CASE STUDIES

Implemented projects
University of Bath
Full implementation of digital
examination system using Inspera solutions

The University of Bath, founded in 1966, is one of the top universities in the UK, leading the way in the "student satisfaction" category. As many as 30% of all 18,000 students are foreigners from over 100 different countries.

In 2016, the University authorities began to consider introducing various solutions in the field of digital student examination. The planning and development phase of the pilot project lasted 10 months and was focused mainly on communication with all the University stakeholders. We tried to develop a positive attitude to a completely new form of examination.

A one-year pilot project of electronic examinations using Inspera took place in 2019. It aimed to determine whether digital examination could bring any of the following benefits for students, examiners and administrators:

Adjusting the examination conditions to the everyday conditions faced by the students in the classroom and later at the workplace
Providing better availability and support for students with specific needs
Increasing efficiency when checking exams
Providing greater fairness when assessing exams, no bias caused by e.g. illegible handwriting
Reducing the cost and time spent on preparing exams

During the pilot programme, the University tested and evaluated digital solutions on many levels, including: support requirements, user experience and technology capabilities, in a variety of examination conditions.

The Inspera support included:

dedicating an Individual Account Manager (I.A.M),
access to the Online Service Office,
access to training and teaching materials,
introducing the University of Bath Team to the Inspera's Strategic User Forum in Higher Education - contacting other universities using Inspera solutions.

Students also had to be prepared for the new form of examination. The introduction to using the I.A.M included: four I.A.M installation and testing meetings with the use of their equipment, three mock (test) exams, two introductory lectures on the I.A.M platform. Even before the implementation of the platform, the university also prepared surveys for students to check their needs and preferences.

On the basis of the survey, the University took the following steps:

university devices were prepared as a backup in the event that students' devices did not work/ there was a problem with their use,
additional mock exams were carried out to test the Platform and its use on students' devices,
technical support was ready for immediate assistance during exams,
additional tests of the university network were carried out.
The results

The exams in the pilot were conducted without incidents, and 'overall, it was a very positive experience', reports Dr Donald Lancaster, Teaching Fellow in Marketing and Director of Studies for Executive MBA. Rowan Cranwell, Solutions and Project Manager, agrees and adds: 'The majority of students with special needs and learning disabilities said they much preferred digital exams to pen and paper.'   

Collaboration with Inspera will continue in the future. 'Eventually, digital exams will become the norm’, as Lancaster concludes.  

Some students didn’t want to take the exam online
simply because they were nervous. All of the students
who did it online reported great satisfaction. All of the
students who didn’t do it online, later said they wish
they had done it. That is really interesting when you
think about it.
Dr Donald Lancaster
Academic Director
University of Bath, United Kingdom

JAKUB ORCZYK

Board member // Head of Sales
in vm.pl Sp. z o.o.

Do you want to find out more about our services? Leave us a message!
vm.pl Academic Software is part of vm.pl Sp. z o.o.
ul. T. Kościuszki 82 50-441 Wrocław
+48 71 341 76 40 office@vm.pl www.vm.pl
Project is realised in agreement with PCG Academia Sp. z o.o.