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Effective Online Testing Without Surveillance Software √ §

Part 2 of the Test Writing Programs by the FDC and DoIT!

Location

Online

Date & Time

October 12, 2021, 12:00 pm1:00 pm

Description

Online tests can be a convenient, informative way to assess student learning. But how do we maintain academic integrity online without relying on the use of intrusive surveillance software? In this session, two UMBC chemistry professors who teach the largest course on campus (800+ students), will share their methods for setting up online tests in Blackboard that both respond to students’ needs and provide strategies for preventing academic dishonesty. Their approach includes the use of an honor pledge, grouped questions with backtracking, staggered exam starting points, and use of question pools. Their question pools are original, authentic questions that are similar in rigor and concept, but vary in question prompt details and related “correct” answers. Blackboard can then be set to draw random questions from each pool, generating distinct exams for each student. A screencast video demo of their approach -- referenced in a 10/26/20 Washington Post article -- can be seen at https://doit.umbc.edu/news/?id=97023.

During this joint FDC & DoIT workshop, Sarah Bass & Tara Carpenter will discuss their approach, describing effort required, lessons learned, and next steps. We'll also use their experience as context for a discussion about online testing in the time of COVID.

Please click “Going Virtually” below to reserve your seat for this session, and we will send you a Google calendar invitation with a WebEx link one hour before the session. If you register less than an hour before the session, you will receive the WebEx link when you register. Please email fdc@umbc.edu if you have any questions. If you have registered and find that you can no longer attend, please kindly release your spot so that others may attend.

√ Counts toward the ALIT Certificate
§ Counts toward the INNOVATE Certificate