At Abertay University about 5% of exams are run online. These are currently all MCQ and other self-grading questions. But we do plan a trial of 2 or 3 modules this semester using online typed long answer exams. Additionally the practise of allowing flexible access to online class tests is growing. Approx. 5 modules here are allowing students a period of 1 week to complete MCQ tests which can be taken on or off campus.
We use Blackboard for our exams with Respondus lockdown browser for all summative class test and exams. On campus these are run in IT Labs and are invigilated. If it’s a flexible access class test we give the students the link to download Respondus onto their own machines.
We take a number of precautions with the flexible tests – randomising question order and setting the time carefully to not allow enough time for students to google the answers. Module leaders monitor the test logs to check students are not all taking the tests at the same time. We do have a few issues with students not being able to install the software to their own machines but the fall back is to come into campus and complete the test. Occasionally an on-campus pc has stopped a test mid-way through and in this case we verify the issue and allow an additional attempt. Thankfully during invigilated exams this has never happened. More modules are starting to use question pools to further randomise the questions students are given.
We are looking to using Respondus web-cam monitor for more high stakes off campus exams – but although we have had it working in our test environment we are experiencing some snags connecting to their server in our live environment. Hopefully these issues will be resolved for next session.
I'd be interested in hearing from anyone else using Blackboard for written/typed exams and any issues you might have experienced with it.
We don't use BB for surveys but we do use pools and find the functionality to be ok. The reporting is alright and certainly gives enough information to find out what percentage of students selected each question choice etc.
Our TELS team also have Respondus 4 software to help staff import questions to BB via a word document upload. This a big time saver when a large question pool needs to be created.
Regards,
Alice
---
Alice La Rooy
Learning Technologist
Technology Enhanced Learning Support (TELs)
Teaching and Learning Enhancement (TLE)
Part Time: Mon-Thurs
Ph: 01382 308 621
Web: http://www.abertay.ac.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of BLACKBOARD-USERGROUP automatic digest system
Sent: 14 January 2015 00:04
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: BLACKBOARD-USERGROUP Digest - 12 Jan 2015 to 13 Jan 2015 (#2015-5)
There are 5 messages totaling 200 lines in this issue.
Topics of the day:
1. Summative Assessments in BB (5)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 11:21:54 +0000
From: Trevor Meek <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Summative Assessments in BB
Just a short note to ask if anyone has experience of using BB for summative assessment - especially on a large scale. I am looking at the possibility of moving away from QMP and porting questions/assessments from QMP into Blackboard. Your comments on the test, survey and pool functionality, and analytics of BB would be most welcome (faults, flaws, good points, bad points...) and also using BB for secure delivery of assessments.
I would be very interested in hearing from you off-line at [log in to unmask]
Many thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 11:52:08 +0000
From: Sonia Maurer <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
Any chance of keeping the discussion on-line to start with? We are also very interested in this.
Thank you!
Sonia Maurer
Learning Technologist
Department of Dermatology
Cardiff University
3rd Floor Glamorgan House
Heath Park
Cardiff, Wales, UK
CF14 4XN
Tel. 029 20744760
Please note I only work Monday to Wednesday and I cannot guarantee to respond outside of these times.
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Trevor Meek
Sent: 13 January 2015 11:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Summative Assessments in BB
Just a short note to ask if anyone has experience of using BB for summative assessment - especially on a large scale. I am looking at the possibility of moving away from QMP and porting questions/assessments from QMP into Blackboard. Your comments on the test, survey and pool functionality, and analytics of BB would be most welcome (faults, flaws, good points, bad points...) and also using BB for secure delivery of assessments.
I would be very interested in hearing from you off-line at [log in to unmask]
Many thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:28:06 +0000
From: Dave Sharples <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
At Newcastle do lots of formative and summative assessment through blackboard - mainly MCQ based.
We maintain a blog which shows the process and the stuff we do at https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/olafaq/ which people are free to look at
Dave
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sonia Maurer
Sent: 13 January 2015 11:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
Any chance of keeping the discussion on-line to start with? We are also very interested in this.
Thank you!
Sonia Maurer
Learning Technologist
Department of Dermatology
Cardiff University
3rd Floor Glamorgan House
Heath Park
Cardiff, Wales, UK
CF14 4XN
Tel. 029 20744760
Please note I only work Monday to Wednesday and I cannot guarantee to respond outside of these times.
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Trevor Meek
Sent: 13 January 2015 11:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Summative Assessments in BB
Just a short note to ask if anyone has experience of using BB for summative assessment - especially on a large scale. I am looking at the possibility of moving away from QMP and porting questions/assessments from QMP into Blackboard. Your comments on the test, survey and pool functionality, and analytics of BB would be most welcome (faults, flaws, good points, bad points...) and also using BB for secure delivery of assessments.
I would be very interested in hearing from you off-line at [log in to unmask]
Many thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:29:13 +0000
From: Trevor Meek <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
Hi Sonia,
I will keep you up-to-date separately; I did not want QMP finding out at this stage so trying to keep some control on it. I have already got 2 very good responses that suggest it might work well - at least for running locked down summatives. I am going to meet one of the responders on Friday. Will keep you posted.
My project to achieve this has a 10 week deadline target so we will soon know!
Keep in touch...
Trevor.
Trevor Meek.
Educational Developer (e-Assessment).
Center for Educational Development.
Chesham Building.
Ext: 3312.
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sonia Maurer
Sent: 13 January 2015 11:52
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
Any chance of keeping the discussion on-line to start with? We are also very interested in this.
Thank you!
Sonia Maurer
Learning Technologist
Department of Dermatology
Cardiff University
3rd Floor Glamorgan House
Heath Park
Cardiff, Wales, UK
CF14 4XN
Tel. 029 20744760
Please note I only work Monday to Wednesday and I cannot guarantee to respond outside of these times.
-----Original Message-----
From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Trevor Meek
Sent: 13 January 2015 11:22
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Summative Assessments in BB
Just a short note to ask if anyone has experience of using BB for summative assessment - especially on a large scale. I am looking at the possibility of moving away from QMP and porting questions/assessments from QMP into Blackboard. Your comments on the test, survey and pool functionality, and analytics of BB would be most welcome (faults, flaws, good points, bad points...) and also using BB for secure delivery of assessments.
I would be very interested in hearing from you off-line at [log in to unmask]
Many thanks in advance.
------------------------------
Date: Tue, 13 Jan 2015 12:41:54 +0000
From: Graeme Boxwell <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
Dear Trevor,
At Newcastle University we currently run a large amount of summative assessments through Blackboard. Last year we ran 100 exams with over 13,000 student sittings.
The students access the exam through a locked down browser that shows only the Blackboard test area. I believe this is done using Firefox and some Greasemonkey scripts. We also pull the settings of each exam through onto a .php checking page that shows all the relevant settings.
The tests are created either through Blackboard or using a Word document in Respondus format. The navigation around the test functions in Blackboard is not always intuituve and some functionality doesn’t work as you would expect. I'm sure you are familiar with this! We don’t use the Survey functionality and use the Pools rarely.
I think the item analysis feature is very good and helps academic staff to improve the quality of their questions each year.
Dave Sharples has added a link through to our blog. I'm happy to discuss any features offline with you as well.
Best wishes,
Graeme
Graeme Redshaw-Boxwell
Development Officer
Learning and Teaching Development Service Ground Floor, King George VI Building, Newcastle University
NE1 7RU
United Kingdom
Tel: 0191 208 3903
https://blogs.ncl.ac.uk/eportfolio/
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:BLACKBOARD-
>[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Sonia Maurer
>Sent: 13 January 2015 11:52
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Re: Summative Assessments in BB
>
>Any chance of keeping the discussion on-line to start with? We are also
>very interested in this.
>Thank you!
>
>Sonia Maurer
>Learning Technologist
>Department of Dermatology
>Cardiff University
>3rd Floor Glamorgan House
>Heath Park
>Cardiff, Wales, UK
>CF14 4XN
>
>Tel. 029 20744760
>
>Please note I only work Monday to Wednesday and I cannot guarantee to
>respond outside of these times.
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Blackboard/Courseinfo userslist [mailto:BLACKBOARD-
>[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Trevor Meek
>Sent: 13 January 2015 11:22
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: Summative Assessments in BB
>
>Just a short note to ask if anyone has experience of using BB for
>summative assessment - especially on a large scale. I am looking at the
>possibility of moving away from QMP and porting questions/assessments
>from QMP into Blackboard. Your comments on the test, survey and pool
>functionality, and analytics of BB would be most welcome (faults,
>flaws, good points, bad
>points...) and also using BB for secure delivery of assessments.
>
>I would be very interested in hearing from you off-line at
>[log in to unmask]
>
>Many thanks in advance.
------------------------------
End of BLACKBOARD-USERGROUP Digest - 12 Jan 2015 to 13 Jan 2015 (#2015-5)
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Scotland's leading modern university for psychology research (RAE 2008)
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