Online Examination System(OES)
Online Examination
System(OES) is a Multiple Choice Questions(MCQ) based examination system that
provides an easy to use environment for both Test Conductors and Students
appearing for Examination. The main objective of OES is to provide all the
features that an Examination System must have, with the "interfaces that
doesn't Scare it's Users!".
Taxonomy of OES
Users of OES are
classified into three categories:
·
Administrators : Administrators are
responsible for management of system users, subjects, tests, questions,
results, system backup and recovery , etc
·
Test Conductors : Test conductors are
responsible for preparing subjects, tests and questions
·
Students: Students are the candidates appearing for the
Examination.
To effectively deliver
an examination, 3 major components have to be catered for efficiently.
They are:
- Creation of exams – Obviously, an exam will have to be created. Examiners can create exams online. The contents also have to be kept securely until the examination starts.
- Supervision of examination – Students have to be efficiently identified, and screened to ensure that they so not compromise the standards of the exams.
- Marking of the exams. Marking is the ultimate stage in any examination as it determines the success or failure of the candidate. It is the stage that dictates the next level of success and achievement in life.
Features of online
examination
Online examination
systems seek to efficiently evaluate the exam partakers thoroughly through a
fully automated system that not only saves time but also give fast results. The
Online examination system helps to completely automate the old manual procedure
of conducting exams. Usually it is done through a Web Based Online Examination
Software or and Intranet variant. It also significantly eliminates the need for
monitoring while the exam is being taken. All instructions are displayed to the
exam taker before the tests begin.
A major highlight of
using a web based exam software or an online examination system is that it
gives a high level of transparency as opposed to the traditional method or
remote method. It is almost impossible to compromise exam questions and
evaluations because they cannot also be influenced. Most online exams generate
their results instantly and it is often possible for the exam taker to get
information on his results immediately. Some of the major advantages of online
examination include the following:
Security and confidentiality
As has been stated
before, the security and confidentiality of an exam are critical if the exam is
to retain its value. Prepared exams need to be securely kept. Any leakage will
definitely compromise the standard of the exam and may result to a cancelation
or a retake. All these features are well addressed using an online system
because not only is the content of the exam safely locked away in a database,
access to the database is only possible with an authorized personnel. A lot of
possibilities are also opened up on exam day as it allows you to conveniently
make your own test in a secure environment. Questions can easily be randomized
so that no participants see the same questions in the same order. Questions can
easily be mixed as each new question is added to the system’s database. The
questions can then be randomly drawn from the database. This is why most
examination bodies have gradually adopted the online platform.
Accessibility and Flexibility
Exams can be conducted
anywhere. All a student needs is a personal computer with internet connection.
A student does not need a long commute to exam venue as long as these
requirements are met. This also means that thousands of students can take the
same exams over a wide spread of locations. Gone are days, students move from
one region or locality to another in the name of sitting the examination. A lot
of lives have been lost in the process due to accident and other similar mishaps.
In the same vein, examiners also benefit from this. Examiners do not have to
bother with the laborious task of marking exams as this is well taken care of
by the system. The system actually marks each exam and presents the result to
the student at the end of the exam. Examiners are also afforded the opportunity
to create exam online through an online examination system that can present
examinations in multiple languages. Multiple exams on multiple subjects for
multiple courses can also be set. Exams can also be configured for 24/7
availability. This allows candidates to take exams at their own convenience.
Cost saving
When an exam is placed
online, it results in significant cost savings. The cost of paper, copying, and
distribution expenses are all reduced or eliminated. The elimination of paper
costs alone is extraordinary. The copying and distribution of assignments to a
large class are often unwieldy and inefficient. Administrators anxious to
reduce expenditures are likely to strongly favor the transition from paper
assignments examinations to using online assessment software.
Time management
Online examination
systems make use of computers that helps in saving time. With the widespread
availability of computers and the internet, there is a general acceptability
and endorsement of this system. The lengthy formalities and processes involved
in creating question papers, registering candidates for exams, answer sheet
evaluation and declaration of results are completely eradicated with the online
exam system. Each student is timed precisely and all results are generated
instantaneously. In some cases, a candidate may even be able to get an
assessment on failed questions.
Statistical analysis
On a statistical point
of view, compared data can be stored over time. This means that different
comparative analysis can be done to analyze the outcomes of exams overtime.
Depending on the online exam system used, statistical data can be pulled to
analyze different data and create reports.
Disadvantages of Online Test
- Unlike collaborative, project-based online assessments, multiple choice or essay tests online can feel even more impersonal than they do in the classroom which may contribute to an online student’s sense of isolation.
- While it is tempting to use the multiple choice quizzes provided by the textbook publisher, these types of assessments lack creativity and may not be suitable to the specific needs of your learners.
- Creating online tests in Blackboard can be very tedious and time-consuming. It is not as easy as simply uploading the Microsoft Word version of your test. Instead, instructors have to copy and paste each question’s text and each individual answer’s text into Blackboard, mark the correct answers, and customize feedback and setting options.
- Some students will not be accustomed to taking quizzes and tests online, and they may need some hand-holding early in the semester before they feel comfortable with the technology.
- Cheating on an online test is as simple as opening up another window and searching Google or asking a classmate for the correct answers. Furthermore, cheating on online multiple choice tests is near impossible for the instructor to prevent or catch.
- Though the technology that makes online tests possible is a great thing, it can also cause problems. If you do online testing, have a back-up plan for students who have technical difficulties and be ready to field some frantic emails from students who have poor internet connections or faulty computers.
Advantages
of Online Test
- Although creating online tests is labor-intensive, once a test is developed in Blackboard, it is relatively easy to transfer it and repeat it in other Blackboard courses.
- Blackboard allows for a high degree of customization in the feedback students get in response to each answer that they submit. As an instructor, you could leverage this tool as another way to engage with students about course content.
- Online tests are asynchronous and can be accessed on a variety of devices. If students buy the Blackboard mobile app, they can even take a test from their smartphone. The flexibility offered by online testing can be a great solution for learners with busy schedules or when unexpected class cancellations occur.
- While it is hard to prevent cheating, Blackboard tests do offer many settings for instructors to randomize questions, impose test taking time limits, and restrict attempts. However, make sure to explain all the settings to students before they begin taking the test.
- Testing in an online environment can be a lot more interactive than traditional paper and pen tests. Instructors can embed multimedia in test questions to provide more engaging assessments. For example, students may be asked to identify a particular area of an image by directly clicking on it instead of having to answer in written form.
- In all likelihood, students are already using online tools as study aids for their courses. Instructors can better serve students by providing them with custom made study aids like online practice tests, rather than entrusting students to rely on outside resources that may not be valid sources of information.
- For objective question types like multiple-choice, Blackboard will automatically grade student responses, saving time for the instructor and providing more immediate feedback to students.
- Online tests can be more accessible to students with disabilities who have assistive technologies built into their computers than hand written tests are.
some practical tips for applying this Online Testing
tool.
- Be sure to introduce online tests (and any other new learning technologies in general) to students early in the semester to reduce technical issues and build desired study habits.
- Using online tests as ungraded practice tests or low stake assignments will provide a useful self-check tool for students and greatly reduce concerns about cheating.
- Another way to avoid the cheating issue is to design online tests to be open book assessments with a time limit.
- Online tests can address student demands for exam study guides. Provide students with an online practice test a few days before a traditional exam. Just be sure the practice test is similar to the real thing.
- If students are struggling with a particular concept and a need for formative assessment occurs, apply online quizzes as a just in time assessment to help identify areas where extra practice is needed.
- Try using online pre- and post- tests as a way to measure student learning over the course of a curricular unit. This approach is especially useful for competency-based learning models that focus on mastery of skills over time spent learning.