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Online examinations: Everything you need to know about going digital

Examination and Proctoring | 10 Min Read

Online examinations: Everything you need to know about going digital

What is an online examination?

Online examination, also known as e-examination, enables examiners to conduct exams using the internet or a company-wide intranet for remote candidates. It requires candidates to answer questions within a pre-decided timeframe. The test window collapses once the exam is over, and institutes get real-time reports. Evaluators then assess the answers and grade accordingly. The fully automated system supports objective evaluation and helps generate results faster than in a traditional exam format.

Most online exams include answer processing modules, allowing evaluators to issue results moments after the candidates complete the test. However, evaluators assess the answers in-person for long-answer-type questions where results are not automated. The result of online exams is then conveyed to the candidates via email or published on the institute’s website.

 

Online Examination Tests_image 1

 

Types of online exams

 

With advanced proctoring and custom exam solutions, it is now possible to host a variety of exams using the online mode. A few of the prominent online exam types include:

  • Semester and entrance exams for educational ins
  • Coding/programming assessments
  • Aptitude tests and personality profiling
  • Video interviews and viva
  • Mock practice tests
  • Image-based or media-based online exams
  • Open-book tests
  • Competitive exams and contests

 


The digital revolution in the education space: How technology is transforming the global exam landscape

The advent of technology has steadily digitized all services and offerings, taking them to the online platform, and education has been no exception. With the ubiquitous high-speed internet and laptops, the pervasiveness of technology has enabled a seamless transition to the online ecosystem.

Universities, schools and various educational institutions have progressed and adapted to Learning Management Systems (LMSs), where software applications track, report, administer and document materials that are shared with students. This teaching and evaluation system facilitates a balanced approach toward imparting knowledge and easy grading of the candidates.

Online exams aim to ensure that assessment givers can undertake the paradigm shift from offline to online processes. The online exam software industry is snowballing, and factors such as convenience, scalability, increased reach, and customization are shaping its adoption. Hence, established evaluation techniques are now nearing saturation and will soon become obsolete. In the following section, we discuss the extent of the spread of online exams in the education sector.

 

The need for computer-based tests

 

“Computer-based test” is an umbrella term covering any test given and taken using computers, with or without using the internet. Therefore, online exams are a subset of computer-based tests (CBTs). The benefits of CBTs include:

  • Convenience
  • Adaptive testing with varying difficulty levels
  • High integrity
  • Wide reach
  • Scalability
  • Auto-grading features
  • Inclusivity
  • Time and energy savings

CBTs are helpful for academic assessment and conducting certification programs.

 

Using Artificial Intelligence to improve the online test experience

 

AI’s (Artificial Intelligence) infusion in the education ecosystem has revolutionized higher education. Universities have wholeheartedly embraced the change as AI-based exam technology enables them to:

      a. Advance their curriculum

      b. Offer students greater flexibility in taking exams

      c. Improve the examination experience for both evaluators and test-takers

AI-based exams, also known as AI-proctored tests, eliminate the need for deploying onsite invigilators and provide a cheating-free environment. The AI proctoring software monitors the live feed through the candidate’s webcam and flags or reports any suspicious movement during the exam. Furthermore, AI-based exams make it easy to monitor many candidates simultaneously.

AI-based exam software also equips institutions with advanced solutions like:

  • Image/facial recognition
  • Voice recognition
  • Cheating-prevention measures
  • Advanced proctoring
  • Browser security and lockdown
  • Session reviews

 


Adopting online exams

The education sector has steadily realized the need to shift to the online ecosystem. The success stories of renowned institutions such as the Indian School of Business and Howard University further underline the importance of online examinations.

We’re being forced to live with a system that we’ve had for more than a century. That’s not necessary. It’s expensive, and it’s subject to all sorts of variables, not the least human failure. That whole system is just out of step with technology, and I think it’ll be consigned to history soon.

David Hanson
Chief Executive of IAPS (The Independent Association of Prep Schools, UK), on traditional assessments

 

Benefits of conducting online tests

 

Benefits of conducting online tests

 

Reduced logistical hassle

Online exams help overcome the challenge of setting up physical test centers, minimizing resource requirements – time, cost of setting up, and the need for human proctors – speeding up the examination process. Online exams accelerate the admission process in universities, where applications can be screened with minimal resources. The idea of conducting semester exams and various assessments online lends ease and seamlessness to the entire process.

Accessibility to remote locations

Online exams have broken geographical barriers and enabled wider reach and participation. Global assessment solutions train universities and education sectors, allowing them to efficiently conduct assessments. In addition, institutions and students can enjoy incredible accessibility and reach with only an internet connection and devices.

 

Online Examination Tests_image 2

 

High scalability

Online exams can cater to a broad audience and easily manage vast content. Considering this feature, educational institutions facing a scarcity of time would find it highly convenient to conduct examinations with the least bandwidth wastage. Merely a computer with an active connection and a webcam to take tests makes this possible.

Multiple question types

Online exams range from MCQs (Multiple Choice Questions), fill-in-the-blanks, checkboxes to short answers, long answers (that need to be evaluated by the teacher separately), coding simulators, case studies, etc. In addition, online examination platforms support a host of knowledge and application-based questions, enabling examiners to prepare a questionnaire with multiple question types.

Exhaustive skill and question banks

Advanced online examination test platforms have an exhaustive library of competencies and sub-competencies, carefully mapped to relevant questions. For ease of use, examiners can choose the relevant skills they wish to test via the exam to frame the questionnaire. This saves examiners’ time and effort.

Auto-graded reports

Automated reports do away with human intervention and save notable working hours. A report is a comprehensive approach to a candidate’s performance, with a question-wise and section-wise summary of the attempt, time taken and the difficulty level. Detailed reports are also helpful for students seeking career guidance. With the reports, they better understand their competencies.

 

Why choose online exams over traditional pen-and-paper tests

 

The era of pen-and-paper exams The age of online exams
High logistical cost Cost-effective virtual solutions
Geographical limitations Wider reach and scalability
Significant turnaround time Real-time analytical reports
Requirement of multiple invigilators to curb cheating AI-based proctoring technology to prevent cheating

 


How do online exams work?

 

Process of an online test

 

The online test process usually includes five steps.

 

Online Examination Tests_Infographic 2

 

Step 1: System setup 

Examiners or admins set up the testing environment and upload questions to the online exam platform. LMS integration and result configuration also happen at this stage.

 

Step 2: Test link sharing

Examiners upload bulk candidate data to the platform, select time slots and share the test link with students via email.

 

Step 3: Candidate authentication

Test-takers use the link to login and attempt the test via three-step authentication. The tests are usually recorded and can be proctored for high-stakes examinations via AI-based or human proctors.

 

Step 4: Evaluation and report generation

Once the user submits the test, it is auto-evaluated for real-time report generation. The results can be customized and shared in PDF or HTML formats.

 

Step 5: Analytics

An in-depth analysis of the overall online examination test can be done in the form of group-level analysis and can be customized as needed.

 

Online Examination Tests_image 3

 

Monitoring online exams

 

Online exams are monitored via proctoring technology and classified into three categories.

Live online proctoring

A live proctor invigilates test-taking candidates on an online platform for the test’s duration. A proctor can immediately disable the test if a candidate cheats on the exam.

Recorded proctoring

Candidates’ audio-visuals and screen-sharing feeds are recorded throughout the test. Proctors review the recorded test, playback, fast-forward, and red flag suspicious activities using annotations.

Automated proctoring

An automated proctoring system monitors the recorded feeds using advanced audio-video analytics to detect suspicious activities.

 


Choosing an online examination software

What is online exam software?

An online exam software, sometimes also debatably known as an online examination platform, enables educational institutions to offer assessments using the virtual mode. Universities, colleges and schools assess students’ learning and knowledge, appearing for their tests using computers and the internet. The examination process remains like the offline mode, barring the fact that the entire exam-giving and taking process moves online rather than given at physical centers.

 

The first step to choosing the right online examination software involves outlining your specific requirements. That makes it easier to select the software that best suits you. There are several options to explore, but before choosing a vendor, you should consider the following aspects.

  • The vendors’ market experience
  • Their service fee for online exam services
  • The features offered by their online test platform
  • User-friendliness and contours of the software’s user interface
  • The vendor’s clientele and standing in the market

 

Most valuable features of an online exam platform

 

It is ideal to choose an online exam platform that promises the following.

  • The provision to create engaging online exams by adding images, text, video, complex equations, etc., to the questionnaire.
  • Ease of use and high test credibility.
  • Support for multiple question types: multiple-choice image questions, multiple-choice text questions, audio-video questions, fill-in-the-blanks, etc.
  • Flexibility to create a comprehensive question bank with a variety of questions as part of online exams. Moreover, it should allow examiners to randomize problems to maintain the uniqueness and relevance of the test’s content.
  • Room for end-users to use tags for their question banks, create new tags and assign the proper tags to each question for analysis.
  • Possibility to set pass-fail rules for exams. For instance, the software should enable the administration to set the time limit and the number of attempts for each question. Also, candidates should be allowed to review their answers before submitting them.
  • Custom styling and personal branding options (white label solutions) to create a lasting impression on test-takers.

 


How Mercer| Mettl can help

Mercer | Mettl’s online examination platform helps securely conduct high-stakes assessments using advanced online proctoring features. In addition, the tool enables end-users to manage the end-to-end online assessment process. From online registration and test creation to center management, and real-time reporting, the entire process is centered on assisting clients in conducting assessments with the utmost ease.

Candidate authentication

The platform eliminates any impersonation risk using multi-factor authentication using OTP, Aadhar/biometric or IP, followed by ID authentication. It also involves facial recognition by taking the candidates’ pictures and ID proof to avoid impersonation.

Safe Exam Browser

Mercer | Mettl’s Safe Exam Browser prevents candidates from accessing the internet. Once enabled, this feature detects and ends the test for the examinees who browse away from the test window and open multiple tabs on the browser.

AI and human proctoring

It enables monitoring of candidates’ behavior and actions for suspicious activities. With cheating prediction abilities as high as 95%, Mercer | Mettl’s proctoring technologies combine the latest advances in AI-based and remote live proctoring to eliminate the risk of cheating.

 


Conclusion

Online tests unquestionably become a more efficient medium of assessing candidates’ knowledge and aptitude. They allow flexibility to educational institutes to create, manage and evaluate examinees effortlessly. With quick assessment and real-time report generation, results can be declared immediately after the students have completed the test. Online examinations have revolutionized the education industry by automating in-person, tedious and cumbersome processes.

 


FAQs

How to prevent cheating in online exams?

How can I do an online exam?

How do you write an online exam?

Originally published March 26 2020, Updated November 22 2023

Written by

Online Examination

Highly secure and seamless online examination platform

Online examination, also known as virtual examination, is conducted remotely on a computer with high-speed internet. Like a classroom exam, it is time-bound and usually supervised through a webcam and proctor, making it cheating-free, secure and easily scalable.

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