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The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the implementation of online assessments at an unprecedented pace. The pandemic required most higher education institutions worldwide to implement online assessments almost overnight. The study aimed to gain an understanding of auditing students' perceptions of online assessments and e-proctoring systems during the pandemic. A web-based questionnaire was administered to postgraduate auditing students who had taken part in remote online assessments at an open distance and e-learning university in South Africa, invigilated via e-proctoring software, which was introduced in the 2020 academic year. A total of 238 students participated in the study. Factor analysis, using principal component factor analysis, was performed to identify the factors or components that possibly caused the variation in these auditing students' perceptions of online assessments and e-proctoring. Varimax with Kaiser normalisation was used as a rotation method. This process revealed five main components that explained variations in participants' perceptions, namely: Component 1—emotions (assessments), appropriateness (assessments), fairness (assessments), monetary aspects, and time; Component 2—practical IT matters, academic integrity (e-proctoring) and cheating (e-proctoring); Component 3—practical IT matters (e-proctoring) and emotions (e-proctoring); Component 4—practical IT matters (assessments) and time (assessments); and Component 5—cheating (assessments). Implications of the findings for educators are offered, along with recommendations for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Globally, higher education institutions were forced to use online assessments during the COVID-19 pandemic. Given the fast-paced transition to online assessments at the time, the authors saw a unique opportunity to explore accounting educators' experiences and perceptions of assessments conducted in accounting courses in South Africa during this period. Qualitative data were collected using semi-structured interviews. The findings indicate that participants felt unprepared, echoing the importance of institutional and educator readiness as a key consideration for online assessments. Participants raised concerns over the suitability of the assessments for an online environment, noting that the diversity of the student body must be considered. Lastly, participants raised concerns over the threats to academic integrity and the impact of online assessments on the equity and integrity of the academic project and the accounting profession. The findings of this study emphasise the importance for HEIs to design and develop specific principles and guidelines for online assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the implementation of online assessments at an unprecedented pace. The pandemic required most higher education institutions worldwide to implement online assessments almost overnight. The study aimed to gain an understanding of auditing students’ perceptions of online assessments and e-proctoring systems during the pandemic. A web-based questionnaire was administered to postgraduate auditing students who had taken part in remote online assessments at an open distance and e-learning university in South Africa, invigilated via e-proctoring software, which was introduced in the 2020 academic year. A total of 238 students participated in the study. Factor analysis, using principal component factor analysis, was performed to identify the factors or components that possibly caused the variation in these auditing students’ perceptions of online assessments and e-proctoring. Varimax with Kaiser normalisation was used as a rotation method. This process revealed five main components that explained variations in participants’ perceptions, namely: Component 1—emotions (assessments), appropriateness (assessments), fairness (assessments), monetary aspects, and time; Component 2—practical IT matters, academic integrity (e-proctoring) and cheating (e-proctoring); Component 3—practical IT matters (e-proctoring) and emotions (e-proctoring); Component 4—practical IT matters (assessments) and time (assessments); and Component 5—cheating (assessments). Implications of the findings for educators are offered, along with recommendations for future research.

The rapid transition to online learning during the Covid-19 pandemic has necessitated re-evaluating assessment practices in higher education. This research article presents an assessment model to inform policymakers and practitioners of innovative approaches to address the challenges effectively. Using an action design research methodology, this study delves into the problem of online assessments in Private Higher Education Institutions (PHEIs). By considering the contextual factors of load shedding, unavailability of Wi-Fi, the requirement for cheat-proof evaluations, and the paramount importance of addressing learning outcomes, the study sought to design a model that enables effective assessments in a post-Covid world. The designed artifact contributes to the growing body of knowledge on assessment practices in higher education by providing practical insights and recommendations for adapting to the unique challenges faced post-Covid. The model can guide policymakers and practitioners in developing a framework to address innovative assessment designs in the future.

Abstract Online education, while not a new phenomenon, underwent a monumental shift during the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing educators and students alike into the uncharted waters of full-time digital learning. With this shift came renewed concerns about the integrity of online assessments. Amidst a landscape rapidly being reshaped by online exam/homework assistance platforms, which witnessed soaring stocks as students availed its questionable exam assistance, and the emergence of sophisticated artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, the traditional methods of assessment faced unprecedented challenges. This paper presents the results of an observational study, using data from an introductory statistics course taught every semester by the author, and delves into the proliferation of cheating methods. Analyzing exam score results from the pre and post introduction of ChatGPT periods, the research unpacks the extent of cheating and provides strategies to counteract this trend. The findings starkly illustrate significant increases in exam scores from when exams of similar difficulty were administered in person (pre-Covid) versus online. The format, difficulty, and grading of the exams was the same throughout. Although randomized controlled experiments are generally more effective than observational studies, we will indicate when we present the data why experiments would not be feasible for this research. In addition to presenting experimental findings, the paper offers some insights, based on the author's extensive experience, to guide educators in crafting more secure online assessments in this new era, both for courses at the introductory level and more advances courses The results and findings are relevant to introductory courses that can use multiple choice exams in any subject but the recommendations for upper-level courses will be relevant primarily to STEM subjects. The research underscores the pressing need for reinventing assessment techniques to uphold the sanctity of online education.

Online education, while not a new phenomenon, underwent a monumental shift during the COVID-19 pandemic, pushing educators and students alike into the uncharted waters of full-time digital learning. With this shift came renewed concerns about the integrity of online assessments. Amidst a landscape rapidly being reshaped by online exam/homework assistance platforms, which witnessed soaring stocks as students availed its questionable exam assistance, and the emergence of sophisticated artificial intelligence tools like ChatGPT, the traditional methods of assessment faced unprecedented challenges. This paper presents the results of an observational study, using data from an introductory statistics course taught every semester by the author, and delves into the proliferation of cheating methods. Analyzing exam score results from the pre and post introduction of ChatGPT periods, the research unpacks the extent of cheating and provides strategies to counteract this trend. The findings starkly illustrate significant increases in exam scores from when exams of similar difficulty were administered in person (pre-Covid) versus online. The format, difficulty, and grading of the exams was the same throughout. Although randomized controlled experiments are generally more effective than observational studies, we will indicate when we present the data why experiments would not be feasible for this research. In addition to presenting experimental findings, the paper offers some insights, based on the author's extensive experience, to guide educators in crafting more secure online assessments in this new era, both for courses at the introductory level and more advances courses The results and findings are relevant to introductory courses that can use multiple choice exams in any subject but the recommendations for upper-level courses will be relevant primarily to STEM subjects. The research underscores the pressing need for reinventing assessment techniques to uphold the sanctity of online education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The post-Covid continuation of online classes and assessments in higher education at many institutions has necessitated re-evaluating assessment practices. This research article presents a scoping literature review on the challenges and innovative opportunities regarding assessments in higher education. The contextual factors of load-shedding, unavailability of Wi-Fi, the requirement for cheat-proof online assessment, and questions with ungoogleable answers or answers that ChatGPT could not provide underlined the importance of this topic. Thirty articles were analysed using the qualitative software tool, Atlas.ti. According to the literature, the main challenge is cheating with online assessments, and the best solution provided is oral presentations students’ work. This complex issue needs further research on combining contextual challenges, the credibility of assessments and the enhancement of 4IR workplace skills in one assessment model to support assessments in higher education.

Blended learning, which combines face‐to‐face lectures with online learning, has emerged as a suitable teaching approach during the COVID‐19 pandemic. This study used a national survey of anatomy educators in Mainland China to evaluate the changes in the implementation of blended learning in anatomical pedagogy. A total of 297 responses were collected from medical schools across all provinces. Respondents included 167 males and 130 females, with an average age of 44.94 (±8.28) and average of 17.72 (±9.62) years of professional experience. The survey showed adoption of online teaching and assessment by Chinese anatomy educators increased by 32.7% and 46.8%, respectively, compared to pre‐pandemic levels. Perceptions of blended learning outcomes varied, with 32.3% and 37% educators considering it superior and inferior to traditional teaching, respectively. Faculty training programs related to blended learning increased significantly, fostering a collaborative learning environment; however, challenges remained in achieving satisfactory online assessment outcomes. Anatomy educators' attitudes reflected a strong preference for classroom learning (4.941 ± 0.856) and recognition of the importance of relevant technology (4.483 ± 0.954), whereas online learning received lower acceptance (4.078 ± 0.734). Female anatomy teachers demonstrated effective time management in online teaching. Meanwhile, educators with over 15 years of experience encountered difficulties with relevant technology, consistent with negative attitudes toward blended learning. Overall, this survey highlights the persistent challenges in implementing blended learning in anatomy education and provides insights for enhancing the pedagogical model in the post‐COVID‐19 era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relationships with our students and each other have changed over the past two years with the necessary changes to teaching and learning enforced by the COVID-19 pandemic. A group of academics from business schools in Australia and New Zealand have been reviewing the impact of the changes to teaching and learning implemented over the past two years and consider what has worked, what has not, what changes can be built on, and what practices need to be reconsidered. This paper concludes with recommendations on how business academics can reconnect with each other and their students and how business schools can support this reconnection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The mass shift to Open-Book, Open-Web (OBOW) assessments during the pandemic highlighted new opportunities in Higher Education for developing accessible, authentic assessments that can reduce administrative load. Despite a plethora of research emerging on the effectiveness of OBOW assessments within disciplines, few currently evaluate their effectiveness across disciplines where the assessment instrument can vary significantly. This paper aims to evaluate the experience students across STEM subjects had of OBOW exams to contribute to an evidence-base for emerging post-pandemic assessment policies and strategies. In April 2021, following two cycles of OBOW exams, we surveyed STEM students across a range of subjects to determine their preparation strategy, experiences during the exam, perception of development of higher order cognitive skills, test anxiety, and how they thought these assessments might enhance employability. Overall, students from subjects that use assessment instruments requiring analytical, quantitative-based answers (Maths, Physics, Computer Science and Chemistry) adapted their existing study skills less effectively, felt less prepared and experienced higher levels of stress compared to students of subjects using more qualitative discursive based answers (Biosciences and Geography). We conclude with recommendations on how to enhance the use of OBOW exams: these include supporting and developing more effective study skills, ensuring assessments align with intended learning outcomes, addressing the issue of academic integrity, promoting inclusivity, and encouraging authentic assessment. Based on the outcomes of this study, we strongly advise that assessment policies that foster the whole-scale roll-out of OBOW assessment consider the inter-disciplinary impacts on learner development, staff training and workload resources.

Growing concerns about online examinations have led to various investigations of techniques for improvement. With most higher education institutions shifting to online learning and examination amid COVID-19, these concerns, including the academic dishonesty, validity, reliability, and anxiety of online examination, are more critical than ever. This paper presents the outcomes of the survey to elicit the perceptions of undergraduate students from two universities in South Korea and Malaysia towards undertaking online exams and the associated concerns. Additionally, the study explores the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in addressing these concerns. There are three main research questions: 1) How has AI been adopted to tackle the four main concerns in online exams? 2) What are the students' perceptions regarding these concerns? Are there any differences between South Korean and Malaysian students? 3) What is the extent of the stress level when webcam proctoring and timers are implemented during online exams? The survey results show that both South Korean and Malaysian students agree that online exams make cheating more accessible than inperson exams. They also suggest that selecting questions randomly from a question bank could discourage cheating. Moreover, the study highlights that both groups of students experience moderate stress levels when webcam proctoring is used over Zoom during online exams, and they experience a high-stress level when timers are set for each question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, research has shown poor uptake and acceptance of non-traditional assessments. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, necessitated a drastic shift towards online assessments and negated the practicality of traditional assessments. The acceptance of online assessments by university students enrolled in historically disadvantaged higher education institutions is currently underresearched. To address this gap, the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) is employed as a theoretical framework to examine the acceptance of online assessments and identify barriers to their adoption. The study used a quantitative research design and data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via ®Microsoft Teams, the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). Descriptive and inferential data analysis was conducted using a combination of Microsoft Excel and JASP version 0.16.1.0. A total of 83 second and third-year students registered with the Department of Community Extension participated in the study. The results showed that 42% (n=35) of students found online assessments difficult to complete. Anxiety during the assessment was prevalent in 57% (n=47) of the students. Forty percent (n=50) of the students indicated that online assessments improved academic performance. The percentage of students that still preferred face-to-face invigilated tests over online assessments was also 40% (n=33). The results indicate that online assessments were accepted by students in historically disadvantaged institutions. However, results emphasised the need for the implementation of effective measures to maintain academic integrity, mitigate technical challenges and the provision of training and support to reduce anxiety among students caused by assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic changed the pattern of learning from regular face-to-face classes to entirely digital and virtual learning. Assessments also had to be, and were, conducted online. Hence, we thought of assessing the level of satisfaction toward this mode of assessment among the allied health students in our institute. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the level of satisfaction and usefulness with the online practical and theory assessments among different phases of allied health sciences students belonging to different programs. Materials and Methods: A questionnaire was prepared after discussions among faculty members of the medical education department, appropriately validated and administered as Google Forms to the participants. Consecutive sampling technique was followed. Of the total 59 participants, 31 belonged to BSc Optometry and 28 belonged to BSc. Medical laboratory technology (MLT) courses. Results: The mean ± standard deviation (SD) of satisfaction of online theory/ practical assessments among the students of BSc. MLT was 5.893 ± 2.097 and BSc. Optometry was 6.194 ± 2.227. Usefulness of online theory/ practical assessments in testing knowledge and practical skills of BSc. MLT was 5.607 ± 2.061 and BSc. Optometry was 6.419 ± 2.363. Both of these were not found to be statistically significant. The median (Q1–Q3) of usefulness of online assessment in testing practical skills of students among the four phases was 5(2–6), 3(2–3), 2(2–6) and 3(3–5) and was found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Most of the students felt that online assessments were useful only for theory examinations and that this modality was unsuitable to test practical skills.

Optometry education, like other health professions, has historically been conducted via contact teaching and learning in classrooms, clinics and laboratories. In 2020, COVID-19 imposed an abrupt move to online learning for higher education institutions. This was performed with little insight into the feasibility and readiness for its adoption within certain contexts, as well as the potential impact on learning. This qualitative descriptive project purposively recruited a representative sample of 30 optometry students from a South African university to explore their experiences of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected using focus group interviews. The data were audio-recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically. Four themes emerged from the research, namely; learning how to learn online, need for social support, technology dependent, and authentic learning. The key challenges observed were difficulty in transitioning to online learning, independent learning, and not having reliable access to internet connectivity. Gaps in clinical skills resulting from restricted access to contact training and real-world clinical exposure negatively impacted competency development. Contribution: Pandemic disruptions to routine academic programme activities within higher education institutions have the potential to negatively impact the learning experience for students where institutions and/or students may be unprepared or under-resourced to support such a shift. The results of this study further suggest that exposure to real-world clinical contexts for optometry students should be enabled even under pandemic conditions to promote the development of clinical competencies needed for effective healthcare delivery. Finally, remote online assessments must be designed to support authentic learning so as not to compromise exit-level outcomes, skills and competencies.

Traditionally, research has shown poor uptake and acceptance of non-traditional assessments. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, necessitated a drastic shift towards online assessments and negated the practicality of traditional assessments. The acceptance of online assessments by university students enrolled in historically disadvantaged higher education institutions is currently underresearched. To address this gap, the Technological Acceptance Model (TAM) is employed as a theoretical framework to examine the acceptance of online assessments and identify barriers to their adoption. The study used a quantitative research design and data were collected through an online questionnaire distributed via ®Microsoft Teams, the university’s Learning Management System (LMS). Descriptive and inferential data analysis was conducted using a combination of Microsoft Excel and JASP version 0.16.1.0. A total of 83 second and third-year students registered with the Department of Community Extension participated in the study. The results showed that 42% (n=35) of students found online assessments difficult to complete. Anxiety during the assessment was prevalent in 57% (n=47) of the students. Forty percent (n=50) of the students indicated that online assessments improved academic performance. The percentage of students that still preferred face-to-face invigilated tests over online assessments was also 40% (n=33). The results indicate that online assessments were accepted by students in historically disadvantaged institutions. However, results emphasised the need for the implementation of effective measures to maintain academic integrity, mitigate technical challenges and the provision of training and support to reduce anxiety among students caused by assessments.

Recently the education industry has moved at an increasing pace towards quality assurance programs. There is a high demand for efficient use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education, especially to improve the quality of mathematics education. After COVID-19 lockdowns, ICT has become essential in the era of blended learning. Variations in pedagogy and assessments in mathematics are always challenging. Due to difficulties in learning mathematics, the need for innovative mathematical pedagogy is rising daily in online and blended learning environments. Through this paper, the authors attempt to provide more opportunities to mathematics teachers and students to learn through LMS. Through KJSCE-LMS (Moodle based LMS specially customized for students of K J Somaiya College of Engineering (KJSCE), Mumbai), the authors demonstrate the optimum use of innovative Teaching-Learning-Evaluation (TLE) techniques that can be easily practiced in online or blended mode of mathematics education. These technology-enhanced TLE methods were applied in the first year undergraduate engineering mathematics classroom in the urban part of India. To check the promethean ways to enhance pedagogical learning experiences by students, qualitative and quantitative surveys were conducted. Results of the survey reveal that teachers' systematic usage of KJSCE-LMS can make mathematics learning easy, effective and meaningful. 98% of the students agreed that the contents uploaded on LMS helped them to understand the concepts effectively. LMS can also help strengthen the learning process, motivate students, improve their learning outcomes, and positively impact their wholesome development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to investigate the major challenges faced and lessons learned during the unplanned transition to online examinations (OE) at a traditional university following the COVID-19 pandemic. Design/methodology/approach: This exploratory study involved two distinct samples (110 students and 30 instructors) drawn from a large public university and triangulated the qualitative and quantitative data to analyze how the university navigated the unplanned transition to OE. Findings: The university faced several challenges related to a lack of proper institutional infrastructure, non-familiarity of the stakeholders with OE, lack of effective communication, limited student access to technology resources because of socio-economic impediments and academic integrity issues. Practical implications: Short- and medium-term recommendations are proposed to enable continuity of teaching and learning in future emergency situations, including the establishment of technology-enabled exam centers, as well as strategies to assure instructor readiness for OE, academic integrity among students and the validity of the evaluation procedure for future OE. Originality/value: This study shows how the unplanned transition to OE in a public university exposed new challenges for conducting OE, particularly in resource challenged emerging countries, where full integration of OE was a new experience and prior knowledge of potential issues was lacking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the transition to e-learning that has resulted from COVID-19, teacher educators risk being engulfed in a "web of competency" that might dehumanize the learning experience for both educators and students. In this study, three teacher educators describe how they employ modern technology to execute crucial humanizing pedagogies. This entails going beyond solely cognitive techniques, addressing questions of power, access, and representation reflexively, and considering systemic concerns of power and privilege that create and restrict pedagogical options with a focus on respecting students' voices. We emphasize meaning-making, relating to social realities, and embracing multimodality in our discussion of the online assessment. The study also highlights the issues of power, privilege, and ideology concerns often disregarded in online educational environments, particularly at the institutional, instructional design, and support levels. The reflections denoted that we learnt more about our students by applying critical humanizing assessment in online teaching. It took time for students to realize the importance of ongoing, continuous learning, and "success" looked different for each student. Finally, it was also gathered that we as teacher educators needed to embody crucial qualities, the 5C's, namely creativity, commitment, compassion, consistency, and character, to inculcate the 'human touch' in our online learning and teaching processes for maximum outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online lung cancer screening assessments empower patients to learn about their risk for lung cancer and eligibility for screening. However, it is unknown whether these online assessments provide tailored recommendations that are consistent with national guidelines and include information to prepare patients for shared decision-making (SDM) consultations with their healthcare provider. In November 2019, we reviewed 71 NCI-Designated Cancer Center websites to identify US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) guidelines for lung cancer screening eligibility and evidence-based features of shared decision-making (SDM). Only 11% of the websites included an online lung cancer screening assessment. Most assessments included tailored recommendations for screening eligibility based on USPSTF guidelines. Assessments designed to support SDM included both potential benefits and harms of undergoing lung cancer screening. Nearly all assessments directed adults to discuss the results with their healthcare provider and reinforced the importance of living a tobacco-free lifestyle. Online lung cancer screening assessments have the potential to put patients in control of knowledge about their lung cancer risk and screening eligibility. While nearly all assessments recommend patients to speak with their healthcare provider about their risk for lung cancer, patients may require more support to initiate and navigate SDM conversations with their providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

COVID19 outbreak brought about many challenges including the shifting of university assessments to conduct in online mode. This research study tries to explore the impact of newly designed online formative assessments on students’ learning, in a Plant Physiology course. The designing of assessments were carried out focusing on constructive alignment, for which an Open Book Test (OBT) was conducted in three parts: OBT1 –problem based learning assignment, providing feedback using a rubric; OBT2 –multiple choice, multi response, matching and missing word questions with immediate feedback; OBT3 –analysing research results with MCQs and short answer questions with feedback. A mixed approach of convergent parallel design method was followed to collect data through two questionnaires and interviews. Findings indicated students’ engagement in self- determined learning in solving a real-world problem and their enthusiasm in learning with research-based questions in assessments, while self-assessing their performance through feedback. However, geographically varied technological challenges need to be addressed in conducting successful online assessments.

The world‐wide pivot to remote learning due to the exogenous shocks of COVID‐19 across educational institutions has presented unique challenges and opportunities. This study documents the lived experiences of instructors and students and recommends emerging pathways for teaching and learning strategies post‐pandemic. Seventy‐one instructors and 122 students completed online surveys containing closed and open‐ended questions. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were conducted, including frequencies, chi‐square tests, Welch Two‐Samples t‐tests, and thematic analyses. The results demonstrated that with effective online tools, remote learning could replicate key components of content delivery, activities, assessments, and virtual proctored exams. However, instructors and students did not want in‐person learning to disappear and recommended flexibility by combining learning opportunities in in‐person, online, and asynchronous course deliveries according to personal preferences. The paper concludes with future directions and how the findings influenced our planning for Fall 2021 delivery. The video abstract for this article is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F48KBg%5fd8AE. Practitioner notesWhat is already known about this topicEmergency Remote Teaching (ERT) allowed institutions across the world to continue teaching and learning at all levels of education during the COVID‐19 pandemic. However, this form of delivery, created under conditions of uncertainty, was developed out of an urgency to keep education going rather than maintaining it at the same level.What this paper addsThis study comes after ERT, and is situated between ERT and the return to campus, with some social distancing restrictions still active, in a delivery method widely viewed as "remote delivery".This is a case study of an entire Canadian higher education institution that implemented remote learning for over one full academic year, documenting and examining instructors' and students' experiences and challenges of the remote learning course delivery format.Quantitative and qualitative data were collected to provide a holistic overview of instructors' and students' experiences of delivery method and assessments including the use of face‐tracking proctoring software.Implications for practice and/or policyCompared to ERT, remote delivery was a thoughtful and deliberate way to transform in‐person courses into virtual learning experiences.Instructors and students were able to successfully replicate many features of in‐person learning and assessments experiences in remote delivery of courses by using effective online tools to teach and learn.As a result, instructors and students called for the use of elements of remote delivery to create more flexible learning opportunities by combining in‐person, live streaming, and asynchronous learning options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there was an urgent need to move to online teaching and develop innovative teaching techniques to ensure that student learning outcomes (SOs) were fulfilled. This paper tries to answer the important question of whether an established teaching strategy through a multi-course project-based learning (MPL) approach, along with online assessment techniques, helps in the effective achievement of SOs in a senior-level electrical engineering (EE) course. The authors have developed a course project for attaining the objectives of a senior and a capstone course, where students are registered at the same time. In addition, the course conducts assessments online. The paper reports the effect of the two approaches on the attainment of the SOs of the two courses, along with testing the programming and problem-solving abilities of the students. It is known that the MPL approach enhances the critical thinking capacity of students, which is also a major outcome of Sustainable Development Education (ESD). It was ensured that the project that was used to test the fulfillment of a series of SOs were concentrated on soft engineering and project management skills. The difficulty of adopting the MPL method for the senior-level courses is in the scheduling of the course materials to help the student advance to the final project while also aligning the project towards fulfilling the learning outcomes of the individual course. The study also provides the students with feedback on online assessment techniques incorporated within the MPL. Besides this, the effect of the innovative teaching approaches was compared with the same senior course taught using conventional methods in an earlier semester. Based on the feedback from teachers and students from a previously conducted case study, it was concluded that the MPL approach had supported the student learning. The results of the statistical analysis (Chi-square, two-tailed T statistics and hypothesis testing using a z-test) show that an MPL approach and online assessment improved the attainment of the SOs despite the constraints posed by the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Covid-19 pandemic has instigated changes in the teaching and assessment practices of institutions in many parts of the world, resulting in not only online teaching but also online assessments. The present study analyzes the perceptions of students regarding the first online assessments conducted at a medical college in Pakistan. Materials & Methods: This Mixed method cross-sectional study was conducted at Wah Medical College (WMC) from July to November 2020. The questionnaire was developed after the collaboration of the authors and a review of the pertinent literature on online examinations. Universal sampling was done and all students of WMC were invited to participate in the study. Data collection was done by google forms and analysis was performed on SPSS. Results: Students from all five years of the MBBS program participated almost equally in the study. Students of 1st (43.8 %), 3rd (44.8 %), and 4th year (47.1 %) were not contented with their performance in online exams whereas students of 2nd (49.3 %) and 5th year (61.4 %) were satisfied. Most students considered technological issues as a basis for their poor performance and proposed technical training before online exams. They also provided suggestions related to the improvement of examination formats and tools. Conclusion: The majority of the students found the online assessment more effective and helpful in improving their performance in exams. Student perceptions provided valuable insights for improving the online examination system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online and direct learning (blended learning) requires support for optimizing student competency achievements as well as alternative choices of assessment model that are objective, practical, and effective in measuring student learning outcomes in a valid way. This best practice writing uses a qualitative descriptive approach with the aim of, firstly, to describe the use of math learning video content on youtube social media accounts to support the optimization of student competency achievements. Second, describe the online assessment model in mathematics subjects based on the moodle application. Third, describe the ease of application of learning and assessment in terms of practicality for teacher and accessibility for students. The research data collection technique uses documentation and observations of the learning and assessment system that has been used so far as well as and interviews with vice principal for curriculum, teachers, and students. The results of the study indicate that the use of youtube content in the form of math learning videos can support the optimization of student competency achievements. While the online mathematical assessment model based on the moodle application with the multiple-choice model could display random questions well, namely random questions from the question bank, random number of questions, and random answer options. Making video content in an easy and practical way using the powerpoint and active presenter application then uploading it to youtube social media account. While the online assessment model is also easy and practical to use in all subjects with the help of the examview application and can be apllied to daily assessments, midterm assessments, end-of-semester assessment, and school exams.

With the operationalisation of lockdowns and restrictions on public gatherings, education systems across the entire globe were confronted with an urgent need to reconsider alternative forms of teaching, learning and assessment. Some institutions in developing countries were especially hard-hit by the shift owing to inadequacies in training and infrastructure because unlike their more developed counterparts who had already made inroads into adopting online technologies, some institutions in the developing world had no such technologies in place. As such, the shift to online learning was rushed and somewhat a “learning on the job” experience for students and educators. While remote online teaching, learning and assessment are novel experiences for many higher education institutions, developing countries are incessantly presented with many challenges, particularly when safeguarding academic integrity. Invigilated assessments, which are often considered more secure, are not an option given the current situation, thus detecting any cheating would be significantly challenging. As a result, this study examined assessment security in the digital domain and critically evaluated the practices to safeguard academic integrity in developing countries across three Southern African universities, including associated challenges. Underpinned by the pragmatist paradigm, the study employed a mixed-methods research approach that utilised in-depth qualitative and quantitative data from university managers, lecturers and students to investigate how academic integrity is safeguarded in the advent of online learning. Our findings revealed that although the transition to online learning and assessment was abrupt, higher education institutions have generated creative strategies to secure and ensure the continuity of learning and assessment. Such strategies include administering several versions of the same examination, as well as the use of “text-matching” software to detect the originality of work done by students. Based on the findings of the study, it was recommended that to guarantee the authenticity of online assessment, institutions must ensure that assessment practices relate to real-world needs and the context in which students can apply acquired knowledge.

Background and objectives Considering the increasing utilization of online educational tools in medical education, it is essential to evaluate the reliability and validity of online assessments to accurately assess student proficiency and predict academic success. This study investigated the predictive efficacy of different online assessment methods in comparison to standard offline methods within the medical educational setting. Methods This study utilized a mixed-methods crossover design, involving 125 first-year medical students who were randomly assigned to either online or traditional examinations. The students then crossed over to the other type of assessment. The assessments consisted of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), viva voce, objective structured clinical examinations, and written theory examinations. Quantitative data on results, finishing times, and academic metrics were analyzed, along with qualitative data from student interviews exploring perceptions of each format. Results The online MCQs had the highest average scores and a moderately positive correlation with performance on the theory examination (r=0.326). Regression models indicated that online and offline MCQs were moderate positive predictors of theoretical marks (R 2 =0.106 and 0.107, respectively). Qualitative responses emphasized advantages such as flexibility and accessibility for online examinations but also concerns regarding technological challenges, interaction, and integrity compared to traditional formats. Conclusions Online MCQ assessments showed promise as indicators of medical student academic performance. However, additional online forms require improvement to match conventional assessments reliably. As medical education involves digital technologies, cautious implementation of online evaluations substantiated by further research is needed to preserve educational quality standards., Competing Interests: Human subjects: Consent was obtained or waived by all participants in this study. Institutional Human Ethics Committee issued approval IHEC/AIIMS-GKP/BMR l98/2022. Ethical approval was acquired from the Institute Ethics Committee (Human Studies), All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Gorakhpur, India, prior to the initiation of the study. Informed consent was obtained from all participants, ensuring they were fully aware of the study’s nature, the confidentiality of their data, and their right to withdraw at any moment without any repercussions. Animal subjects: All authors have confirmed that this study did not involve animal subjects or tissue. Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work., (Copyright © 2024, Mohanraj et al.)

COVID19 outbreak brought about many challenges including the shifting of university assessments to conduct in online mode. This research study tries to explore the impact of newly designed online formative assessments on students' learning, in a Plant Physiology course. The designing of assessments were carried out focusing on constructive alignment, for which an Open Book Test (OBT) was conducted in three parts: OBT1 -problem based learning assignment, providing feedback using a rubric; OBT2 -multiple choice, multi response, matching and missing word questions with immediate feedback; OBT3 -analysing research results with MCQs and short answer questions with feedback. A mixed approach of convergent parallel design method was followed to collect data through two questionnaires and interviews. Findings indicated students' engagement in self-determined learning in solving a real-world problem and their enthusiasm in learning with research-based questions in assessments, while self-assessing their performance through feedback. However, geographically varied technological challenges need to be addressed in conducting successful online assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This article examines the phenomenon of academic integrity during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, with particular reference to emergency online assessments in 2020. Aim: It explores academic dishonesty, cheating and plagiarism of university students during emergency remote online assessment, from the perspective of South African students. Setting and Methodology: The authors explore the approaches of different universities worldwide, as well as the extant literature on the topic. An examination of the current literature related explicitly to the COVID-19 online assessments reveals a dearth of engagement by researchers in the South African context. In order to address this lacuna, the authors rely on data generated from an institutional forum on academic dishonesty at a University in South Africa. It focuses specifically on the voices of students presented during the forum, which explained both why students are dishonest and ways to curb dishonesty. Results and Conclusion: The data generated show whilst some students were dishonest due to pandemic-related issues (like lack of monitoring), there are also other reasons, such as lack of time management, feeling overwhelmed and stressed and struggling with technology that contributes to student dishonesty. Students suggest that assessments be approached differently online to curb academic dishonesty. The paper concludes by providing some fundamental changes needed to address academic dishonesty.

Abstract Background Computer-aided learning management systems (LMSs) are widely used in higher education and are viewed as beneficial when transitioning from conventional face-to-face teaching to fully online courses. While LMSs have unique tools for transferring and assessing knowledge, their ability to engage and assess learners needs further investigation. This paper focuses on a study examining the LMS “Moodle” to ascertain the effectiveness of “Moodle quizzes” to improve, assess and distinguish knowledge in a civil engineering course at an Australian university. The course has a database comprising 62 formative and 61 summative quiz questions with embedded text, images, audio and video. This study investigates the use of these quiz questions with four course cohorts and 169 students. The quizzes assessed competencies of students during various stages of a study period through automated marking. The suitability of questions to assess and distinguish student knowledge levels was determined using a psychometric analysis based on facility index (FI) and the discrimination index (DI) statistics embedded within the Moodle quizzes. Results This study highlights strategies used to set and review quiz questions for formative and summative assessments. Results indicated that students were engaged and satisfied in the formative assessment because they viewed the interactive videos between 2 and 6 times and 65% of students attempted all the formative questions. The FI indicated student pass rate for the summative questions and DI indicated the difficulty of these questions, while the combination of FI and DI results separated students with different knowledge levels. Using these Moodle statistics provided information to make effective decisions on how to improve the summative quizzes. Conclusion The multimodal quizzes were effective in teaching and assessing a theoretical engineering course and provided efficient methods to replace conventional assessments. The FI and DI indexes are useful statistical tools in redesigning appropriate sets of questions. Time-poor academics will benefit from using these easily attainable Moodle statistics to inform decisions while revising the quizzes and making assessments more autonomous.

Universities and educational institutions worldwide had to abruptly suspend their in-person classes and offer the rest of the term in an online format. This adjustment meant that instructors had to switch their instruction format and redesign their assessment strategies to ensure good quality education. In this work, we present the methods used in two courses for this transition and the impact on student learning. Specifically, we present data from two courses: second-year engineering mathematics and first-year object-oriented programming. The online instruction was delivered covering all the objectives, and the online assessment environment was designed with all possible safeguards to maintain integrity. Our data from these assessments show that the measures were successful. Further, the data indicate that while the pandemic severely impacted the first-year students, the second-year students did not experience any learning issues in the transition. We also present the lessons learned for future improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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COVID-19 has necessitated a rapid shift to teaching in virtual environments across the educational spectrum. In this respect, instructors previously unfamiliar, or under-familiar, with virtual teaching environments need to learn quickly and effectively how these environments work and how they can be used to successfully deliver courses, especially within health professions education contexts. These twelve tips provide insight on the practice of teaching in virtual environments, from course design, to student engagement, to assessment practices, to maximising the potential that technology can provide for both the instructor and the students. Moreover, these tips inform virtual pedagogical practices in the health professions for all levels of experience.

Modern learning techniques require technologies to be embedded within the process. The assessment strategy of testing students has been developed through the past few decades and have presented online computer-based examination systems as a replacement for the conventional paper-based testing. However, a major challenge that is still faced by those examination systems is that there is no any guarantee that students sitting adjacently will have different questions or forms, and the questions of exams' form are not duplicated for any adjacent students within a lab. In fact, this can influence the reliability pertaining to the online examination systems. Consequently, a new algorithm is proposed in this paper for an online examination system that is capable of effectively generating several exam forms with minimal similarity for the constitutional questions, and that guarantees that two adjacent student's terminals will not have the same forms. Further, the paper provides an explanation for the proposed algorithm and provides a real-life case for the implementation pertaining to the produced algorithm in a conducted experiment. It is found to be proven from the obtained results that the implementation, which is related to the produced form generation algorithm within this research reveals an evidence that is in line with the research assumptions in which an online system's assessment reliability can be improved based on eliminating adjacent locations of a form similarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Digitisation greatly enhances teaching and learning, especially in universities and private colleges where students complete courses and assessments using online platforms. This article seeks to show how web-based technology can be used effectively in the teaching and learning process. The purpose of this article is therefore to acknowledge the effectiveness of using technology for online courses and assessments. When face-to-face learning is not possible, the internet and video-conferencing allows interactions to take place between facilitators and students in an online classroom environment. By uploading lecture notes, course materials and online assessments to online platforms such as Moodle, students are able to access their study material instantly. The online submission of assignments, tests and examinations further helps the lecturers or facilitators with the aspects of marking that are more tedious in nature. The evaluation of students in an online classroom can be more advantageous than traditional classrooms because more than one student can be evaluated simultaneously by facilitators analysing the students' online discussions. By examining journal articles, e-Books and web pages relevant to the topic, this article clearly outlines the impact of digitisation in teaching and learning. It is hoped that this study will inform the reader on the pivotal role that technology can play in teaching and learning. More research is required in this field of study to ensure that lecturers or facilitators are equipped to provide effective online training and assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The United Arab Emirates is committed to integrating technology into higher education. In this study the researchers aim to explore the perspectives of university students on online assessments. An understanding of students' views can help identify obstacles and promotors in embracing online assessments at the undergraduate level. The social constructivist epistemology has been used in this qualitative study to understand students' preferences, apprehensions and acceptance of online assessments. Semi-structured focus group discussions were carried out after recruiting 41 university students, using convenience and snowball sampling methods. Thematic content analysis was applied to the data. This study highlighted that students did not comprehend the need for online assessments. Concerns regarding technological incompetence of students and teachers alongside distrust in the technology infrastructure were stressed. Students felt online assessments were restrictive for the science courses and had resulted in falling grades; probably due to the increasing dependence on multiple choice questions. Students also expressed the importance of constructive, timely and personalized feedback. Students need to be convinced of the usefulness of the transition to online assessment before they agree with it. It is evident through this study that student acceptance would increase with a gradual transition towards online assessments alongside technological training for both students and faculty. Active individualized interaction with instructors is important to students, furthermore preferences and concerns emphasized by students should be addressed to successfully integrate online assessments into higher education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]