By Caroline Huang, Brock University
The design of assessment plays an important role in distance and online programs. In order to find the most efficient practice in online learning environments, the gap can be shortened between the traditional learning experience and online learning by improving the flexibility and fairness of online assessment.
Potential Issues of Assessments and Possible Solutions
A great challenge for online and distance learning is the flexibility of assessments. A flexible assessment approach could provide options for online students to decide the topic, method, criteria, weighting, or timing of assessment and personalise their learning experience (Jopp & Cohen, 2020). This could encourage online learners to manage and control their studies in conjunction with work and family responsibilities (Jopp & Cohen, 2020).
The demand for flexibility of assessment at institutions of higher education is relatively high compared with conventional learning, since a large percentage of online students are non-traditional students such as mature-aged and part-time students who often have multiple duties and responsibilities to take at the same time, such as employment and family commitments (Jopp & Cohen, 2020). Jopp and Cohen (2020) believe that student satisfaction and student success rates like retention rates and completion rates were lower for online non-traditional students, due to these unanticipated challenges from work and life. Moreover, the flexibility of online assessment also could benefit other non-traditional learners such as first generation college students and disabled students. These underrepresented people need a new assessment method to promote their engagement (Wynants & Jessica, 2018).
In one example of a flexible assessment approach, students are given the choice of using the accumulation of ‘credits’ as a way of securing a final grade. The study reported 36% of students showed improvement in their grades (Jopp & Cohen, 2020). Another report done by Guerrero-Roldan and Noguera (2018) says that “the results of survey from interview and questionnaire at fully online university meant that increasing assessment options is a useful way to promote student satisfaction and facilitate student success”. At the same time, a variety of assessment tasks could test students’ comprehensive abilities such as communication skills, teamwork, presentation skills, and case analysis.
In addition to flexibility, fairness of online assessments is another challenge for educators and institutions to deal with. There is a surprisingly survey showing that 92% of students admitted that they had cheated no less than one time or knew others did (Peled et al., 2019). Furthermore, almost 60% of 172 surveyed students and 69 faculty members in diverse academic fields thought the cheating was easier in online exams (Peled et al., 2019). Also, many reports illustrate that students admit that they have higher possibilities of cheating in online courses, if they have opportunities (Peled et al., 2019). Unethical behavior in the academic environment is not a rare phenomenon because the opportunity and temptation of academic dishonesty are increased by the rapid development of online technology (Hollis, 2018). Even though online courses are not a predominant factor in the prediction of academic dishonesty, an unhealthy learning environment and undeveloped assessment systems in institutions would affect the likelihood of misbehavior indirectly and student success negatively (Peled et al., 2019).
The best and most direct way to prevent and control the behavior of academic dishonesty is to strengthen the preventative policies and procedures. There are some methods that could be recommended from the organizational and faculty-level aspects separately. For faculties, using photo ID for registration and online exams, asking students to hand in drafts of work, developing group projects to encourage engagement, applying anti-plagiarism programs such as Turnitin, and requiring webcams to monitor exams are highly recommended. On the other hand, checking IP addresses, using test centers for all assessments, advertising severe penalties for cheating are simple and useful methods to apply for institutions (Hollis, 2018). Additionally, the oral examination such as videoconferencing is a good form of assessment which could eliminate chances for academic dishonesty, but also practice communication skills (Akimov & Malin, 2020).
References
Akimov, A., & Malin, M. (2020). When old becomes new: A case study of oral examination as an online assessment tool. Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 1-17. doi:10.1080/02602938.2020.1730301
Delnoij, L. E., Dirkx, K. J., Janssen, J. P., & Martens, R. L. (2020). Predicting and resolving non-completion in higher (online) education – A literature review. Educational Research Review, 29, 100-313. doi:10.1016/j.edurev.2020.100313
Hollis, L. P. (2018). Ghost-students and the new wave of online cheating for community college students. New Directions for Community Colleges, 2018(183), 25-34. doi:10.1002/cc.20314
Golden, J., & Kohlbeck, M. (2020). Addressing cheating when using test bank questions in online Classes. Journal of Accounting Education, 52. doi:10.1016/j.jaccedu.2020.100671
Guerrero-Roldan, A., & Noguera, I. (2018). A model for aligning assessment with competences and learning activities in online courses. The Internet and Higher Education, 38, 36-46. doi:10.1016/j.iheduc.2018.04.005
Jopp, R., & Cohen, J. (2020). Choose your own assessment – assessment choice for students in online higher education. Teaching in Higher Education, 1-18. doi:10.1080/13562517.2020.1742680
Peled, Y., Eshet, Y., Barczyk, C., & Grinautski, K. (2019). Predictors of academic dishonesty among undergraduate students in online and face-to-face courses. Computers & Education, 131, 49-59. doi:10.1016/j.compedu.2018.05.012
Wynants, S., & Dennis, J. (2018). Professional development in an online context: opportunities and challenges from the voices of college faculty. Journal of Educators Online, 15(1). doi:10.9743/jeo2018.15.1.2
5P52 Higher Education 
COVID-19 has unfortunately placed many students in a position they hate being in, online learning. So I guess if cheating is more likely to happen in online courses, the rates of cheating over the next months are likely to continue increasing! While reading your post, I did have to wonder if anyone has taken time to ask students why they chose to cheat during online assessments? It’s easy for me to assume that their response would be that it’s easy to get away with cheating, so why not cheat? But I wonder if that’s actually the reason. Are there different stress factors or learning factors that affect the students in the online learning environment, causing them to feel as if their only option is to cheat in order to succeed?
I found this interesting article that talks about instructors needing to stay focused on providing the best learning environment for all students in the online setting instead of focusing so much on how to prevent cheating. https://www.insidehighered.com/digital-learning/article/2020/07/22/technology-best-way-stop-online-cheating-no-experts-say-better?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=711d98996c-DNU_2020_COPY_03&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-711d98996c-197800013&mc_cid=711d98996c&mc_eid=dbdcee20ba
Hi Leola,
Wow! Great thoughts you have there. It seems that you want to tackle the root of the cause.
“Why students cheat online?” You are right, maybe students feel that they haven’t learned all the material needed to complete their test or can be more stressed.
Do you think taking a test alone at home can be more stressful than taking with your peers?
– My personal thought on the answer.
I have always felt more stressed about taking an online exam at home than writing an exam with 500 other students in the soccer field (where our final exams were held).
I wonder how these environments cause more stress or anxiety to others while writing?
Thank you Leola. I have read a journal about the incentive students’ cheating behavior, which are their high expectations of GPA and study pressure. You are right, providing a good learning environment is always the best way to avoid academic dishonesty rather than punishment and prevention. I will definitely read your suggested article and find more reading about the learning environment.
Hi Caroline,
You highlight an important issue in higher education. I agree that mature and part-time students have to juggle through home/school life. Having said that, giving students a variety of options regarding online assessments would be beneficial. Also, you provide excellent recommendations to assuring quality in assessment. An example I can think of is that high school students record themselves while writing a test; I believe this applies to the upper grades. I wonder if institutions would consider this during exam season. If I had to record myself while writing an exam, I would be stressed out and probably would not be able to finish the exam. I wonder if students really consider themselves cheating when writing an online exam? Do students really learn the material through online assessment?
I found this article that discusses if cheating is really easier in an online college.
https://thebestschools.org/magazine/cheating-online-college/
Thank you for sharing this topic with us!
Thank you for reminding me of the issues that might occur when we are quired to do video recording during the exams. Also, I think there are some privacy issues I need to think deeply.
Hi Caroline,
First off, I enjoyed reading your infographic. I feel that it is well put together and provides a summary of great ways to improve online test-taking. Under the Solution of Issue 2, I would say that the options you provided are excellent. Checking IP addresses and using test centres can eliminate academic dishonesty. However, you mentioned in your infographic that instructors should stop using test banks. I agree with you to a certain extent! In my first year of undergrad, a lot of psychology and chemistry professors would use test banks. I felt that students were memorizing the answers rather than learning. I do feel that it can be used as a tool to study; that is, if you use it learn rather than memorize.
When I was at Trent University, I took an online course that partnered with a third-party organization specializing in online proctoring. They did an excellent job with proctoring. My proctor watched me the entire time and made me turn the computer camera around the entire room. The only way to cheat was to go to the washroom, as in the rules, you were allowed to take two washroom breaks. My question to you is, how can academic dishonesty be eliminated while taking an online test? – because washroom breaks might be allowed.
The instructions for examity are as follows: https://www.examity.com/
On the day of your exam please remember to:
1. Login into the Examity site 15 minutes prior to the start of the session.
2. Please have your ID ready to show before you start your exam.
3. Please check your system readiness here.
Standard Rules
Alone in room
Clear Desk and Area
Connected to a powersource
No phones or headphones
No dual monitors
No leaving seat
No talking
Webcam, speakers, and microphone must remain on throughout the test.
Additional Rules
Scrap paper
Bathroom breaks
I think the computer camera and webcam are not enough since some students have two computers or other devices. Only recording your screen and yourself can minimize the possibility of cheating. It is hard to require students to show everything to their professors. However, professors could have flexible assessments such as oral examination. It is hard to have time to search for answers. Thank you so much for your detailed information!