An informative Webinar was held by NISSMAT International on 23rd Oct 2020 on the subject “Anatomy of Online Examinations and Assessments”. Webinar was attended largely by delegates from all over the globe.
What this session covered
This session was an international webinar convened by NISSMAT on the design and delivery of online examinations and assessments, a subject the organisers framed as newly urgent because of the pandemic and the shift away from pen-and-paper testing. Following opening remarks and introductions, three speakers each gave a presentation in turn, and the session closed with a short question-and-answer segment. The moderator noted that the audience was drawn from 17 countries. The three presentations were largely complementary rather than a debate: the discussion moved from historical and conceptual background, through one institution's practical experience, to a demonstration of a commercial assessment platform.
The first speaker traced the development of computerised marking, from the early use of multiple-choice questions and optical mark reading machines to computer-based assessment and the large-scale on-screen marking of examination scripts, drawing on experience of implementing such systems in the United Kingdom (including a government-funded research programme described as attracting three and a half million pounds). Several frameworks for evaluating online assessment were set out, among them a set of criteria covering authenticity, accessibility, reliability, utility and engagement, a model weighing reliability, validity and viability, and a distinction between convergent assessments that automate readily and more complex divergent ones requiring human marking. Delivery options were reviewed, including test centres, remote invigilation, local networks and secure proprietary devices, together with advice to define desired outcomes before engaging suppliers on method.
A second speaker described a university's practical adoption of online examinations, distinguishing centre-based sittings, where identity checks and invigilation are more readily controlled, from home-based examinations, where authenticity, invigilation and the prevention of unfair means are more difficult. Technical safeguards discussed included proctoring and face or screen-monitoring software, device and browser locking, watermarking, restricted downloading, and location or IP tracking, alongside an in-house paperless platform, multiple-choice and open-book formats with randomised questions, mock tests, a student support team, and grading that weighted internal assessment at about 30 per cent and the end-semester examination at 70 per cent. A third speaker addressed teacher workload and the burden of manual examination cycles, illustrated with a school case study, and demonstrated a platform offering AI-assisted proctoring, offline operation, subjective and blind marking, automated reporting and question-bank tools, citing more than 50 per cent of teachers' time spent on non-teaching activities and over 1.2 million assessments delivered in recent months. The closing questions covered question-bank creation, the transition from pen-and-paper, a marking-system rollout in Zimbabwe, and data-protection considerations.
Key points raised
- The session traced the development of computerised and on-screen marking, from early multiple-choice testing and optical mark readers to large-scale digital marking of examination scripts.
- Several evaluation frameworks were presented, including criteria such as authenticity, accessibility, reliability, utility and engagement, and a model weighing reliability, validity and viability.
- Speakers distinguished centre-based online examinations, where identity and invigilation are more readily controlled, from home-based examinations, where authenticity and prevention of unfair means are harder.
- A range of technical safeguards was discussed — proctoring and face-scanning software, device and browser locking, watermarking, restricted downloading, and IP or location tracking — alongside their limits at large candidate volumes.
- One institution's implementation was described, using an in-house paperless platform with multiple-choice and open-book papers, randomised questions, mock tests and a student support team.
- Discussion also addressed teacher workload under manual examination cycles and a platform offering AI-assisted proctoring, offline operation, subjective and blind marking, and automated reporting.
