Developing and Implementing Online Test

Processing SoftwareE’lise FloodTesting Center SpecialistJenna AndersonTesting Center SpecialistRyan BrainerdLead, Interactive Design Services

Agenda• About Franklin University• About Our Testing Office (SLC)• Previous Testing Process• The Problems• Our Solution• Software Overview• Results• Future Improvements• Will This Work At Your Institution?

About Franklin University• Private, not-for profit institution• Approx. 11,000 students– Central Ohio– National– International

• Undergraduate and Graduate programs• Five physical locations• Online, traditional, hybrid formats

About Our Testing Office (SLC)• There are currently two

testing specialists with 3-4 internal test proctors

• The highest volume of tests we process are out of class tests

• In 2009, we processed 13,683 exams– 56% of those were

administered by distance proctors

Main Campus44%

Dis-tance

56%

Out of ClassTests 2009

Previous Testing Process• Receive request by email from instructor– Proctor information for all students– Test and related materials

• Manual roster pull and verification• Create cover sheets• Individual e-mails for all proctors• Pre paid envelopes for returning tests• Paperwork, sorting, filing when tests

returned• Process took 45 minutes average per

test

The Problems• Manual process was too time consuming

to scale with University’s growth• Lack of enforceable deadlines– 5 day window– Late submissions were problematic

• Proctors were not verified in any meaningful way

• Lack of centralized system made record keeping difficult– Manual process was e-mail and spreadsheets

Our Solution• Centralized web application to handle all

requests and automate processing as much as possible

• Automatic emails, rosters, mail merge• System enforces deadlines• System has searchable proctor database• System enforces some proctor guidelines– Email blacklist– Standard survey

STUDENT

PROCTOR

PROCTOR

FACULTY

FACULTY

SLC

SLC

ResultsManual Process• Proctor approval at instructor

discretion• Individually send emails with tests

attached to proctor with specific student information

• Instructor had to email test request

• Log into software to pull roster• Manually created coversheet• Dublin testing center had to have

materials saved in separate folder• Manual emails to all other parties

• 45 minutes average per test

Online Test Administration• Proctor approval centralized by

testing professionals• Tests emailed automatically with

specific student information automatically populated

• Instructor submits request through software

• Roster automatically populated• Coversheet automatically

populated• Automated convergence at all

locations• Automated emails to all other

parties

• 8 minutes average per test

Future Improvements

• Additional Transparency– More status for student, faculty, proctor, SLC– ETAs

• Integrated Online Test Environment• Automated Proctor Location• Support for additional physical locations

Will This Work At Your Institution?• Software design and execution was time

consuming – 12 months initial investment– 2 years ongoing support and upgrades– Franklin has an internal software team (AIS/ID)

• Business support– Academic Standards

• Proctor Guidelines

– Faculty Approval– Testing office (SLC)– Information Technology

Get Something Started

Franklin UniversityColumbus, OH

E’lise FloodTesting Center Specialistfloode@franklin.edu

Jenna AndersonTesting Center Specialistandersje@franklin.edu

Ryan BrainerdLead, Interactive Design Servicesbrainerr@franklin.edu