WRITING YOUR EXAM BEFORE SEMESTER STARTS: AN IMPORTANT PARADIGM SHIFT FOR TACKLING ACADEMIC INTEGRITY

Abstract

It is not uncommon for the final examination in undergraduate science and maths courses to be created well after the teaching semester has commenced. Throughout the era of paper-based exams, printing deadlines have historically defined the timeframe for crafting the final assessment piece itself. However the disruptions in 2020 associated with COVID-19 have abruptly shifted us into the next era, where practitioners have suddenly found themselves creating online exams, which have accordingly thrown up a number of complications around format, method of invigilation, and academic integrity. For as long as our students were locked in a room without access to Google, Chegg or CourseHero we did not have an issue, however it would seem those days are over. This presentation seeks to prosecute the idea that the creation of exam-based assessment should occur simultaneously and in concert with all other pre-semester preparation. It has never been more important for educators to generate creative and unique exam questions that are tethered strongly to their own curricula and learning materials, if we hope to circumvent the rise of cheating websites and the surge in academic integrity issues in higher education. Several ideas and approaches will be presented for discussion.