These resources were developed for Spring 2020 emergency remote instruction. To view the updated strategies and resources for remote teaching in Fall 2020, please visit the newly redesigned Keep Teaching website.
Remote Assessments
Remote exams can be administered in various formats:
Take-Home Exam or Assignment |
A take-home exam or assignment can be completed outside of the classroom at the student’s pace, then submitted online via Canvas or other integrated tool such as Gradescope. |
Online Exam |
An online exam is a set of questions in a quiz format delivered through Canvas. The question type for online exams range from multiple choice to short answer. Online exams are typically timed and recommended for proctoring. |
Project-Based Assignment |
Projects can range from group work, portfolios, presentations, reports, creative work, that are completed outside of class and can be submitted in a file format via Canvas. |
Strategies for Remote Assessments and When to Proctor
Selecting the Appropriate Assessment
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Identify the learning objective and the Blooms' order of thinking to be demonstrated in the assessment.
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Determine the criteria and characteristics for which you will review or evaluate achievement.
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Design the assessment that will best demonstrate the desired outcome.
1. Learning Objective | 2. Characteristics | 3. Assessment Types |
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CREATE | Put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole, a new pattern, or structure | ![]() |
EVALUATE | Make constructive judgements based on criteria and standards |
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ANALYZE | Break into parts and determine how parts relate or contribute to a structure or purpose |
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APPLY | Carry out or use a procedure in a given situation | ![]() |
UNDERSTAND | Construct meaning from instructional messages and content |
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REMEMBER | Retrieve information such as terms, facts, and concepts from memory |
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Key | Tool |
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Canvas Quiz |
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Canvas Discussion |
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Canvas Assignment |
Create a Quiz in Canvas
The Canvas Quiz tool allows you to create a test or a quiz that consist of various question types including Multiple Choice, True/False, Matching, Fill-in-the-Blank, Numerical, Short Answer/Essay, and more.
See the Canvas Quiz Guides.
1. Write Questions |
2. Add to Canvas |
3. Publish the Quiz |
4. Review & Score |
Prepare questions (and multiple versions) to incorporate in the online exam. Determine dates:
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Publish the quiz, configure score release, then let students know they can submit the final online. Tip: You can use the “View as a student” from the Canvas homepage to access a preview of the online exam and test the submission process. |
When you are ready to score the submissions, open SpeedGrader or student results to review materials, provide feedback, and enter a score. |
Create accessible exam instructions, to ensure all students can understand the information:
- Images: Provide alternate text for images or scanned graphs
- Captions: Ensure all videos have captions
- Colors: Do not use color alone to convey meaning, and select colors with high contrast ratios
Accommodations:
Give individual students extra time, if appropriate based on accommodation letter from the Office of Students with Disabilities.
- In Course Navigation, click the Quizzes link.
- Click the name of the quiz.
- Click the Moderate This Quiz link.
- Locate the student and click the Edit icon.
- Type the number of extra minutes in the Extra Time on Every Attempt field.
Create a Discussion in Canvas
The Canvas Discussion tool is an open message board in which students write a response and expect to see other students' responses.
See Strategies for facilitating Threaded Discussion Forums.
1. Prompt |
2. Add to Canvas |
3. Collect Responses |
4. Review & Score |
Prepare instructions or a writing prompt Determine key dates:
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Enter the discussion prompt using the Rich Text Editor
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Publish the discussion, configure score release, then let students know they can participate in the conversation online. Tip: You can use the “View as a student” from the Canvas homepage to access a preview of the discussion. To make sure the discussion is presented at the top of the discussion page, consider “pinning” the discussion. Be sure to be present in the discussion by reading student responses, and replying as appropriate. |
When you are ready to score the submissions, open SpeedGrader to review materials, provide feedback, and enter a score. |
Create accessible discussion instructions, to ensure all students can understand the information:
- Images: Provide alternate text for images or scanned graphs
- Captions: Ensure all videos have captions
- Colors: Do not use color alone to convey meaning, and select colors with high contrast ratios
Create an Assignment (with Turnitin) in Canvas
Assignments in Canvas allow instructors to collect files, documents, media, and other forms of student-produced work.
See Strategies for Assignments.
1. Write Assignment Prompt |
2. Add to Canvas |
3. Collect Submissions |
4. Review & Score |
Prepare instructions or a writing prompt Include an academic integrity pledge Determine key dates:
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Upload instructions using the Rich Text Editor Select Online Submission and indicate type [Optional] Configure Turnitin plagiarism review |
Publish the assignment, configure score release, then let students know they can submit the assignment online. Tip: You can use the “View as a student” from the Canvas homepage to access a preview of the online exam and test the submission process. |
When you are ready to score the submissions, open SpeedGrader to review materials, provide feedback, and enter a score. |
Create accessible assignment instructions, to ensure all students can understand the information:
- Images: Provide alternate text for images or scanned graphs
- Captions: Ensure all videos have captions
- Colors: Do not use color alone to convey meaning, and select colors with high contrast ratios
Assessments that Promote Integrity
A well-designed assessment may not need proctoring:
The strongest way to prevent academic integrity violations is a well-designed assessment. Proctoring cannot prevent students from making bad decisions under stress and pressured environments. Proctors also do not ask students to think critically, reflect on their learning, and demonstrate their skills to the best of their ability. A well-designed assessment will probe students to use their acquired knowledge, apply their understanding, and use their analytical skills to find a solution.
Characteristics of a well-designed assessment:
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Perspective: Assignments that require students to read, interpret, and respond to scenarios, a unique problem set, or provide a different perspective
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Random Question Pool: Randomized sets of questions, so that information sharing is insufficient to document every possible combination of questions
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Scaffolded: Assignments that build on existing work and demonstrate improvement over time
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Choice: Questions that allow students to choose between several options
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Authentic: Questions that allow students to reflect on their process, a personal challenge, or an interest in a specific topic
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Creative: Assignments that allow students to express themselves using video, a teaching method, original artwork, oral presentation
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Integrity Reminders: A requirement to sign academic integrity pledges, which remind students of the implications of cheating
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Timed: Either in the form of a strict time limit (e.g. Quizzes) or tight submission windows (e.g. Quizzes or Assignments)
Students are less likely to cheat if the assessment has meaning, that is, it is individualized, interesting, unique, current, and engaging; it is not easily copied from a solutions manual or from the Internet. - Academic Integrity Office
Accommodations for Students with Disabilities
Accommodations for students with disabilities must be provided for final exams. Instructors should receive an Authorization for Accommodation (AFA) letter via email for any student requiring accommodations.
Additional information may be found on the Office for Students with Disabilities (OSD) website.
When to Proctor
When Proctoring is a strong option:
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The exam is multiple choice or short-answer in an online format
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The assessment is timed and password-protected
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The exam window can remain open for 48 hours or more (wider for larger class sizes)
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The course has a history of academic misconduct that needs to be mitigated
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Proctoring has been identified as a need early in the term, and implemented in the course at least three to four weeks prior to the assessment
Learn about Proctoring Services supported by the campus.
Alternative options:
If you determine that proctoring is not the appropriate solution, but you want to incorporate additional safeguards against cheating, consider the following tools:
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Turnitin: Run written work through Turnitin.com, to check for plagiarism and appropriate citation
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Respondus: Incorporate Respondus Lock-Down Browser, which prevents students from opening other browser windows or tools on the computer on which they are taking the assessment.
Note: Always be prepared to provide students with alternate mechanisms to submit final assessments, whether proctoring or not. Be mindful of the requirements of final assessments and design your assessments so that they provide students options for alternate means of expression. Please contact the Digital Learning Hub for additional help with implementing alternative mechanisms.
Wednesday, April 8 10am - 11am
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Remote Assessments and Proctoring: Well-Designed Assessments and When to Proctor |