking that the student held an ID card rather than that they looked like the picture on the ID cards. They were not particularly adept at gathering evidence. They were not very confident in asserting themselves when they suspected cheating. I think online, supervised exam are a lot more beneficial.

Remember, there's still a human involvement

Online exams can be a source of privacy concerns. "People often say that online exams are too private. Day states, "Someone is watching me through a camera, I don’t think it’s my favorite, they will see stuff inside my bedroom." "We said, "Just don’t have your exam in the bedroom."

The university is sensitive to this concern and will allow students who wish to take another exam. Recently, the university has offered a video-based exam. About 5 percent have so far chosen this option.

Another concern is the possibility that AI, or a proctor hired from outside the institution, will decide cases involving cheating. It isn't what happens. Day states, "If they spot something unusual, we are notified by the proctoring partner." "Then, we, the humans, decide what should be done about it." We have a chat log, a video and a log from the learning management software.

These logs and recordings can be used by the university and students. Day said that if the student can prove that something was not misconduct, Day doesn't need to raise concerns. "Where we suspect it to be misconduct, it's clear cut. 'Here's a video, it’s obvious.' This doesn't lead to a long-winded proceeding for the student.