DISCLAIMER: -BASED. THIS IS THE OPINION OF ONE INSTRUCTOR. NOT RESEARCH THIS IS LESSONS LEARNED FROM UN-PROCTORED, ONLINE EXAMS From Spring 2020
Doyle Dodd [email protected]
School of Industrial and Systems Engineering
August 14, 2020 Caution
These are just suggestions and recommendations based on lessons I learned last semester. (Sample size = me)
Do not take any of this as the absolute best way to do/not do online exams.
2 3 types of student
• Most students would never cheat • A few students will always opt to cheat given any opportunity • …Even if cheating means doing 200% more work
• Some students will opt to cheat if: 1. They are unprepared and 2. Opportunity is given
3 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t give extra time for a • Hold normal-difficulty “much more challenging online exam during regular than usual” exam class time • This gives dishonest students more time to use Randa Shehab disagrees Chegg or talk to each other with this: • 15 of 80 students used very “From what I understand, incorrect Chegg solution on time pressure can lead to my exam in Spring cheating.”
4 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t require your • I have no idea. students to buy a webcam, set up a surveillance zone, • Trust your students? and be monitored during • Maybe do it anyway? online exams • There is no way this works without incident for large classes • Adds extra stress to students who just want to take an exam
5 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t use the exact same • Pre-populate Canvas’s Canvas Quiz for each “Question Bank” feature student. • Canvas Quizzes can be set • “What’s the answer to up to choose X questions question #8?” from “Chapter 1 Bank,” presented in random order • Here is a starter guide to Canvas Question Banks
6 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t give the exact same • Use “Formula Question” question to each student. type Canvas Quizzes • “What’s the answer to • Each student gets the question #8?” same question, but with different values being input • Same solution procedure • Different final answers
7 Formula Questions:
8 Formula Questions:
9 Formula Questions: Nearly impossible
10 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t allow students to • Set up a separate “File submit answers without Upload” assignment showing work. • “File Upload” question types • “What’s the answer to • Students upload a very clear question #8?” picture of their hand-written calculations • “No work shown = no grade”
11 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t allow students to • Set up a separate “File submit answers without Upload” assignment showing work. • Due 30 minutes after close • “What’s the answer to of Exam question #8?”
12 Don’t do this: Instead, do this: • Don’t forget to remind • Post a menacing picture of students that you are a your face along with an relentless cheater- academic integrity pledge. detecting machine. • Set up as “text entry” question type to enter their name and date.
13 14 After the exam: • Don’t forget to search for your questions on Chegg (and CourseHero – a new one to me). • Type your question text into the search bar to see if you have a hit. • Free to search • $10/month to see specific post from your search query
15 Chegg / CourseHero: • Alert Academic Misconduct if you find any of your exam questions on Chegg or CourseHero. • Chegg will work with Academic Misconduct to remove your exam questions. • Take a screen capture of the question before it disappears. • Chegg will reveal account information (email addresses) of the person who posted and responded to the exam question. • Not always super helpful, unless…
16 Chegg: • If each student received a unique Formula Question it becomes very easy to identify which student posted the question…
17 Conclusion Instead, do this: • Un-proctored online • Integrated, semester-long exams are the worst project-based evaluation of student performance and comprehension • Exams/Finals should be worth minimal amounts of points during online semesters
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