Remote Assessment Guidance for Instructors
Our recommended solution for remote assessments is using Blackboard Learn.
Overview
At the request of the BU administration, all assessments must be conducted remotely in order to ensure that all students can complete their classes with a grade for the spring 2020 semester. Any changes to modes of assessment should be made clear to students as soon as is practical. In addition, the provost has asked that faculty be flexible in granting makeup exams, since many students may encounter health and other challenges in the face of the coronavirus outbreak.
Both the Center for Teaching & Learning (CTL) and Remote Teaching Coordinators (RTC’s) are excellent resources for considering how and when to administer midterm or final exams*. The CTL provides context for thinking about different forms of assessment:
- They provide a helpful starting guide which includes general considerations and possible changes for your remote exams.
- You can find logistical concerns and examples of specific exam solutions that utilize BU resources here (this is extended in their ppt).
*Faculty may delay their midterm exams in order to consider what format of assessment now makes sense. As of 4/1/2020, the University has not changed their policy that final exams must be be administered within the scheduled final examination period; however, this may be changed due to various factors such as time zones.
Blackboard for Exams
This is the recommended and most supported assessment solution; Blackboard is now fully integrated for all courses with easy-to-use exam options.
Methodologies
There are 2 main methods to conduct assessments over Blackboard:
1. Online exams where students answer on Blackboard with built-in questions
2. Provide the exam questions in a downloadable format and have students upload files of their written or typed work
Basics – How-To’s
– Test Creation Guide (strongly recommended that you start here)
– Setting a Test Timer or Password
– Edit Test Questions
– Adding File Upload fields to Questions
Advanced – How-To’s
– Randomized Order of Questions
– Randomized Order of Answers to a Question
– Randomized Selection of Questions from a Pool (and Creating a Question Pool)
– Asynchronous testing that can be taken at the student’s discretion: Set the Test Due Date
– Synchronous testing in a time window: Set the Test Availability ‘Display After’ time AND Due Date
– Set Student Availability Exceptions (i.e. shifting for time zones* or extra time accommodations)
– For multiple test versions: Create and Assign Tests to a Groups of Students** (Creating Groups)
– Download all Student File Submissions
* Blackboard automatically adjusts how times are displayed according to the user’s time zone.
** Adaptive Release Rules can override any conflicting Test Availability Exceptions when used together
Knowledge Base
– DL&I’s Remote Teaching Software FAQ’s
– TechWeb’s Test Settings Overview
– TechWeb’s Instructor Homepage (includes many helpful links)
– BU Help’s Course Site Changes Homepage
– Blackboard’s On Demand Learning Center (and their Tests Section)
Trainings
– DL&I’s Upcoming Remote Teaching Trainings (and archive recordings of old trainings)
– IS&T’s Hands-On Courseware Workshops
Other Exam Software
ENG IT can only provide access to the basic remote teaching software. All other software must be pursued by faculty members individually. Below are some examples that have been used by BU faculty in the past.
- Zoom can be used to conduct multiple choice quizzes. For a guide on how to do this, see Zoom’s Video Tutorial or Joerg Werner’s Guide on Zoom polls.
- Gradescope is an assignment submission software that lets students upload pictures of their work and offers grading assistance. For information on obtaining access, visit here.
- Turnitin is a document submission software that checks for plagiarism. Blackboard has Turnitin functionality automatically enabled for all courses. See IS&T’s guide for how to enable and help with use.
- TopHat conducts secure electronic exams with browser monitoring to detect behavior indicative of cheating.
Proctoring
Online exam proctoring services are available upon request for Blackboard exams through Examity. However, BU’s policy is that this service is to be used ONLY for accreditation or other critical requirements AND requires written approval from your Remote Teaching Coordinator.
Alternatively, if you would like to utilize your course TF’s as proctors, this can most easily be done by splitting up your class into smaller Zoom meetings for the TF’s to host. The following links may be helpful for setting this up:
- Splitting a Class into Multiple Breakout Rooms
- Schedule a Meeting
- Meeting Settings
- Muting Participants
You may also find it useful to set a test password and distribute this through the proctor meeting to ensure that students are being monitored before beginning.
Academic Integrity / Cheating
As the CTL has said, “maintaining academic integrity in an online environment is challenging!” To deal with this, they list recommendations such as:
– Having students sign an Academic Conduct statement
– Using the Turnitin plagiarism checker for longer exam questions
– Consulting with EdTech for further information at askedtech@bu.edu.
In addition to these, you can use various combinations of the techniques on this page to combat the feasibility of cheating.
- Proctoring
- Setting a Timer
- Synchronous Testing
- Multiple Test Versions
- Question Randomization
- A longer test provides less potential downtime for students in which cheating may occur
Technical & Logistical Tips
Remotely conducting all midterm and final exams remotely is a daunting task. Listed below are some tips that have helped faculty prevent problems from arising. Make sure to discuss the test format and expectations with your students beforehand.
- If uploading written work, instruct students to use a PDF scanner app, rather than trying to upload high-resolution photos
- Try to limit the means of submission to 1 place; don’t spread answers and problem work over both PDF upload and manual entry into Blackboard
- Allow for a large enough submission window to accommodate potential network slowdowns
- Prepare a backup strategy for students to submit and notify them (i.e. emailing their answers in directly if Blackboard is not working
If you think of any other useful tips or information, please let us know so that we can help all faculty successfully conduct their final exams
More Resources
Note: classes that include one or more individuals with documented accommodations by the BU Office of Disability & Access Services must be sure to adhere to ADA-compliant regulations when conducting exams. Disability & Access Services can provide resources to help address potential issues that could occur in a remote format.
Note: all Zoom recordings must maintain FERPA compliance and not be made publicly available outside of Blackboard’s My Media.