When curating an online exam, it can be difficult to protect the exam’s integrity while providing the proper accessibility measures. A few challenges with online exams include no in-person proctoring capabilities, and structured time limits within online proctoring platforms. Clemson Online recommends using Canvas and Lockdown Browser to ensure that exams are accessible and secure.
To increase online exam security you can create custom question banks in Canvas. Question banks are an assortment of questions that will be randomly pulled from in order to give each student a unique question order. That is to say, if a quiz is 25 questions long and you have a question bank of 30 questions, 5 questions for each student won’t be used. This provides more variation, decreasing learners’ ability to cheat.
To create a question bank on Canvas navigate to the quizzes button on the sidebar. Follow the steps as you normally would to create a quiz in Canvas. To manage the question banks navigate to the options icon. You can add a new question bank where you can input all of the questions for that specific exam. When you are finished creating the question bank, the questions will be available for any quiz you assign that question bank to.
You can also choose to shuffle the answer order to questions to make sure students don’t just share answer letters. Make sure to adjust any wording about “none” or “all of the above” when using this setting. Additionally, limit available time to deter students from looking up every answer in their notes or online. You can easily adjust the time limit on exams for students with approved accessibility requirements. Using different question types such as short answer, multiple choice, and true-false also helps boost exam integrity. These questions should test the student conceptually and analytically, requiring more critical thinking during the exam.
Lockdown Browser is the application the Clemson Online recommends using for the utmost exam scrutiny. This application is simple to use and connects with Canvas. Lockdown Browser prohibits students from opening any other tabs except for the exam on Canvas. Students won’t be able to leave the test screen and won’t be able to take any screenshots while the exam is running. Respondus Lockdown Monitor also has a webcam feature that ensures students aren’t using any handheld devices or material or leaving the screen view. Once the exam is submitted AI will review the test and flag any test that raised a cheating red flag so that the instructor can manually review it. Requiring this for exams will dramatically the ability to be academically dishonest on an online exam. It is an application that students will have to download on their own, so make sure to mention it in the syllabus.
Using these various methods will enhance the integrity of your online exams, allowing you to correctly assess student’s knowledge and class performance.
Join this training to learn more about AI and interactive learning in your course! This training will cover several pedagogical approaches to AI tools, including ChatGPT.
Facilitated by Millie Tullis, Digital Learning Strategist.
Registration: Interactive Learning and AI.
Modality: Virtual and synchronous—an Outlook Calendar invite, with the Zoom link, will be sent.
Join this training to learn more about Canvas fundamentals! Whether you have a specific question or want a Canvas tool demonstrated, this training opportunity is your time to work with one of our Learning Technology Specialists. When registering, choose whether to have a specific topic covered, enter your question, or both.
Facilitated by our Learning Tech Team.
Registration: Quick Hits: Canvas Basics.
Modality: Virtual and synchronous—an Outlook Calendar invite, with the Zoom link, will be sent.
Review our Spring 2024 Events Calendar to see what Online Instruction Development opportunities await!
We have a robust lineup of topics and live training formats to support your use of Canvas and other e-learning tools. Topics cover demonstrations of using Kaltura, presentations on group assignments in online courses, and workshops to get your Canvas site ready to teach!
All of our live training is recorded. Registrants will automatically receive a link to that day’s video after it has been processed.
Contact Millie Tullis with any questions regarding these sessions.
Clemson Online – Where Tech and Teaching Meet
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