Benefits of using the University Testing Center
-
Use the Testing Center to provide a window of availability for exam scheduling,
which can free up the class period for additional learning activities.
-
Choose to book the entire space/class exams during your pre-assigned course or
test schedule, or open a window of availability to allow students to schedule
seats at their own convenience.
-
Design (and repurpose) exams through Blackboard.
-
Blackboard-based exams are housed directly in the eCampus course shell where
they are easily accessible to students.
-
Easily enable enhanced security features, including randomized questions,
randomized answers and IP restrictions that limit the availability of the
exam to specific locations, such as the University Testing Center.
-
Once designed, Blackboard exams may be stored in your course content for
future use or revision.
-
Easily accumulate large banks of test questions per course, creating exam
scenarios that are unique to each section or term, and randomized across
many students.
-
Automatic grading is available for certain question types, which expedites
the assessment process and means students see results sooner.
Best practices to design your exam for the Testing Center
See this Knowledge Base article or this Blackboard article for assistance in creating an eCampus exam. Other testing platforms may function differently, but often offer similar test settings. For optimum function and security in the Testing Center, we recommend the following:
Set Lockdown Browser restrictions for the exam by clicking the Respondus LockDown Browser link under Course Management / Control Panel / Course Tools. Choose the orange Continue to LockDown Browser button. A list of exams available in the course is displayed. Click the dropdown button to the left of the exam, choose Settings, then Require the LockDown Browser. Do not activate web monitoring for exams in the Testing Center. Repeat for each exam. If LockDown Browser is not activated for the exam, the Lockdown Browser installed on the Testing Center workstations will not block outside links.
Restrict IP access. Setting the IP address protocols will make the exam available in some locations and unavailable in others. To limit access to the Testing Center, open the Test Options associated with the exam. Look for the Custom IP Filter box and type the following in the blank box:
- Type ALLOW, a Space and 157.182.185.6 to allow the range of addresses within the Testing Center.
- Type BLOCK, a Space and then an Asterisk (*) to ensure the test is only accessible through the approved IP addresses.
- Click Submit.
Once the Custom IP Filter is configured, it should be available on later exam settings for reuse.
This process will create an internal randomly generated password. Leave that password alone as eCampus needs it to secure the IP Restriction. You can also give that password to any student who needs to take the exam elsewhere.
Additional considerations that may be helpful:
Do not select Force Completion as a test setting. This causes the exam to be forcibly submitted if the browser window is closed for any reason, whether complete or not.
Consider exam availability. Instructors may restrict the availability of an exam to specific days and hours. Consider a buffer time before or after the intended exam period to allow for delays.
Time Limits. Instructors may choose to force exam submission at the end of the timer or allow students to work over. See test settings for details.
Randomized questions and answers. See this article for assistance.
Outside links. If your exam uses outside links or tools other than eCampus, be sure to notify staff so we can “test the test” before implementation.
Test taking materials. Some instructors may choose to allow scratch paper, calculators, or other materials during the exam. Please notify Testing Center staff in advance if such materials will be allowed; otherwise, staff will not permit the use of any materials during the test period.
Accommodations. Be sure to allow for exam accommodations by exempting timers, location restrictions, exam availability, etc. for specific students. The Testing Center in Hodges Hall offers a Quiet Room for more focused testing, but it is not a fully accessible testing space. Students with accommodations authorized by the Office of Accessibility Services may discuss with instructors about taking their exam at the OAS Testing Center.