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Frequently Asked Questions about Online Exams - Faculty
- How do I retrieve my students’ completed online final exams?
- Who should I contact for help with downloading my students’ completed online final exams?
- Who should I contact if I have trouble logging into the UMUC Testing System?
- I have a question about online final exams, who should I contact?
- My student told me that the student’s proctor has a question about administering my online final exam; who should my student’s proctor contact?
- What are the criteria for student eligibility for participation in UMUC online final exam administration?
- Are all final exams for online classes at the School of Undergraduate Studies going to be offered online?
- Can proctored online final exams be taken on a Macintosh computer?
- What size screen/monitor is required for proctored online final exams?
- What are the current technology requirements for a computer to be used for UMUC online final exam administration?
- Can I give submit different questions for the online and paper-and-pencil versions of my final exam?
- Once a student completes an answer on an online final exam, can the student go back and change it?
- Can a student take my online final exam at home?
- Can a student take my online final exam on his or her personal computer?
- Can I see what a UMUC online final exams look like?
- How long does a student have to complete a proctored online final exam?
- What if there’s a technical problem when a student is taking an online exam?
- How do alternate site proctors know how to administer online final exams?
- Is there a list of approved online final exams proctors?
Q: How do I retrieve my students’ completed online final exams?
A: You should use the instructions sent to you via email prior to the start of exam week from the Office of Exams and Testing Services. Instructors with final exams that are offered in the online format are sent via email easy instructions for accessing the UMUC Testing System from the Office of Exams and Testing Services before the start of exam week. Instructions are sent to the instructor’s email address on record in PeopleSoft. The instructions contain the website address for the UMUC Testing System, the instructor’s login, and a temporary password. An instructor may view, download, and/or print a student’s completed online final exam after accessing the exam in the UMUC Testing System.
Q: Who should I contact for help with downloading my students’ completed online final exams?
| A: | UMUC Online Exams Technical Support 410-889-2200 option 3 (M-F, 8am to 6pm EST) After hours support, 410-889-2200 option 4 UMUCSupport@testsys.com |
Q: Who should I contact if I have trouble logging into the UMUC Testing System?
A: You should contact faculty services at facultyservices@umuc.edu or 1-866-FAC-UMUC. Additional support is also available from UMUC Online Exams Technical Support (See contact information provided in prior question).
Q: I have a question about online final exams, who should I contact?
A: You should contact Michelle Anderson, Coordinator for Online Exams, at manderson@umuc.edu or 800-888-UMUC, ext. 2703. You may also contact Nichole Gibbs, Assistant Director for Online Exams, at ngibbs@umuc.edu or 800-888-UMUC, ext. 2682.
A: UMUC Online Exams Technical Support
410-889-2200 option 3 (M-F, 8am to 6pm EST)
After hours support, 410-889-2200 option 4
UMUCSupport@testsys.com
A: A student registered at a participating regional testing site or alternate testing site AND enrolled in one or more of the courses whose exam is being offered in the online format is eligible to take the online version of the final exam for the course(s). The student must use the link sent to the student’s email address by the Office of Exams and Testing Services to complete the easy Online Exam Student Participation Survey to tell us that he/she wants to take the online version of the final exam. Email invitations are sent out approximately 5 weeks prior to the start of exam week.
A: UMUC has been diligently working to provide students with the opportunity to take online final exams. UMUC’s goal is to make online proctored final exams available for all online final exams by FY 2009. There will be a progressive transition to online exams over the next 12 to 18 months.
Q: Can proctored online final exams be taken on a Macintosh computer?
A: No. At this time, proctored online final exams can only be taken on a PC computer. However, in the future students may be able to take exams on a Macintosh computer.
Q: What size screen/monitor is required for proctored online final exams?
A: A 17” display monitor is recommended. Some exams have exhibits, and the 17” display monitor makes it easier to view exhibits and exam questions without scrolling. However, all questions and exhibits can be viewed on a 14” monitor.
A:
TECHNOLOGY REQUIRMENTS for ONLINE FINAL EXAM ADMINISTRATION
| Platform: | PC (No Macintosh) |
| Web Browser: | Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher |
| Operating System: | Windows XP or Windows 2000 |
| Computer Processor: | 233 MHZ or higher |
| RAM: | 128 MB or higher |
| Display: | 14” or higher (17” or higher recommended) |
| Internet Connection: | Broadband connection, Cable Modem, DSL, or Satellite |
*For computer processors, Intel/Pentium Celeron family, AMD K6/Athlon/Duron family, or a compatible processor are recommended.
The Operating System, Computer Processor, and RAM information for a PC computer may be obtained by right clicking on the ‘My Computer’ icon located on the computer’s desktop. The information will appear under the ‘General’ tab.
A: The content of an online final exam and paper-and-pencil exam must be the same. It would be unfair for students to have different exams, since the exams could differ in degree of difficulty and since some students may not have the option to take the online version of an exam.
A: Yes. The student has the option to review all of your exam questions before clicking the button to submit the completed exam. A student taking an online final exam also has the option to skip ahead to another question, or go backward to review a question already completed.
Q: Can a student take my online final exam at home?
A: No. Online final exams are still proctored.
Q: Can a student take my online final exam on his or her personal computer?
A: No. UMUC policy prohibits a student from taking an online final exam on the student’s personal computer.
Q: Can I see what a UMUC online final exams look like?
A: Please go to http://umucsample.starttest.com to see our sample test and tutorial. The layout and format you see in the tutorial and sample test match those that are used for all UMUC online final exams.
Q: How long does a student have to complete a proctored online final exam?
A: Students have 3 hours to complete any final exam for a course offered by the School of Undergraduate Studies. The optional tutorial available once a student logs into the exam does not count against the 3 hours. A time counter appears once a student begins the actual exam. Please encourage students to take the tutorial, which explains all the features available for online exam administration.
Q: What if there’s a technical problem when a student is taking an online exam?
A: Exam results are stored in real time on the server of our test delivery vendor. That means that each time a student completes an answer and goes to the next question, the student’s answers are saved. A student has the option before submitting the completed exam to review and change any or all completed answers. The computer keeps track of how much time a student has spent logged in taking an exam, and a student always has 3 hours to complete an exam. If there’s an interruption (e.g., power failure on the computer), the timer on the exam pauses and doesn’t continue to run until the proctor logs the student back in to complete the exam.
Q: How do alternate site proctors know how to administer online final exams?
A: Proctors are contacted via email with instructions on how to administer UMUC online final exams. We send an alternate site proctor an email using the email address that the proctor’s student submitted to us. In the email, we provide proctors with the Online Exams Technical Support telephone number and online exams technical support email address. It takes less than 10 minutes for a proctor to get set up to administer UMUC online final exams.
Q: Is there a list of approved online final exams proctors?
A: At this time, we do not have a master list of approved online final exams proctors. Students may select proctors using the criteria provided on the Office of Exams and Testing Services website at http://www.umuc.edu/prog/ugp/ets/testinfo.html. In addition for online exam administration, proctors must have computers that meet the online exam administration technology requirements.