To Proctor or Not to Proctor: An Evaluation of Exam Formats for the Online Classroom
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TO PROCTOR OR NOT TO PROCTOR: AN EV ALUATION OF EXAM FORMATS FOR THE ONLINE C LASSROOM JENNIFER LEWIS SLOAN 2013 NOVEMBER 20, 2013
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This session was presented at the Sloan-C International Conference on Online Learning on November 20, 2013. Abstract: As the online teaching fellow at my college, I have been asked many times how to best assess students in the online format. Many of these inquiries come from other science instructors with concerns ranging from assessment of understanding to academic integrity. I started teaching online in Fall 2011 and have used a variety of assessment methods in my courses, including proctored and online exams. Using data from my own classes, I set out to determine whether a difference existed when using online or proctored exams in the online classroom. Preliminary data were collected from five general geology, seven earth science and three survey of oceanography online courses between Fall 2011 through Fall 2012. These data were used to compare how students performed on different exam formats. The data include students who took two proctored exams for their course, students who took one proctored exam and one online exam and students who took two online exams for their course. The data were used to correlate how a student faired from their first exam to the second exam to see if the exam's format (proctored or online) factored in to the student's score. The preliminary data show exam scores are highly correlated regardless of the exam's format (online or proctored). These data also show a slight difference in how students fair when taking a proctored exam first and then an online exam. Specifically, students who did poorly on the proctored exam do slightly better on the online exam while students who did well on the proctored do slightly worse on the online exam. Finally, when comparing the exam types, there is a tighter spread in score distribution when online exams are used versus proctored exams. In order to scale this study up, data from other online classes at Madison Area Technical College were collected and analyzed. This session will present the findings and include a discussion of best practices for both proctored and online exams.
Transcript of To Proctor or Not to Proctor: An Evaluation of Exam Formats for the Online Classroom
TO P
ROCTOR O
R NOT
TO
PROCTOR:
AN E
VALUATI
ON OF
EXAM
FORM
ATS F
OR THE
ONLINE
CLASS
ROOM
J E N N I F E R L E W I S
S L O A N 2 0 1 3N O V E M B E R 2 0 ,
2 0 1 3
BACKGROUND:
PROCTORED?ONLINE?
DEFINITIONS
Online
• Online in LMS• Timed• Password
Protected• Unsupervised
Proctored
• Online in LMS or Paper
• Timed• Supervised
DATA COLLECTION
1 Proctored1 Online Exam• 88 Students• 5 Classes
2 Online Exams• 102 Students• 5 Classes
2 Proctored Exams• 90 Students• 5 Classes
ORIGINAL DATA RESULTS:
DATA EXPANSION
1 Proctored1 Online Exam• 88 Students• 5 Classes
2 Online Exams• 165 Students• 9 Classes
2 Proctored Exams• 90 Students• 5 Classes
APPLES TO ORANGES: A PROBLEM EMERGES
UPDATED RESULTS:
EXAM NO-SHOWS
PROCTORED
ONLINE
6 % 10 %
DATA TAKE THREE
1 Proctored1 Online Exam• 88 Students• 5 Classes
2 Online Exams• 165 Students• 9 Classes
2 Proctored Exams• 90 Students• 5 Classes
598 more students
EXAM-TO-EXAM PERFORMANCE
EXAM TYPE COMPARISON
CONCLUSIONS
1. Student performance from exam to
exam is highly correlated.
2. More students miss/skip online
exams.
3. There is no major difference in
student performance based on exam
type.
BEST TIPS:
1. Decide exam type before the course starts.
2. Advertise early and often.
✔
KEYS FOR SUCCESS: ONLINE EXAMS
1. Provide clear instructions.
2. Use large question banks.
3. Randomize exams for each student.
4. Acknowledge “open book” exam.
5. Set time limits and passwords.
6. Make exam available for longer period.
7. Plan for technical failure before the exam.
8. REMINDERS! REMINDERS! REMINDERS!
Video Instructions: http://youtu.be/C92WQcbi4bk Paper Instructions: http://slidesha.re/IggqiA
KEYS FOR SUCCESS: PROCTORED EXAMS1. Adopt college-wide process, when
possible.2. Provide clear instructions.3. Request proctor/exam choice early.4. Contact proctors ASAP.5. Provide a range of exam dates/times.6. Plan for technical failure before the
exam.7. REMINDERS! REMINDERS! REMINDERS!
http://slidesha.re/Igi9EF
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Jennifer Lewis, [email protected]
Skype: jennifer.l.nielsen
Twitter: GeoJenLewis
Your Feedback is Appreciated: http://bit.ly/1e3Ja9G
