On-line exams :

1

• On-line exams
• the good, the bad and
• the ugly
• Jacques Raynauld, Ph.D.
• HEC-Montréal
• Maison des technologies
• University of Montréal

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Overview of the round-table

• Genesis and organization of this round-table
• Online exams a quick overview
• Some basic facts
• They can be great . (the good)
• but have some drawbacks (the bad)
• The current practice at HEC-Montréal
• The wireless challenge (the ugly)

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Overview of the round-table

• Discussion
• The good What is your current practice?
• The bad Are we using the laptop as often as we
  should? Why not?
• The ugly Any tips or solutions for the
  wireless challenge?
• Conclusion assessment in a new
  student-centered learning strategy

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Genesis and organization of this round-table

• Wake Forest ThinkTank 2001 how to increase the
  use of the laptop?
• I use the laptop in my exam and the wireless
  could bring my pedagogy backwards
• Your input is really important!

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Basic facts

• Open book exams philosophy
• The laptop is used as a tool
• Usually off line to avoid communication between
  students
• Sometimes online at the end to submit files
  (word, excel, spss, etc.)
• Special software can be used to control the
  laptop for completely online exams (eg. quizzes)

Online exams a quick overview
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They can be great.(the good)

• To align the assessment with the objectives of
  the courses
• To design realistic assessment
• To avoid bad hand-writing!
• To automate the marking if online quizzes are
  used

Online exams a quick overview
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but have some drawbacks (the bad)

• How to manage technical problems during exams
  (equity, support, etc.)
• Procedures for sending the electronic files at
  the end
• Marking of electronic files!

Online exams a quick overview
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The current practice at HEC-Montréal

• 20-25 exams exams every semesters (total of 100
  courses)
• 5-7 required courses
• Mostly the laptop as a tool
• In my advanced macroeconomic course, students
  build Excel files to answer the questions

Online exams a quick overview
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The wireless challenge (the ugly)

• Great for communication but not so great for
  exams.
• We have the following choices
• Back to pencil only exams
• Forget about individual exams
• Police the exams with seveve sanctions if caught
  using the network
• Find a technological solution
• Adopt a strict code of honour and pray!

Online exams a quick overview
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The good !

• Your current practices

Discussion
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The good !

• Your current practices

Discussion
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The bad!

• Are we using the laptop as often as we should?
  Why not?

Discussion
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The bad!

• Are we using the laptop as often as we should?
  Why not?

Discussion
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The ugly

• Any tips or suggestions for the wireless
  challenge

Discussion
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The ugly

• Any tips or suggestions for the wireless
  challenge
• http//www.softwaresecure.com/comp.htm

Discussion
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Conclusion

• assessment in a new student-centered learning
  strategy

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Conclusion

• assessment in a new student-centered learning
  strategy