Run secure exams remotely

Rob Dear, joint CEO of Speedwell, explains how exam software can run secure high stakes exams

With the global COVID-19 pandemic, we find ourselves in unprecedented circumstances. Universities and colleges across the globe have had to quickly employ strategies to minimise learning interruption for students amid mass closures of physical learning spaces. 

With unknown timescales involved, finding solutions to mitigate disruption and continue delivering quality education is a priority.  As online learning and remote teaching become commonplace, thoughts have inevitably turned to how to deliver remote high-stakes exams securely.  This is where Speedwell’s eSystem online exam software can help. 

All the tools you need 

With eSystemyou can set-up and run secure online exams via a dedicated web app. It’s flexible, supporting all major question styles – from written exams to practical. So whatever the question format, you’ll be able to deliver your assessments online. eSystem also has several key features that ensure the integrity and security of exams. 

In this uncertain time, you don’t need to invest in any additional equipment to run online exams; eSystem works with a wide range of operating systems and devices, so bring your own device (BYOD) is possible. There’s a secure lockdown function, which prevents candidates accessing any files or the internet during the examination. Plus, timing of exams and support for proctoring software is also available, so you can have complete confidence in your exams. 

When it comes to hosting, there are two options; either self-host or choose the cloud hosting option and let us manage the process. With cloud hosting, there’s no need to invest in any additional physical infrastructure, or mobilise IT teams to install software or updates. Well manage that for you. You’ll also be the first to receive updates and therefore you can have confidence you’ll always be working with the latest version. We use Amazon Web Services (AWS) remote cloud infrastructure, so capacity will never be a concern. 

At the heart of the software is a sophisticated question bank enabling you to store, categorise and analyse questions. Plus, it’s quick and easy to import questions from other systems or sources. So you’ll be ready to start building online exams in no time. 

There’s a remote authoring feature which allows questions to be written and added to the bank from anywhere. An audit tool will track changes and assist with version control and the user permissions ensure that users only have access to the areas they need. 

Added benefits of online examination software  

Online exams have the advantage of several other features to help streamline and improve exam processes, such as blueprinting and statistical analysis, both of which provide valuable insights for on-going improvement. 

Without the opportunity for face-to-face interaction, providing students with clear and comprehensive online feedback is more important than ever. eSystem’s candidate feedback feature allows you to provide timely, personalised and detailed feedback to students. They simply login and view their feedback at their convenience.  

Choosing the right partner to help deliver your online exams is crucial. Speedwell is a world-leading exam software provider – our systems have powered medical school, university and professional body exams for over thirty years. We have the knowledge and expertise needed to ensure high stakes exams run smoothly and efficiently, even in this difficult and challenging time. With eSystem, you can create, administer, run, analyse and report on your exams with one easy-to-use integrated assessment system – from any location. 

Speedwell is offering a free trial of eSystem. Visit Speedwellsoftware.com or call 01223 851 703 for more information

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