Supporting digital exams: riding class V rapids through exam policy, tech policy, and exam support

ABSTRACT

At NYU School of Law, all of our exams are administered using technology. By using the words 'exam' and 'technology' in the same sentence, you add challenges. This paper explores our user support strategy developed and refined over the past 6 years to address these challenges for in-class, take-home, and remotely administered exams. We will discuss our coordination and collaboration with key administrative offices at the Law School and focus on support of students using both PCs and Macs, including our communication model for exam readiness and our support structure offered during the exam period.

In particular:

• Coordination with Administrative offices: Office of Academic Affairs, Records and Registration, Office of the Vice Dean, Office of Student Affairs, Admissions, and the like. Backing from high level administrators gives our technology policies related to exams context and heft.

• Support model for students: Continuous support for students during the semester, a defined communication strategy and student to-do list for exam readiness, and setting expectations for technical support during the exam period.

• Support model during exams: A central Information Technology Services (ITS) Command Center during exams, an Alternate Test Room (for when good laptops go bad during an exam), a loaner laptop pool for the small number of students where laptop trauma outweighs our support resources.

• Using technology with exams is neither simple, nor easy, but the benefits are many. The evolution of these processes has made navigating the troubled and turbulent waters of exams via technology a safer journey

Index Terms

• Social and professional topics

  • Professional topics

    • Management of computing and information systems

      • Project and people management

        • Project management techniques