Online Examination Formats

Information for teachers and students

As a result of the second amendment to the basic regulations for managing the effects of the coronavirus pandemic on studies and teaching of 14 April 2021, some examinations may be conducted online for the 2021 summer semester examination period (19.07.2021 to 13.08.2021).

The examination formats outlined in the examination regulations have been supplemented for this purpose with online in-person examinations in the university’s PC pools (e-examinations) and with online remote examinations (examinations without being physically present). 

The faculties responsible for the examinations remain unchanged and are responsible for organising the examinations and, in particular, for creating the necessary conditions with regard to personnel and premises. Announcements to students regarding changes to examination formats must be made four weeks prior to the examination at the latest. 
Students are to be given sufficient opportunity to familiarise themselves with the electronic examination system within the scope of the respective course and to comply with data protection regulations. 

Online in-person examinations in the university’s PC pools (so-called e-examinations)

Online in-person examinations may take place in electronic format (e-examinations) if suitable from a subject-related point of view. E-examinations can be taken on the computers in the SCC computer pool (Steubenstraße 6a)

  • Capacities: Pool 1: 12 places / Pool 2: 8 places under corona conditions.
    Both pools are separated by a glass pane and can be used together (20 places).
  • Booking: via hotline Tel.: +49 (0) 36 43/58 24 24
    Booking will then be entered into bison.
  • Distance between two tests: 60 minutes.
    10 minutes to leave the room, 30 minutes to disinfect, 20 minutes for admission.
  • Hygiene rules apply unchanged. 
    Each examiner have to sign in at the entrance door via thoska regardless of the exam.

From the 2021 summer semester onwards, e-examinations may be held on computers and in the university's PC pools. Uniformly configured workstation computers in IT pools will be used for this purpose. In this context, replacement computers can and must always be made available in case of technical problems. It is still to be determined which pools will be available for the examinations. In addition, it is required that at least one supervisor be on site to record the examination and its procedure. 

Authentication of the candidates to be examined is to be carried out by the examiner or the appointed staff member by checking the thoska student ID or, alternatively, an equivalent identification document. Students must then additionally identify themselves on the workstation computer by means of username and password prior to the examination.  

The software "Safe Exam Browser" is installed on the computers used for the examination, with which parameters such as permissible key combinations, access to software, network access etc. may be defined or restricted. The exact configuration is to be determined separately by the examiner for each examination. 

Following completion of the examination, the system ensures a permanent and unambiguous allocation of the electronic data regarding the examinee and the examination. The possibility for students to view examination results is outlined in the respective examination regulations. 

Online remote examinations (examinations without being physically present)

Online remote examinations are examinations that students take on their own personal computers, usually away from the university. 

Prior to starting the examination, a stable internet connection should be ensured and the computer should be connected to a power cable to avoid technical failures and disruptions to the greatest possible extent. 

Approved online remote examinations are written examinations (e.g. take-home examinations: open-book written examinations, papers, video upload, audio upload) that are asynchronous or time-delayed and unsupervised, as well as  oral examinations (e.g. video conferences) that are synchronous, supervised and taken using devices capable of telecommunication (usually off the premises of the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar).

Online remote examinations in written format, in which examination supervision takes place via computer (e.g. online proctored examinations) and which are taken synchronously i.e. in real time, are currently not permitted for the 2021 summer semester. 

The following software services, which have been centrally approved by the university, are permitted:

     

Oral online remote examinations

For the oral online remote examination, students require a computer with a webcam and microphone as well as an internet connection.

Authentication

If a candidate is not personally known to at least one examiner for an oral online remote examination, the identity of said candidate must be established in an appropriate manner. For this purpose, it may be requested of the candidate to show thoska student ID or a comparable official identification document with the aid of the camera, or to send a copy of the selected identification document to the examiner by e-mail or in any other in a timely manner before the start of the examination.

The copy of the identification document is not included in the examination files and is to be deleted or destroyed immediately after the examination. That authentication has taken place is to be noted in the examination record, however. 

Consent to participate

Candidates must give their consent to being tested in this format in writing (e.g. by e-mail or active consent in Moodle). Participation in oral online remote examinations is, furthermore, on a voluntary basis.

The voluntary nature of participation is also to be fundamentally ensured by offering, in observance of the principles of equal opportunity, an examination in the format provided for by the respective study and examination regulations as an alternative, insofar as this is permissible and organisationally possible and reasonable for the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar.

Prevention of attempts at abuse and/or cheating

In order to prevent attempts at abuse and/or cheating during an oral online remote examination, candidates may be required to activate the camera and microphone functions of the communication equipment being used to participate in the examination (video supervision). Moreover, video supervision is to be established in such a way that the protection of personal and general privacy of the persons concerned is not restricted more than is necessary for the justified purposes of control. 

The recording of an oral online examination and/or the automated analysis of data pertaining to image or sound are not permitted.

The recording of an oral online examination and/or the automated analysis of data pertaining to image or sound are not permitted. 

Technical failures

The examiners must prepare documentation on the examination procedure, which is to include details pertaining to the beginning and end of the examination as well as specific incidents, such as technical difficulties. 

Should technical issues arise at or after the beginning of the online examination, for instance a complete or partial loss of connection, which prevents the examination from conforming to the principle of equal opportunity and the requirement of fairness, either the associated time loss must be compensated for by extending the examination time, or the examination must be cancelled and, if necessary, continued at another time.

If an examination is rescheduled, either partially or completely, it will count as a first attempt at the examination. The decision will in each case be according to the examiner’s best judgement. 

 

Further notes and examples of implementation

Oral online remote examinations are supervised and take place synchronously, i.e. in real time. As a rule, no additional resources are permitted. 

  • Student presentation or examination as a live stream 
  • Use of Moodle and BigBlueButton or DFNconf with Pexip possible. 
  • Students require a computer (or tablet/smartphone) with webcam, 
  • loudspeaker and microphone (preferably a headset) 
  • Measures must be taken to ensure equal opportunity and to prevent abuse and any forms of or attempts at deception 
  • Effort for examiners is comparable to the effort required for presentations or oral examinations, but increases linearly with the number of students. 
  • Suitable for number of students <50 
  • High demands on internet connection 

Written online remote examinations

Written online remote examinations are currently only permitted in unsupervised form. Examples of take-home examinations include open-book written examinations, papers and term papers as well as video presentations as uploads. This means that, as a rule, all resources are permitted. 

Please note here that multiple-choice examinations are only permitted if this is outlined in the corresponding examination regulations of the degree programme. 

Identification

Identification is established via registration in the Moodle system (learning management/examination system). 

Declaration of completion without external aid

Candidates are required to declare that they have completed the examination independently using only the approved resources and the specified sources.  

Further notes and examples of implementation concerning take-home examinations

Open-book written examinations 

Compared to term papers, open-book written examinations have a more limited time frame - usually between one hour and 48 hours. All resources are freely available for working on the tasks. 

  • Students require a computer (or tablet/smartphone)  
  • Creation of a Moodle test, the procedure and test questions of which can be defined.  
  • Different types of test question may be used (multiple choice questions are not permitted, however)
  • Tests can be used in a variety of ways and have extensive setting options
  • Low demands on internet connection
  • For further information, see: https://docs.moodle.org/35/de/Test_nutzen

Papers and term papers 

  • Students require a computer (or tablet/smartphone) 
  • Creation of a Moodle task
  • The solution may be submitted online as a text entry or as a file submission via Moodle 
  • File submission may include more than one file and various file formats 
  • Effort for examiners is comparable to effort for analogue term papers and papers as hard copy 
  • Low demands on internet connection
  • For further information, see:  docs.moodle.org/35/de/Aufgabe

Video presentations as upload

  • Students require a computer (or tablet/smartphone) with webcam and microphone or a tablet or smartphone to create the video. 
  • Creation of a Moodle task
  • File submission or upload via Moodle 
  • Effort for examiners is comparable to the effort required for presentations as examination performance, but increases linearly with the number of students. 
  • Tips for students on how to create a video are helpful 
  • Low demands on internet connection
  • Clarification of requirements and assessment criteria for the video are important  

Note for teaching staff: online, these examination formats can be carried out with the activities "test" or "task" on the examination Moodle.