Online exams are a hard problem. Commercial solutions ignore a lesson of cyber-security research: Perfect security is impossible; managing risk and costs is more important. Of the two online proctoring market leaders: Choice 1 is one-on-one creepy stalking and choice 2 is an invasive surveillance system. To me, the costs are too high.
Online exams should follow these principles: 1. Minimize cheating risk, 2. Respect students dignity and privacy, 3. Maintain rigor, and 4. Do not increase grading time.
Following the above principles, I designed an alternate approach, which will work for about 40 students:
- Exam has a time limit and is only available on a specific date/time for the set time, and displays a countdown counter. This is possible in most LMS.
- Exam has two components:
- Standard multiple-choice questions. Randomize the question order, as well as the answer choices. Most LMS offer this capability as an option.
- Provide a deck template in which the student has to move elements around to create something new. For my UX design class, I provided pre-built interface objects to build a new UX, which the student could drag and drop, and then on the next slide, I provided space for a narrative. A similar approach is possible for other types of content (e.g., data elements, code snippets, conceptual objects). Most LMS also offer file upload.
- At the top of exam, add the following sentence: I agree to follow the XXX University Student Code of Conduct, I understand that the exam will be recorded, and I meet all the requirements (see below). I am ready to start this exam.
- Set up a zoom session with recording enabled which the students are required to attend during the exam date/time. List the following requirements:
- Well lighted table or desk with no other materials such as books, notes, phones, or people in the vicinity.
- The exam is closed book, closed notes. You are not allowed to use email, Internet, smartphone or any other device or person to gain help during the exam.
- Disable any virtual backgrounds.
- A computer with webcam turned on.
- Up to date web browser.
- During the exam, watch the students. This has the added advantage in that the instructor is available to answer any questions, and all hear the Q&A.
The time limit, randomized multiple choice, zoom session, design question submitted on a deck, and requirement to (re)accept code of conduct minimizes but does not eliminate cheating risk, while respecting students, preserving rigor, and minimizing grading time. (bonus: grading is more efficient!).
One of the students wrote the following in my teaching evaluations:
"the online exam was the best I had taken all semester. no AI proctoring either which helped with the entire class stress levels."
The above is not rocket science, I am sure others did something similar or other approaches that are more creative? Can this be adapted for larger classes?
#Learning Action
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Munir Mandviwalla
Temple University
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