Content:
1. What results have you seen by using Digiexam?
2. In their digital transformation, what do universities need to think about?
3. Why should universities digitalize their exam processes?
4. What have been the biggest reasons for your success with digital exams?
5. Key takeaways since LSE's started with digital exams in 2017?
6. How have you managed to expand digital exams across the university?
7. Key reason for choosing Digiexam as your exam platform?
8. What are the biggest gains obtained from Digiexam?
9. How would you describe Digiexam?
The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is a social science focused institution based in the centre of London. The implementation and initial delivery of e-Exams has been organised by a project team based within LSE's Student Services Centre, working collaboratively with the centralised Student Exams Team, departments, and divisions across the School.
What results have you seen by using Digiexam?
In terms of students using Digiexam, in the 2022/23 academic year:
- 135 exams with 6,333 student sittings across 8 departments were delivered as e-Exams during May/June.
- This was followed by an August exam period with a further 233 e-Exam sittings.
The 2023/24 academic year the School expanded the scale of e-Exams to:
- 17 departments totaling in 16 exams with 1013 student sittings that were delivered in January 2024
- 225 exams with 9,623 student sittings delivered as e-Exams during Spring 2024 and further sittings expected in the August exam period.
- e-Exam enabled courses now account for around 25% of the School’s yearly exams (around 10,000 sittings out of around 40,000).
From our markers’ perspective, feedback from the 8 original departments with e-Exams (in 2022/23) includes the benefits in that scripts were able to be given to multiple markers at the same time and markers were no longer expected to come to campus to collect or hand over paper exam scripts. In addition to this, there was a reduction in illegible scripts, with 5 out of 8 departments being satisfied with the ability to mark more effectively.
In their digital transformation, what do universities need to think about?
Moving to digital doesn’t have to mean a full transformation – for the time being, we use Digiexam as a replacement for paper answer booklets. We still use paper question papers and mark outside of the software (using the very useful tool to download individual PDFs for circulation). This simpler approach has made it much easier for us to adapt to digital exams. This doesn’t mean we’ve ruled out using Digiexam tools more widely. For our next steps, we are considering the best approaches to putting the exam questions inside Digiexam.
Starting on a small scale – the introduction of e-Exams started in LSE’s Law School for a few exams in the first year and then increased to more exams within that department the next year before being introduced more widely across the School. The lessons learned from the Law School’s pilot were invaluable to scaling up. The majority of LSE’s departments now have e-Exam enabled courses.
Operational capacity – LSE only currently has e-Exams as in-person invigilated exams with a bring-your-own-device (BYOD) set up. This means that we can flexibly use exam spaces for either paper-based or e-Exams.
Planning for all scenarios – introducing more digital technology, especially a bring-your-own-device scenario, adds complexity. It’s been important to consider the practical support from staff available to students in exam rooms and to have agreed processes in place to deal with the rare minor technical issues which occur like providing a spare power pack or device to a student or, where necessary, moving to the back-up option of hand-writing an exam.
Why should universities digitalize their exam processes?
Benefits can be seen across the board for both students and staff. For students, we find that typing is more familiar to them as working digitally is also a method of assessment throughout their studies as part of their coursework and online/take-home exams.
For staff, it has massively reduced the issues around the illegibility of student writing and means that digital scripts are available for circulation. Our usage of Digiexam allows us to have the best of both worlds - having the ability to do exams digitally and to do so in a secure environment.
Our usage of Digiexam allows us to have the best of both worlds - having the ability to do exams digitally and to do so in a secure environment.
What have been the biggest reasons for your success with digital exams?
A consistent approach – Digiexam is used the same way for all e-Exams across the University, i.e. with the same settings enabled. This makes it clear for students about what to expect, especially as students may sit exams across different departments at the University. This also simplifies the creation and management of exams by the Exams Team.
Lessons learned and continuous feedback – as mentioned above, taking on board the learnings from the Law School. Throughout the project, we also take on any feedback we receive from across the School.
Collegiate effort – the introduction of digital assessments has involved support from across all of LSE. For example, our IT support team’s work has meant we’ve been able to access Digiexam using Single Sign On and has ensured that we’ve had backup devices in place to support students who don’t have a suitable device. Department colleagues have also been involved to ensure students receive relevant communications and can attend in-person support sessions ahead of their exams.
Working closely with Digiexam – Digiexam has always been excellent at working with us through the process and taking on board our requirements and feedback.
Can you tell us about your key takeaways since LSE's started with digital exams in 2017?
Engaging with students before exam periods start
Setting student expectations is crucial for all parties involved. At LSE, students are sent specific information about e-Exams by their departments and are also offered opportunities to come in-person and practice using Digiexam (in-practice exams) during teaching terms. This helps to set student expectations and creates a smoother experience during exam periods. This includes getting as many students as possible to download the application and ensuring that any students who have technical issues can have these resolved before their exams start.
The scale of additional support required in exam rooms
We introduced a new role for support in our exam rooms. e-Exam Support Assistants (ESAs) are separate from our standard invigilation team, who we still have in place. ESAs are specifically trained to provide support within the exam for any minor technical issues the candidates encounter, including logging into Digiexam at the start of the exam and submitting their work at the end. This includes making use of Digiexam’s invigilator role so they have access to the “back end” of Digiexam.
How have you managed to expand digital exams across the university?
From starting with an initial pilot in the Law School, we expanded e-Exams to include 8 departments in 2022/23 and increased to 17 departments in 2023/24. Initially, we only delivered e-Exams in our main May/June exam period, but we now have courses assessed by e-Exam in all three in-person exam periods.
A staggered expansion has meant that with project team support we have been able to provide close support to departments and students new to e-Exams each year, whilst simultaneously developing and improving standardised department and student guidance on e-Exams to be used in the longer-term. For departments in their second year of delivering e-Exams, we have seen student take-up increase as confidence in the platform and processes grows.
What was the key reason for choosing Digiexam as your exam platform?
Before e-Exams were rolled out across LSE, we had an independent market analysis undertaken where the Law School’s was vital as they had been using Digiexam for over 2 years by that point. Given the target of rollout for Summer 2023 exams, Digiexam was the best option to meet our timescales and requirements. We were confident it had all the features required to integrate e-Exams into our existing in-person exam delivery operation.
Digiexam was the best option to meet our timescales and requirements. We were confident it had all the features required to integrate e-Exams into our existing in-person exam delivery operation.
What are the biggest gains obtained from Digiexam?
An easy-to-use platform – this is a major benefit to us given our requirement for widespread and diverse assessment scenarios. Digiexam is used by over 100 staff across the School.
A secure lockdown application – Although we have staff in the exam rooms monitoring students, we can feel confident that students can only access their answer window when using Digiexam.
What three words would you use to describe Digiexam?
- User-friendly
- Secure
- Cooperative
