Tag Archives: online exams

BTL Surpass for online assessment in Computer Science

MACS enhancement,

Over the last couple of years I have been leading the introduction of BTL’s Surpass online assessment platform for  exams in Computer Science. I posted the requirements for an online exam system we agreed on a few months ago. I have now written up an evaluation case study: Use of BTL Surpass for online exams in Computer Science, an LTDI report (local copy). TL;DR: nothing is perfect, but Surpass did what we hoped, and it is planned to continue & expand its use.

My colleagues Hans-Wofgang has also presented on our experiences of “Enhancing the Learning Experience on Programming-focused Courses via Electronic Assessment Tools” at the Trends in Functional Programming in Education Conference, Canterbury, 19-21. This paper includes work by Sanusi Usman on using Surpass for formative assessment.

A question for online exams in computer science showing few lines of JAVA code with gaps for the student to complete.
A fill the blanks style question for online exams in computer coding. (Not from a real exam!)

Requirements for online exam system

MACS enhancement,

Some time back we started looking for an online exam system for some of our computer science exams. Part of the process was to list a set of “acceptance criteria,” i.e. conditions that any system we looked at had to meet. One of my aims in writing these was to  avoid chasing after some mythical ‘perfect’ system, and focus on finding one that would meet our needs. Although the headings below differ, as a system for high stakes assessment the overarching requirements were security, reliability, scalability, which are reflected below.

Having these criteria were useful in reaching a consensus decision when there was no ‘perfect’ system.

Note, added July 2018: you might also be interested in: Hans-Wolfgang Loidl, Phil Barker and Sanusi Usman (2017). Enhancing the Learning Experience on Programming-focused Courses via Electronic Assessment Tools. Presented at Trends in Functional Programming in Education, Canterbury 19-21 June, 2017; and,
Phil Barker (2017). Use of BTL Surpass for online exams in Computer Science (ICBL Reports).

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