UMSN Online Assessment Design Guidance for Faculty

 

Academic Integrity and the Honor Code

  • Openly discuss academic integrity with the students
  • Require students to sign an academic integrity contract. See below for an example statement given with the test instructions. (The instructions are provided to students immediately prior to starting their exam.)

By signing into this exam you attest that:
You have neither cheated nor aided and abetted in cheating on this exam which includes the following descriptions from the UMSN Student Handbook regarding unacceptable behavior in the Conduct Policy. Please note that attempts at misconduct as well as completed acts are violations of the Conduct Policy and could result in permanent expulsion from the program.
Cheating using, or attempts to use, unauthorized notes, study aids, technology, and/or information from another person on an examination, report, paper, or other evaluative document; unauthorized altering of a graded work after it has been returned, then submitting the work for re-grading; and allowing another person to do all or part of one’s work and to submit the work under one’s own name.
Aiding and abetting dishonesty is providing material, information, or assistance to another person with the knowledge or reasonable expectation that the material, information, or assistance will be used to commit an act that would be prohibited by this Code or that is prohibited by law or another applicable code of conduct.

Note: You may use a check box for attestation or have students "sign" their name using text entry.

Question and Answer Timing and Sequencing

  • Randomize questions using test banks.
  • Have Canvas select 20 out of 20 questions which just randomizes the entire test.
  • Have Canvas select 3 out of 5 questions to give students unique tests.
  • Be sure that the questions in the test bank are equal in terms of difficulty, reliability and validity.
  • If using publisher test banks, please thoroughly review them. Many times they contain a lot of errors.
  • Randomize answer choices which requires the elimination of answers such as:
  • All of the above
  • None of the above
  • Both B and D are correct, etc.
  • Question Timing and Duration
  • Consider shortening the time per question.
  • Typically, 15-20 seconds per multiple choice question is adequate.
  • For complex questions and questions with lengthy reading, adjust the time.
  • 30 seconds to 1 minute
  • Rarely, give 2 minutes per question
  • Set a time limit to auto-submit the quiz.
  • Delay when students can see their score until after all students have taken the exam.
  • Allow students to review the exam once after taking the test.
  • Have a small review window.
  • Only show students the questions they have answered incorrectly and advise students to set up an appointment with faculty to find the correct answer.
  • If the student has additional questions, advise students to request an instructor meeting.
  • Display questions one at a time.
  • (When not grouped together by content/linked case study/previous answers)
  • Do not allow backtracking on questions.
  • (When not grouped together by content/linked case study/previous answers).

Question Content and Composition

  • Create higher level questions that require analysis, synthesis, etc.
  • These questions should not be quickly found using a Google search.
  • Questions created at the lower level are easier to search for on Google.
  • Write realistic distractors (distractors are the incorrect answers in a multiple-choice question answer set).
  • Incorporate students’ previous knowledge, skills, and experiences into the question.
  • Make sure questions cover all content included in the course (so not just getting from one source). Examples include:
  • Videos
  • Interactives
  • Webpage links
  • Readings

Question Banks

  • Use a large question bank.
  • Refrain from using publisher test banks verbatim.
  • Publisher test banks often have errors and questions need to be vetted.
  • Test banks are often available online.
  • Refresh the Canvas question bank frequently and whenever a new textbook comes out.
  • Faculty can use Respondus 4.0 to upload bulk questions to help with the construction of test banks for more possible test questions/making it so all students are not given the same test.

Open Book Exams

  • LockDown Browser does make it harder to search on the web during the exam, however, students have access to phones, tablets, and other digital technology.
  • Can allow open books and open notes without open search.
  • Assume that online exams and tests are open-note and open book.
  • Student notes during an exam: Have students take a picture of their scratch paper and submit that as well - see work.

Authentic Assessments and Low-stakes Quizzes

  • Shift away from infrequent high-stakes exams, such as only having a midterm and final exam. Cheating occurs more often in these high pressure exams.
  • Offer low-stake quizzes.
  • Consider using authentic assessments which measure application, analysis, synthesis, etc. Examples include:
  • Non-quiz/exam assessments
  • Projects, presentations, portfolios, journals, reflective writing, peer review assignments, etc.
  • Simulations
  • Scaffold large assignments
  • Real world tasks
  • Use rubrics.

Canvas Resources

  • Canvas Quizzes Additional Helpful Links

Helpful Articles

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