Advice, guides and examples for staff preparing final assessments and exams at Macquarie University. Note: a number of items require your MQ oneID to be logged in before you can view it.

Information and links – updated 4 April 2024.

  1. Guidance on final assessment types – Overview and top tips.
  2. Exam preparation timeline – Session 1, 2024 – for all exam formats (brief version – updated each session). This is a one pager outlining what has to happen and by when for both on-campus (paper) and online exams.
  3. Exams office Wiki page (updated each season) includes a sections for: a) “on-campus in-person” (‘paper and pen’) exams – coversheet templates and guides and b) “online exams”.
  4. Preparing final assessments and exams advice for teachers (see also item 1 above)
    • Clarifying exam requirements (i.e being clear to students about what is and is not permitted) (Teche Post)
    • Quick guide to configuring online quiz exams in iLearn (doc).
    • Detailed guidance notes for preparing online exams [s1 2024 coming soon] – This expands upon exam preparation timeline steps. It also provides online exam prep and design advice for online exams, and touches on contingency for on-campus exams for students who cannot attend.
    • Examples of online and zoom exams in the ‘iLearn for Convenors’ unit. Practical examples, setup guides and additional advice for building exams in iLearn.
  5. Forms:
    • Exam specification form [s1 2024] – for all exam formats (to be updated each session). This form is dynamic and works for both on-campus and online exams. [note: if ‘testing’ this form please do not ‘submit’ it]
    • Online exam peer review sign-off form [s1 2024 – this is *only needed for online exams* (because on-campus exams get signed off when papers are submitted). This supports the QA process for the online exam peer review phase. [note: if ‘testing’ this form please do not ‘submit’ it]
  6. Information on Zoom invigilation at Macquarie – an overview for staff as to which zoom invigilation method suits each type of exam. This was developed with both on-screen and handwritten exam designs in mind (pen-on-paper conversion is typically used for students who cannot attend an on-campus exam). The zoom methods are flexible to expand into more authentic task design in due course.
    • Online Exam with Zoom Invigilation: Guide for staff – This is intended for exam invigilators but also contains information useful for UC’s and others. Contains detailed step by step guide covering both on-screen and handwritten response methods.
    • Online Exam with Zoom Invigilation: Guide for students (PDF) – This guide is intended for students, but staff will also find this informative. Contains detailed step by step guide/timeline covering both on-screen and handwritten response methods as well as suggestions to optimise their exam experience. A short 2 page summary (PDF) is also available.
    • Scan and upload to handwritten work to iLearn (PDF) – Procedures developed for students on how to submit hand-written responses to iLearn (i.e. photo/scan and upload) using MS Lens (free app) for iOS and Android as well as a non-smart-device approach. We recommend staff standardise on this method to minimise confusion for students.
    • Live Exam Monitor for staff use (an overview Teche post)
  7. Macquarie University Assessment policy, procedures – Part E: Examinations.
  8. Exam timetable (periodically available for exam periods). Also lookup a timetable for a student.

Originally posted September 2021. Updated for Session 1 2022, Session 2 2022, Session 1 2023, Session 2 2023 and Session 1 2024.

Posted by Mathew Hillier

Mathew has been engaged by Macquarie University as an e-Assessment Academic in residence and is available to answer questions by MQ staff. Mathew specialises in Digital Assessment (e-Assessment) in Higher Education. Has held positions as an advisor and academic developer at University of New South Wales, University of Queensland, Monash University and University of Adelaide. He has also held academic teaching roles in areas such as business information systems, multimedia arts and engineering project management. Mathew recently led a half million dollar Federal government funded grant on e-Exams across ten university partners and is co-chair of the international 'Transforming Assessment' webinar series as the e-Assessment special interest group under the Australasian society for computers in learning in tertiary education. He is also an honorary academic University of Canberra.

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