Options for Delivering Exams via Virtual Instruction

Instead of using a formal examination, consider other ways that you could assess whether students have met the course objectives.

Examples

• Have students complete a paper, project, or digital poster instead of taking an exam
• Present deep, complex cases for students to analyze and respond to in narrative format, identifying problems, describing alternatives, and recommending solutions
• Opt for short answer questions that are quick to review and grade
• Have students demonstrate performance: create videos, photographs, presentations that demonstrate knowledge and skill

Because it may be difficult to restrict students from using other resources while they are taking an exam, you could think of it as an open book or take home exam.

• Create exam questions that exercise higher-order thinking skills, such as asking students to apply a technique or sample information in a new situation, or to analyze a set of data.
• Give students more complex scenarios to solve than you would ordinarily require for an exam.
• Set clear expectations for students about what materials are allowed or prohibited.

When you have to adjust your schedule or approach mid-semester, you may be concerned about how students will respond to the changes and whether they will be able to complete the assessment. One strategy is to give students control of their assessments by offering multiple ways they could demonstrate their learning and allowing them to choose which method is best for them.

• Offer students the option to take an exam or complete another type of assignment or project.
• Provide students with the same task but allow them to choose the medium they use, such as writing a report, creating a presentation, or making a video.
• When possible, provide alternatives that allow students to be successful even if they have limited technology, without having to ask you for special treatment.

Having students deliver presentations online is a great assessment strategy, whether that was your original plan for your face-to-face course or an alternative assessment in lieu of an exam. Students can deliver presentations live, or they can record a presentation to share with you and their classmates.

Some tools to consider for students to deliver presentations:

• Blackboard Collaborate: Students can meet together virtually and deliver their presentation using Blackboard Collaborate.
• VoiceThread: Students can upload their PowerPoint slides to VoiceThread and record audio over them, then share the VoiceThread with you and their classmates. Use VoiceThread (Graded), enable evaluation, and then use the Assignment Builder to require that students create their own VoiceThread.
• Kaltura Capture: Students can record any material on their screen, like a PowerPoint presentation, Word document, or software program, and narrate with audio as they deliver their presentation.

It requires creativity to alter performance-based assessments for virtual instruction. This category includes dance, theater, and musical performances along with other physical skills, like athletics, laboratory procedures, and medical techniques.

Some strategies you might consider:

• Use an objective assessment with multiple choice, matching, or similar questions to assess whether students can identify the right skill to use in specific circumstances.
• Ask students to analyze a technique or performance being demonstrated by someone else, using an image or a video (keeping in mind that this would not be accessible for someone with a visual disability) using an objective assessment or an open-ended assignment.
• Meet with students as a group or individually using web conferencing tools, like Blackboard Collaborate, and use the web cam and audio to watch students perform the skill.
• Have students record themselves or take photographs using a smartphone while performing the skill and submit the video or image in a Blackboard Assignment.
• If specialized equipment is required that would only be available at NIU’s campus, work with your Department Chair and academic leadership to determine whether there is a way to have students complete the assessment in person and on campus.

The best choice is to use Blackboard Tests to deliver exams. Blackboard Tests can include a wide variety of question types, including objective and open-ended questions. Many question types are automatically-graded, such as multiple choice, true/false, fill-in-the-blank, and matching. You can also include short answer and essay questions for open-ended questions. Blackboard Tests can include a timer, which can be extended for students with accommodation needs, and can be limited to a single attempt or allow multiple attempts.

You control if and when students see their results, including which questions they got correct, the answer they submitted, and the correct answer (if applicable).

You can easily view a single student's results, view aggregate results for all students in the course, or run an Item Analysis report to view additional statistics for the exam.

NIU provides access to Qualtrics for all faculty, staff, and students. You can enable scoring on a survey to make it a test with multiple choice, matrix, slider, or text entry (fill-in-the-blank) question types. The test can be delivered to students via a single anonymous link or distributed via email invitations. Be aware that Qualtrics surveys delivered via email are often routed to the Junk folder in Outlook, and you may need to direct students to look for the email there. You can choose whether to display the results to students.

NIU's license of Office 365 includes the use of Microsoft Forms, which can be used to deliver a quiz. Question types include Choice, Text, Rating, Ranking, and File Upload. You can send the Form as a single link or via individual emails to students. You can view the results online or download to analyze in Excel.