Examination Procedures for Courses Taught at a Distance
Many instructors wonder how examinations are handled when teaching at a distance. Whether you are teaching over ITV, compressed video, fiber, or via one of the online (asynchronous) media (computer conferencing, World Wide Web, videotape, or phone bridge), UMS sites and centers are available as testing sites. Proctoring is available upon request.
The following information describes how University College Education Services administers examinations and what you can do to insure your examinations are where you need them, when you need them.
General Procedure
Please provide one original copy of your examination to University College's Faculty Liaison, Karen Proulx, no less than 10 days prior to the exam date. University College will duplicate and distribute the exam to remote sites where students are enrolled. You are responsible for arrangements to duplicate and distribute the exam to students wishing to test at the broadcasting campus. You may request a proctor be in each site classroom for the duration of the examination. Again, you are responsible for proctoring students at your broadcast location. The proctor verifies that your policies are followed, collects the exams and mails them directly to your selected campus address.
Please forward graded examinations to Karen Proulx using one of the pre-addressed, postage-paid envelopes provided in this Information Packet. University College staff will mail graded exams to sites within 24 hours of receipt. (Students in asynchronous courses will receive their graded exams at their homes.)
Examination Security
Exams are mailed to sites 1 week prior to the exam date to allow for U.S. Postal and remote site interoffice transit time. Sites store exams in a locked cabinet until the designated exam time. The examinations are sealed in special envelopes which site personnel recognize as high-security items. Affixed to the outside of the exam packet is an Exam Instruction Form, which lists your specific examination policies. The proctor will sign the Exam Instruction Form, verifying that the envelope's seal has not been tampered with and that your policies and procedures were followed. Please complete and attach one Exam Instruction Form to each exam you forward to University College. Indicate on this form whether you require proctors. Proctors will remain in the classrooms for the duration of the examination and will take responsibility for mailing the packet to you. Proctors are not available beyond your scheduled class period, so exams must end by the end of class time.
University College provides sites a schedule of all course exam dates so that proctors may be scheduled, and also so site staff may alert our staff prior to an exam date should they fail to receive the exam. University College also faxes a weekly reminder to sites listing all examinations for the forthcoming week. In this manner we aim to minimize last-minute calls from sites requesting exams be faxed to them, as well as delays to students in need of the exam.
Please remember to notify Karen Proulx if you change any of your exam dates, so sites may reschedule a proctor. Announcing revised exam dates or policies on-air or on-line is not sufficient, because it does not alert University College and site personnel -- those folks who provide support in administering your examinations!
Online (Asynchronous) Course Examinations
Although your asynchronous course may hold no actual face-to-face meetings, University sites and centers are available throughout the state as testing sites should you choose to do on-site, proctored examinations.
Choosing Exam Dates: Due to limited staffing and room availability at the sites and centers, we recommend you schedule examination "windows" of 4 to 5 days. A window of Friday through Monday of a given week has proven to work well with site schedules. Please coordinate your exam date windows with Karen Proulx at University College to avoid scheduling exams during high school break weeks when many sites will be closed.
Testing Sites/Proctors: Please post to your web site a notice that students will need to sign up for their test site at least 2 weeks in advance of an exam date, by going to www.learn2.maine.edu/exam and completing the online form there. Students will, upon choosing their test site, receive an online confirmation as well as a notice that they must also contact site staff directly to work out the details of date/time desired (the notice will provide them a contact name/number for the site). Please also post text to your website asking out-of-state students to provide you the name of a suitable proctor in their community, for instance, a teacher or supervisor. Ask these students to forward the name and address of their proctor, once approved by you, to Karen Proulx at University College. [Note: UMaine Orono instructors are responsible for proctoring and scheduling a testing room for students choosing Orono as the testing site.}
What you need to do
Forward one copy of your examination and your completed Exam Instruction Form so that they are in-hand at University College, care of Karen Proulx, 10 days prior to the exam date. The mailing address is: University College, 46 University Drive, Augusta ME 04330.
If more convenient, you may fax the exam and Instruction Form to the attention of Karen at 1-800-696-1125, but please call (1-800-245-5544) to confirm receipt.
Exams may also be emailed to Karen at kproulx@maine.edu. Please complete and forward a copy of the Exam Instruction Form along with each exam.
Please remember that proctors and/or site classrooms are not available beyond your scheduled class period (not applicable for online courses) for students who desire additional time to complete the exam.
Documented ADA students in need of additional exam time may contact site personnel to make special arrangements.
Please remember that you are responsible for providing copies of the exam to students at your broadcast classroom, and for proctoring those students.
If the 10-day lead time is impractical for you, you have the option to follow a 7-day lead time if: 1) you provide University College all photocopies necessary for all students (please call Karen to verify the exact amount needed); 2) you provide Karen your Exam Instruction Form 10 days prior to the exam date, so that we may have the exam envelopes prepared in advance. It is the combination of you providing all photocopies and you having your Exam Instruction Form on file at University College in advance that allows us to offer a shorter 7-day lead time option.
We hope this information will help you to understand the special care we take in assuring the safe delivery and handling of your examinations. Please feel free to call Karen Proulx at 1-800-245-5544 if you have any questions regarding examination policies and procedures.