Tailwind for e-Exams  [10.06.22]

A virtual coffee with... Silke Meyer and Oliver Herrmann from the PePP team. | more press photos in print quality

The PePP project is a joint project of nine universities in the state of Baden-Württemberg. It is funded by the Foundation for Innovation in University Teaching.

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The PePP project is all about electronic exams. What exactly does that mean?

Herrmann: Our project focuses on computer-based exams, which are usually conducted in specially equipped rooms on campus. This is an electronic version of a written exam. Online exams, which students can in principle take from any location, are to be distinguished from this, e.g. also as oral exams via video conference.

Online examinations were the subject of intensive discussion at many universities during the pandemic. So far, however, they have only been used sporadically, as there are still numerous technical, legal, and practical challenges. In the PePP project, we want to do some preliminary work here.

Meyer: Computer-based examinations, on the other hand, have long been common practice. At the University of Hohenheim, they were already used to a limited extent before the pandemic - and we see great potential for expansion in the coming semesters.

The experiences from the pilot tests are very positive and implementation is not an impossibility. We would therefore like to encourage lecturers to take a closer look at the topic and discover what possibilities electronic exams offer. We are happy to provide individual advice on specific implementation.

What advantages do e-exams offer over conventional exams? Is it a matter of reducing the grading effort for large exams?

Meyer: Automated grading is often one of the first associations. That can be an option for some exam formats if they are structured according to the multiple-choice principle. However, it must be said that the labor savings usually only occur after a certain amount of time has passed.

In fact, we believe that the greater potential of electronic exams lies elsewhere - namely at the didactic level. A good exam is characterized by the fact that not only memorized knowledge is tested, but students can use competencies that they have acquired in the course.

E-exams offer completely new possibilities for this, for example, videos, graphics and interactive tools expand the repertoire for the design of the exam. Incidentally, all of this can also be used before the actual exam, i.e. to accompany the course.

You'll have to clarify that...

Meyer: A successful course is characterized by the fact that students don't wait until the last minute to study for an exam, but instead deal with the material continuously. In this way, the knowledge becomes firmly anchored and the stress before the exam decreases. Questions designed in the style of e-exams can be issued to students during the course. This creates incentives for active learning.

The advantage: students can familiarize themselves with the format of the e-exam in advance and can test their own level of knowledge. It is also possible to divide the questions into different levels of difficulty. Students are thus picked up at their respective level of knowledge. And at the same time, it creates a certain incentive to reach the next "level". Electronic exam questions can also be used for an interim evaluation or as a way to earn extra points for the exam.

Experience has shown that such offerings are very well received by students.

A few words about PePP: What exactly is the project about?

Herrmann: PePP is a project network of Baden-Württemberg universities. We work closely together across universities to overcome technical and legal challenges related to e-exams and to develop innovative didactic concepts. In this way, we want to pave the way for electronic exams to be an integral part of the further development of university teaching in Baden-Württemberg in the future.

At the University of Hohenheim, PePP is divided into two sub-projects: A technical and a didactical one. The two associated project positions are located at the Office for University Didactics and at the KIM. We also work closely with other institutions at the University of Hohenheim, such as the Examinations Office.

Meyer: I am responsible for the didactic area. That means I offer needs-oriented individual consulting for lecturers who want to use e-exams. Lecturers who are interested can contact me at any time. At the same time I would like to get in contact with lecturers who do not yet use e-exams to find out what the obstacles are for them. More information is available on our project homepage.

Herrmann: The technical sub-project has the specialization "Bring your own device". That means: I want to create the conditions so that students can also use their own devices such as laptops or tablets for e-exams in the future.

Because the university can't provide enough laptops for e-exams?

Herrmann: The KIM loan pool could reach its limits at some point if there is a large expansion of e-exams. But that's not a problem at the moment. It will be more of a bottleneck when it comes to suitable rooms that have sufficient power outlets and good WiFi. We as the PePP team are therefore also supporting the KIM in identifying suitable rooms that can next be equipped for e-exams.

But "Bring your own device" is also interesting for other reasons: Because in the stressful exam situation, it helps students a lot if they can work on a familiar device. And last but not least, we are also creating an important prerequisite for online exams to take place in the future, if necessary, for which one does not have to come to campus. This could be interesting in the context of internationalization or inclusion, for example.

We will report back. Thank you very much for the interview.

Interview: Leonhardmair / Translation: Neudorfer

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