Setting an examination involves defining the conditions under which an assessment task can be completed. These conditions usually differ from those of an assignment by having a number of restrictions on the conditions of assessment, like not allowing external materials such as books, articles or lecture notes, to be used while completing an assessment task or completing the assessment in a fixed place.
Other common restrictions are that all students need to start and complete the assessment tasks at the same time in order to prevent some students from getting advance notice of the questions that will be asked. Examinations are also invigilated with trained observers to ensure that all students comply with the specified examination conditions.
Many of these conditions can’t be replicated in the online environment – but there are alternatives that can achieve many of the same assessment outcomes as a face-to-face examination. To help you decide if you need to put your exams online we have adapted a decision list flow chart developed by Brock University in the US to take into account the UTS social distancing directive and assessment policy. The interactive flow chart will direct you to online resources that will help you decide whether you can meet your assessment goals by reweighting or redesigning your existing assessment tasks.
You are able to go through the options as many times as you like to find the optimal alternative to your current examination. You are also welcome to email Peter.Kandlbinder@uts.edu.au or Ann.Wilson@uts.edu.au to discuss the alternatives to assessing your students in examinations.
View the PDF version
Want something printable, instead? Download a PDF version. This is an abbreviated version of the decision list flow chart.
Watch the Webinar
On Thursday 9th April, Peter Kandlbinder and Ann Wilson presented alternatives to having an invigilated examination as your final assessment task: Do I really need to put my exam online?
Set up alternatives in UTSOnline and Canvas
Have a look at what workshops are available to help you set up alternatives to an invigilated exam.