Online Quizzes, Tests, and Exams

Open-Book Tests

Open-book tests shift the onus of responsibility onto the students themselves. They are the ones who must track down answers and page through online notes. That doesn’t, however, mean we should wave the white flag. Random question generation and randomized responses are still good techniques to employ. When coupled with an open-book test, they can challenge students and reduce the relative value of cheating.

CHEATING
Cheating becomes an appealing option when the response to a question is one that can be easily Googled. A student need not read a single chapter or attend any classes, if they know their smartphone will come to their rescue. An open-book test, with challenging application questions that relate directly to the course material, can help minimize the problem. Here are some tips:

• Draw specifically on course content/lectures. Asking students a basic identification question will send them straight to Wikipedia. Instead, ask them to analyze the author’s argument on page 34, or interpret the results shown in a diagram.

• Keep the time tight. When time is limited students won’t be able to blindly scavenge the course notes for the answer. They will recognize the need to prepare and have some familiarity with the material or they will simply run out of time.

• Make the questions tough. Use distractor questions that closely resemble the correct answer. Students will need more than a passing glance at the material to locate the correct response. Use application and analysis questions that challenge students to fully understand and synthesize the concepts related to the learning outcomes.

• Recognize collaboration. The effect of randomized questions is that two students, sitting side by side, will receive different sets of questions. This ostensibly eliminates the benefit from working together. However, if we encourage students to complete the quiz with a classmate, they will find themselves navigating their notes together and collaborating to identify the correct answer. Well I hesitate to mention it, but that sounds a lot like studying!

• Tell students you know they have access to their resources. Now it’s out in the open. It is puzzling that if students know that a test is open-book, they often assume that there is no studying required. By communicating your expectation, practicing a few questions with them (online or in-class), this tells them they need to study. Anytime I can encourage my students to interact with lecture notes, videos, and textbook chapters, it’s a win for me (learning outcomes) and a win for them (they study).

Consider Blackboard Assignments to Assess Student Learning

Blackboard Assignments are much simper to set up than Blackboard Tests. Students upload a file containing essays, short-answers, or even answers to multiple choice questions marked off, and you then manually grade their submissions. Advanced features like auto-grading of multiple-choice/true-false or a timer that starts when a student begins their work are not possible with Assignments.

• Instructions for Creating a Blackboard Assignment

• Instructions for Grading Blackboard Assignments

Project-Based Learning

Project Based Learning (semester or course projects)  is an instructional approach built upon authentic learning activities that engage student interest and motivation. These activities are designed to answer a question or solve a problem and generally reflect the types of learning and work people do in the everyday world outside the classroom. Project Based Learning teaches students 21st-century skills like communication and presentation skills, organization and time management skills, research and inquiry skills, self-assessment and reflection skills, and group participation and leadership skills. Reach out to elearning@bmcc.cuny to review semester projects for your discipline. 

Oral Exams via Web Conferencing

You can utilize Zoom or Blackboard Collaborate to hold one-on-one meetings with students to conduct oral exams. Alternatively, you can ask students to video record presentations, post to a cloud location like Dropbox, YouTube, or Google Drive, and share the link with you.

Video/Media Exams

You can ask students to video record presentations, post to a cloud location like Dropbox, YouTube, or Google Drive, and share the link with you. Students can also record their own screen as well as video/audio using a tool like Screencast-O-matic and then share a link to the video.

Integrity Statement

We recommend using an integrity statement that students have to read and agree to as the first question of an exam. It doesn’t restrict students from anything, but it does set clear expectations. Studies have shown this strategy can deter students from “cheating” behaviors even when the expectations can’t be enforced.